Relationships That Replace God will Displace Happiness

Micah 1:14
Therefore you will give parting gifts
to Moresheth Gath.
The town of Akzib will prove deceptive
to the kings of Israel.

Micah was a prophet under many kings. Micah prophesied about the disaster that will befall all Israelites because of their sins. He mentions many sins and offenses against God that had not been repented. He predicts what will happen in the future.

Micah predicts that because of sin, Israelites will give parting gifts to Moresheth Gath. Moresheth Gath is an Israelite town in Judah. To give parting gifts has two possible meanings. First to give parting gifts is to give a gift to your daughter who is getting married and will no longer live with you. It is a goodbye token and wishing her well in her new life that will no longer involve you. Secondly to give parting gifts is to give a divorce settlement bill to a wife you have rejected. The settlement bill completely ends the relationship and she has no further claims to the former husband.

In both instances, to give parting gifts is to end a relationship and start off a new life without the other person. To continue your life without your daughter who is now married. To continue your life without your former wife. To give parting gifts is a sad event of parting.

To give parting gifts to Moresheth Gath may symbolize a time when Israel will be uprooted from their Promised Land to captivity. A forced parting. A parting that permanently ends the relationship between people and the land. Indeed when Israelites went to captivity, many of those who went never came back. They parted with Moresheth Gath. Moresheth Gath is used to showing the extreme nature of parting. Loss of money can be expressed as one losing to the last cent. The uprooting of Israel from that land is expressed with the extreme of being removed from Moresheth Gath.

The town of Akzib will prove deceptive. Akzib refers to two different locations. What is important is the meaning of Akzib. Akzib refers to one that is deceptive. A stream that flows during rain season and then during the dry season it suddenly dries is referred to as Akzib. A stick that proves strong but when you lean on it, it collapses, that is Akzib. It gives false promises. It does not deliver what it seems to promise.

When the prophet says that Akzib will prove deceptive, it is as good as saying, the deceptive will prove deceptive. What we put our faith on other than God, will prove to be a great disappointment. At the time of need, we will be left exposed by whatever Akzib we have in life.

The relationship with Moresheth Gath will end because of sin. People and the land they love will be separated. People and the land have had a good relationship, but because of sin, they will be forced to separate for good. This relationship that had been made better than the relationship with God, will fail. People loved the land so much that they forgot God. God says that because of that sin, they will give parting gifts to Moresheth Gath. They will be separated from the misleading love of their land. Relationships that replace God will displace happiness!

People have a new relationship with Akzib. Projects that look promising but will not eventually deliver anything. People who promise to support but they will not. Money that will lose value is Akzib. Whatever temporary things we treat as eternal will prove to be Akzib. Relationships that replace God will displace happiness!

Where God is, there is happiness. If our love for things and people exceeds our love for God, we would have replaced God. When God goes, happiness goes. Relationships that replace God will displace happiness!

Dear God, save me from loving Moresheth Gath more than You. May I never love anything more than You. Grant me wisdom to identify and avoid Akzib. Things that give high hopes but end up in disappointment. May my relationship with You O God be a top priority, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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