In Today's Email:
Welcome to the Book of Micah!
Micah was a prophet from Judah that was a contemporary of Isaiah, and the two have many parallels in their books. He writes about the sins of Judah and Israel.
A few quick facts about
The author is Micah (“Who is like Jehovah”)
This book was written around 702 B.C.
The key verse is 6:8 – “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
A brief outline:
Judgment and Restoration – Chapters 1-2
Sin and Salvation – Chapters 3-5
God versus His People – Chapters 6-7
Micah 1 Notes
In this chapter judgment is announced against Israel.
vs. 1 – Micah prophesied between 747 and 704 B.C.
vs. 2-5 – The coming judgement is announced. It will target the Northern Kingdom of Israel (capital at Samaria) and the Southern Kingdom of Judah (capital at Jerusalem). The instrument of God’s judgment is the Assyrian empire. Micah wrote this around 25 years before Samaria fell in 721 B.C. and 50 years before Jerusalem was besieged in 701 B.C.
vs. 6-7 – Samaria is destroyed in judgment. Note that idolatry and harlotry are named. These are intertwined in these ancient Canaanite religions.
vs. 8-16 – The sin that brought judgment to Samaria had also infected Judah. There is much wordplay in vs. 10-15 if you translate very loosely the names of these towns in western Judah. Thus we see the commands to not weep in Weep-town (Gath), toil in the dust at the Dust-town (Beth-le-aphrah), hide in shame in Beauty-town (Shaphir), march not out March-town (Zanaan), do not stand in Root- or Support-town (Bethezel), wait for pleasantness/good in Bitter-town (Maroth), see evil come to Peace-town (Jerusalem), hitch up the horses, Horse-town (Lachish), givve presents to Possession-town (Moreshethgath), lie to the kings by Lie-town (Achzib), bring an heir to Inheritance-town (Mareshah), and see glory shall spill out from Refuge-town (Adullam).
Micah 2 Notes
In this chapter are judgement and restoration.
vs. 1-11 – The wickedness of society is exposed. The people scheme to gain riches and possessions. God would reset the situation through judgment. God had warned them but they rebelled against Him even further.
vs. 12-13 - The closing verses of this chapter illustrate the hope for restoration beyond God’s judgment. I believe they go far beyond the return from the Babylonian Captivity and point to a future restoration of Israel leading into the Millennial Kingdom of Christ.
Micah 3 Notes
In this chapter the sins of the aristocrats and prophets are highlighted.
vs. 1-4 – The greed of the leaders is exposed. They have completely turned from good to evil. Their crimes against the people are compared to the deplorable act of cannibalism. They had crossed a line that only judgment could purge their sins.
vs. 5-8 – The selfish state of the prophets. They pronounce blessings upon whoever pays or feeds them, but on those who do not they mount attacks. Because these prophets have proven unfaithful God will no longer work through them, though it appears much of their work wasn’t on God’s behalf anyway.
vs. 9-12 - A good government with good laws in a good society must be run by good men. If evil men are introduced to a good system, they will corrupt and twist it into something mirroring their own hearts. That is what we see here. They are so blind to what had occurred that they assume God is still on their side.
Micah 4 Notes
In this chapter we see restoration after judgment.
vs. 1-5 – It is interesting to note that vs. 1-3 are almost identical to Isaiah 2:2-4. Since Isaiah and Micah prophesied at the same time, some have speculated that one copied the other. I think a better explanation is that the true Author, God Himself, gave the same message through these two prophets. We jump into the End Times here. Christ rules over the Gentiles from Jerusalem. It will be a time of unparalleled peace and prosperity as all peoples unite under Christ.
vs. 6-13 - This regathering of Israel is not what happened when then Jews returned to their land after the Babylonian captivity. This is a future regathering, one that is beginning now and will only grow until the Kingdom is established. The prophecy that the Jews would have a kingdom again has yet to be fulfilled. A few with the title of king ruled, such as Herod, but they were puppets of the larger powers in the world. The “birth pangs” of vs. 9-10 refer to the Tribulation, out of which the Millennial Kingdom is “birthed”. Armageddon is seen in vs. 11-13.
Closing Thoughts
It is tempting to dismiss these judgments against nations centuries ago as somehow not relevant. I find the messages of these prophets announcing the coming judgments on Israel and Judah to be frighteningly accurate portrayals of our own times. Our leaders are corrupt. Justice often fails. We are on the same trajectory towards judgment as they were. There is a great need today for men to stand and proclaim the truth, just as the prophets like Micah did.
Hymn for Today
Our hymn today is “Behold! The Mountain of the Lord”, written by John Logan and Michael Bruce. It celebrates the greatness of Christ’s coming kingdom.
Behold! the mountain of the Lord
In latter days shall rise
On mountain tops above the hills,
And draw the wondering eyes.
To this the joyful nations round,
All tribes and tongues, shall flow;
Up to the hill of God, they’ll say,
And to His house we’ll go.
The beam that shines from Zion hill
Shall lighten every land;
The King who reigns in Salem’s towers
Shall all the world command.
Among the nations He shall judge;
His judgments truth shall guide;
His scepter shall protect the just,
And quell the sinner’s pride.
No strife shall vex Messiah’s reign
Or mar the peaceful years;
To plowshares soon they beat their swords
To pruning hooks their spears.
No longer hosts encountering hosts,
Their millions slain deplore;
They hang the trumpets in the hall
And study war no more.
Come then, O house of Jacob, come
To worship at His shrine;
And, walking in the light of God,
With holy beauties shine.