Micah 6:9
The LORD’s voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it. The LORD’s voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
The Lord's voice cries and warns to the city, and the person of wisdom sees and recognizes His name, His authority and His character in it, and hears and heeds the rod and the One who appointed it. The rod is His appointed chastening, correction and warning of punishment for departure from Him and for sin, as the verses that follow describe the judgment to come upon those who practice deceit and violence. Hearing the rod means taking His correction seriously and practicing what He requires — dealing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with Him in obedience — rather than self-serving or oppressive dealings.
In its setting the chapter reveals His mind in warning against wickedness, injustice and dishonest dealings, with rebuke directed at those who make merchandise of others and selfishly deny them opportunity. The sins denounced with the rod are treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, the abominable scant measure, wicked balances and the bag of deceitful weights, rich men full of violence, and inhabitants speaking lies with a deceitful tongue, for which He will make sick in smiting and make desolate because of sins. Refusing His warnings and making light of His punishments brings heavier judgment, and persistent sin in injustice, deceit, violence and lies will bring desolation and punishment, especially on those who have received great light and refuse to repent.
The call to the city applies to Battle Creek, calling it to account, where the appointed correction is for taking counsel with men who have not walked in the counsel of the Lord and for carrying forward medical missionary work that is not acceptable to God under a leader filling his mind with sophistries and deceptions. The rod belongs to His own professed people for their departure from Him and has come upon them. The verse is part of a prophecy describing the state of the world just before the second coming, when iniquity abounds because people transgress His law and break the everlasting covenant.