What makes Micah special?

In Hebrew, the name “Micah” means “who is like the Lord.” This phrase is more of an exclamation than a question, for in this book the prophet Micah proclaims that no one is as powerful as the Lord God of Israel. God judges earthly leaders and nations who oppose God and ignore God’s concern for justice, but God also saves those who confess their sins and return to him (7.9,18,19).

It did not matter to Micah that he came from a small town in the country. He found courage to criticize leaders in the capital cities of Israel and Judah. Micah’s courage was so great it was still famous over one hundred years later in the time of the prophet Jeremiah (Jer 26.18).

One brief passage in Micah (5.2-5) has become an important passage for Christians. It tells of a shepherd from Bethlehem who will take care of his sheep (his people) and bring peace to the world. The writer of Matthew identified this “shepherd” with Jesus of Nazareth (Matt 2.1-6).

Why was Micah written?

The Lord God had made agreements with the ancestors of the people of Israel: Abraham and Jacob (Gen 12.1-3; 15.4-6; 35.9-12; Mic 7.20), and Moses (Exod 3.7,8; 20–24; Deut 5–7). God promised to bless Israel with land and many descendants, if they worshiped him alone and obeyed his Law. Micah said that many of God’s people had turned their backs on God’s Law and were in danger of losing out on God’s promises. The messages in the book were especially for Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom (Israel), and for Jerusalem, the capital of the southern kingdom (Judah). Instead of worshiping and obeying the Lord, the leaders and the people of these cities were worshiping other gods, as well as cheating and robbing the poor. And so the Lord was going to punish Israel and Judah.

But Micah also announced that God would rescue the people in the future. God would lead them home to worship once again in Jerusalem (4.1-13) and choose a leader who would care for the people like a shepherd and bring them peace (5.2-5). Micah shared a hope with the prophet Isaiah that one day the Lord’s Law would be obeyed by all nations, and all weapons of war would be remade into “rakes and shovels” (Isa 2.1-5; Mic 4.1-5). Though God’s people (Israel) had suffered at the hands of nations such as Assyria (5.5,6) and Babylonia (7.12), the Lord would forgive Israel and renew the promises the Lord made to their ancestors (7.18-20).

What’s the story behind the scene?

Micah came from a small town in the country called Moresheth, which was probably located about twenty-five miles southwest of Jerusalem. According to 1.1 he preached during the time that Jotham (740-736 B.C.), Ahaz (736-716 B.C.), and Hezekiah (716-687 B.C.) ruled in Judah. Micah criticized the leaders of Samaria and Jerusalem repeating the warnings of the earlier prophets, Amos and Hosea. The leaders and people of Samaria would be judged because they were worshiping other gods and treating the poor unjustly (Hos 2.2-13; Amos 5.10-27; Mic 1.2-7). These warnings were fulfilled in 722-21 B.C. when Assyria invaded Israel and conquered Samaria. Many of the people of Israel’s northern kingdom were forced to leave their land and live in other parts of the Assyrian kingdom.

Micah warned the leaders of Jerusalem that they would suffer a similar punishment, because they were doing some of the same evil things (Mic 1.8—2.11; 3.8-12). In 701 B.C. the Assyrians passed through the area of Micah’s hometown, Moresheth, while destroying many towns in Judah. Jerusalem was surrounded but escaped destruction when Hezekiah prayed for God’s help (2 Kgs 18.13—19.37). In 586 B.C. another enemy, Babylonia, did capture Jerusalem and many of its leading citizens were taken away into captivity in Babylon (2 Kgs 25.1-21).

But the destruction of Samaria and Jerusalem was not Micah’s final word from God. Even though God acted as a judge, he still cared for his people. One day, the people would return to Jerusalem and worship the Lord in the temple, and a new ruler would lead God’s people like a faithful shepherd and bring in a time of peace. In 539 B.C., the Persians conquered Babylon and allowed many of Judah’s people to return home and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple (2 Chr 36.22,23). The new temple was dedicated in 515 B.C. (Ezra 6.13-18). Micah’s words of hope echo the great promises of a number of Israel’s prophets (Isa 45.1-13; 52.1-12; 59.9-21; Jer 46.27,28; Ezek 37; Zech 9.9-17).

How is Micah constructed?

The prophecies in Micah alternate between doom and hope. Scholars have pointed out many similarities between the messages of Micah and Isaiah. These similarities have led some to suggest that the final form of Micah is based on the work of a later editor, though this is not certain. See also the Introduction to Isaiah, p. 1229.

The book can be outlined as follows:

• Messages of judgment against Israel and Judah (1.1—3.12)
• Messages of hope for God’s people (4.1—5.15)
• The Lord puts the people of Israel on trial for their sins (6.1—7.7)
• The Lord forgives those who confess their sins (7.8-20)

Messages of Judgment against Israel and Judah

Micah announces the Lord’s judgment of Israel and Judah. Their leaders are allowing the worship of idols and ignoring God’s concern for justice. God will use enemy armies to destroy Samaria and Jerusalem, and the leaders will feel the same pain and powerlessness that they have caused their own people. A message of hope (2.12,13) proclaims that those who survive the days of judgment will once again be gathered together as God’s people.

Messages of Hope for God’s People

Micah promises that, in the future, people of all nations will worship the Lord in Jerusalem. Peace will come when they live according to God’s Law. God’s people will return home to Judah and rebuild the city after a time of punishment. God will appoint a ruler to take care of the people and to bring them peace. Enemies will be defeated and idols honoring other gods will be destroyed.

The Lord Puts the People of Israel on Trial for Their Sins

The Lord God invites the people of Israel to explain their evil actions. They have forgotten how the Lord saved them in the past, and now they are sinning against God, forgetting what is right and what it is that God really wants (6.8). Jerusalem and its people will be punished (6.16), but Micah holds out hope that God will save them and hear the prayers of his people (7.7).

The Lord Forgives Those Who Confess Their Sins

The individual poems in the final part of Micah combine to show hope in the future. First, the people confess their sins and declare their trust in the Lord (7.8-10). This is followed by the promise of a restored Judah (7.11-13). Micah prays that the nations who had made fun of Judah (7.10) will “fear” Judah’s Lord. Finally, the people of Judah praise God for forgiving them and for keeping the promises made to their ancestors (7.18-20).

Questions about Micah

1. What kind of sins committed in Israel and Judah led to God’s judgment? (1.3-7,13; 2.8-11; 3.1-11) Where do you see evidence of such sins in society today?

2. According to Micah, who was going to suffer God’s punishment? (1–3; 5.10—6.16) Do God’s judgments seem fair or unfair? Why?

3. In what ways would God show mercy to and restore the people of Israel? (4.1—5.5; 7.11-20)

4. Micah speaks a great deal about good and bad rulers. How does Micah think a ruler influences people? Micah uses the image of “shepherd” to describe a leader. How can leaders in government and the church be more like shepherds?

5. Read Micah 6.6-8 and Amos 5.21-24. In your own words, describe what God “wants” more than anything else. How easy or difficult is it to do this? Why?

6. Name one new thing you learned from reading and studying Micah.