Jeremiah 26:18-19, "Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Zion shall be plowed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest. Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls."

The time was drawing near. The sins of Israel had been seen by God and He would visit their iniquity upon them. No longer would He tolerate their disobedience to His word. The sins of Israel had reached into the southern nation of Judah.

Time and time again God would send His watchmen, the prophets, to them, but they would not listen to His voice. Micah, "who is like Jehovah," a prophet of Judah and a contemporary of Isaiah, was a native of Moresheth of Gath. The book begins with the last words of another prophet, "Micaiah the son of Imlah": "Hearken, O people, every one of you."

Micah consists of three sections, each beginning with a rebuke, "Hear ye," and closing with a promise. The book concludes with a song of triumph at the great deliverance which the Lord will achieve for his people. The closing verse is quoted in the song of Zacharias (Luke 1:72, 73). The prediction regarding the place "where Christ should be born," one of the most remarkable Messianic prophecies, is quoted in Matt. 2:6.

Micah 5:2-4, "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God; and they shall abide: for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth."

Micah reminds us that God has always promised a remnant of Israel. His promises are sure and His covenant is forever. He is their King of kings and will rule over them throughout eternity.

The book of Micah contains words too difficult to hear but are just as timely today as they were in 733 B.C. Micah reminds us of the righteousness of God. His words remind us that those who seek Him and call upon His name are sanctified, separated, set apart, and He will not allow His name to be profaned.

Through the words of Micah we are reminded that God is just and a just judge. May we never forget that He is the One Who is the ruler among men even now and until forever.