What actions in Micah 2:2 demonstrate a violation of the Tenth Commandment? “They covet fields and seize them; they take houses as well. They defraud a man of his home, and a fellow man of his inheritance.” Actions That Violate the Tenth Commandment • Coveting—an inward craving for what belongs to someone else • Seizing fields—turning that craving into forceful acquisition • Taking houses—expanding the theft to family dwellings • Defrauding a man of his home—stripping a person of his place of security and livelihood • Robbing a fellow man of his inheritance—undoing God-ordained family heritage for selfish gain Link to the Tenth Commandment (Exodus 20:17) “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” Micah exposes each forbidden desire spelled out in Exodus and shows how unchecked coveting becomes overt oppression. Supporting Scriptures • 1 Kings 21:1-16—Ahab covets Naboth’s vineyard, seizes it through fraud and murder. • Proverbs 24:1—“Do not envy wicked men or desire their company.” • James 4:2—“You crave what you do not have… You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask.” Practical Takeaways • Coveting is not a harmless thought; it drives actions that hurt others. • God defends rightful ownership and family inheritance. • Repentance begins by surrendering desires to the Lord before they mature into sin (James 1:14-15). |
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