QUESTIONS based on Micah. 2:2—And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.

(Cross references for Mic. 2:2)

they covet fields,

1. Exod. 20:17–What things was a man under the Old Law not to covet?  Is this different than 1 Corinthians 5:10-11?
2. 1 Kings 21:2-19–What did Ahab covet and what was he willing to do to obtain his desire?  Does covetousness encourage us toward loving our neighbor or hating him?
3. Job 31:38-40–Job wishes a curse upon himself if he has taken anything by covetousness.  IF he had taken anything by covetousness, what would have happened to him?
4. Isa. 5:8–Considering what these people have taken, what benefit is it that they own all these things?  See also Ecclesiastes 5:11.
5. Jer. 22:13-19–How were Josiah and his son, Jehoiakim different?  In what way did Josiah know the Lord and Jehoiakim not know the Lord (vs. 16-17)? Why would Jehoiakim have the burial of an ass?
6. Amos 8:4-6–What were the covetous people doing in this passage?
7. Hab. 2:2-9–In the vision which the Lord gave to Habakkuk, what kind of man is being described?  What would happen to him (vss. 8 & 9)?
8. 1 Tim 6:10–What will happen to those who love money and covet after it?

so they

1. Exod. 22:21-27—List the ways a man may be covetous and tell what punishment would follow.
2. 2 Kings 9:222-26—Why did Jehu kill Jehoram and where did they cast his body?
3. Neh. 5:1-8—During a time of famine, the nobles and rulers took advantage of the poor.  What did they do?
4. Job 24:2-12—What things did the violent, covetous men do to the people?
5. Ezek. 18:12—What kinds of things did this man’s son do?
6. Ezek. 22:12—In “the bloody city” what were the nobles doing to the people?
7. Mic. 3:9-12—What were the heads of the house of Jacob doing in Israel?  What was to be the punishment?
8. Mal. 3:5—What did the Lord promise to do to the covetous?  What others were in the same category?
9. Matt 23:14—What were the Pharisees doing in Jesus time?  What curse did Jesus pronounce on them?

oppress a man and his house,

1. 1 Sam. 12:3-4—When Samuel was trying to reason with the people about their need for a king, what argument did he use to prove his integrity?

Just how odious is the sin of covetousness to our Heavenly Father?  Read the following scriptures and judge.

• “And he said, That which      cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil      thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness,      wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride,      foolishness: All these evil things      come from within, and defile the man (Mark 7:20-23).
• “And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life      consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth” (Luke      12:15).
• “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,      God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not      convenient;
• 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full      of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers…” (Rom. 1:28-29).
• “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth;      fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Col. 3:5).
• “For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor      a cloke of covetousness; God is witness” (1 Thess. 2:5).
• “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with      such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor      forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5).
• “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make      merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and      their damnation slumbereth not” (2 Pet. 2:3).

Consider other strong admonitions against the sin of covetousness:

• “Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail (Eccl. 4:7-8).
• “He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes” (Eccl. 5:10-11)?
• “Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil! Thou hast consulted shame to thy house by cutting off many people, and hast sinned against thy soul. For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it” (Hab. 2:9-11).
• “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous [Strongs: not fond of silver – 866 = (not) + 53660, as in Lk 1614) (1 Tim 3:2-3).
• “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself” (1 Tim. 6:5).
• “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:10).
• “For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre (Titus 1:7).