How Serious Is Rebellion?

Micah 1:1-16

Icebreaker: How did rebellion play out within your home when you were a child? Who caused it? What were some of the effects on the family?

1. When someone you love is causing self-inflicted pain, what goes through your mind? How do you respond?
   

2. Read Exodus 20:1-5 and Leviticus 26:1. Based on these verses and your understanding of God, how is idolatry a form of rebellion against God? How does idolatry hurt people?
   

3. How are the following statements about God NOT in conflict with one another: God is holy, God is loving, and God is just? In other words, how are His judgments a logical extension of His holiness and love?
   

4. Read Micah 1:2-7. In your own words, what is Micah communicating? Note: when this was written, the Israelites were divided into two kingdoms: Israel (capital: Samaria) and Judah (capital: Jerusalem).
   

5. Read Micah 1:8-16. How do you think it must have felt to know it was totally impossible to control or escape God’s impending judgment?
   

6. In what specific ways do you see rebellion against God in our culture? During what circumstances are you prone to have a rebellious attitude against God (knowingly or unknowingly)? To what degree do you think people in our culture don’t see rebellion against God as a problem, since life is relatively comfortable in our country?
   

7. Commit to reading a chapter of Micah each week during this series. Read and re-read it slowly. Highlight words and phrases, write down your questions, and pray. What do you hope to learn from this short study of Micah?