Introduction to Micah

A. Authorship and Dates

1.      Written by Micah the Morasthite, not to be confused with any other figure named Micah. Moraseth is a town in Gath, about 20 miles south and west of Jerusalem.

2.      The name means "who is like the Lord?" or "who is like unto God?"

3.      Possibly knew or was a friend of Isaiah, probable contemporary of the prophet Hosea

4.      Written across several decades, in the period beginning 750 B.C. through about 690 - 700 B.C.

B. Historical Setting

1.      He witnessed the reigns of three southern (Judah) kings: Jothan, Ahaz, and Hezekiah

a)      Jothan was good (750 - 731 B.C.)

b)      Ahaz was very evil (731 - 715 B.C.)

c)      Hezekiah was very good (715 - 686 B.C.)

2.      At this time, the Israelites were split into two kingdoms: Israel, with its capital in Samaria in the northern half, and Judah, capital in Jerusalem, in the southern half.

3.      The Assyrians (200 years before the Babylonians) were in the business of conquest, and were about to take over the northern kingdom and haul the Samaritans off to Damascus and points north

4.      The northern kingdom was deep into idol worship -- complete with images of Baal and golden calves -- while the southern kingdom based out of Jerusalem still hung on to a form of worshiping the true God.

C. Themes and Structure

1.      Micah's name, "who is like unto God" is a strong indicator of the overall theme of this book. Although he speaks against sin and the coming judgment for repeated apostasy, we continually see evidence of an incomparable God, rich in mercy and quick to forgive.

2.      Verse 18 of Chapter 7 is key: “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.”

3.      The first three chapters denounce sin, the last 4 chapters offer hope of reconciliation

4.      Logical divisions

a)      Who is like the God of Judgment? (ch 1 - 2)

b)      Who is like the God of Deliverance? (ch 3 - 5)

c)      Who is like the God of Righteousness? (ch 6 - 7)

D. Related Readings

1.      Destruction of Samaria -- II Kings 17 - 19

2.      Micah quoted in other scriptural references

a)      Jeremiah 26:18 -- the elders' defense

b)      Matthew 2:5 -- the birthplace of Christ

c)      Matthew 10:35-36 -- Jesus sends out His disciples

Who is like the God of Judgment?

Background from the OT: Micah 1 - 2

A. General Pronouncement of Coming Judgment

1.      Directed specifically to Samaria and Jerusalem, but applicable to all the people of the earth (1:1-2)

2.      Description of events to come (1:3-5)

3.      Reason given: sin, transgressions (1:4)

B. Samaria's Judgment described (1:5 - 7)

1.      She'll end up like heaps of crops in the field

2.      There will be vineyards planted over her

a)      There are vineyards planted today in the ruins of Samaria

3.      All the buildings will be torn down

a)      The ruins of the buildings, the stones of its temples, etc, lay in piles in the bottoms of ravines

C. Micah's Lamentation (1:8-16)

1.      His language describes deep, formal mourning -- howling dogs, stripped and barefoot

2.      A wound too deep to heal -- crossing the point of no return (v 9)

3.      Hebrew Puns -- using the poetry and language of the day, Micah describes the coming sorrows by using a play on words of the meanings of the various towns and regions

a)      Gath means "weep": weep not (v10)

b)      Aphrah means "town of dust": roll in the dust (v 10)

c)      Shaphir means "beauty": beauty will be shamed (v 11)

d)      Zaanan means "march along together": they won't leave the city (v 11)

e)      Maroth means "bitterness": they wanted good news but got none (v 12)

f)       Lachish means "horse": hitch up a chariot and ride out (v 13)

4.      A hint of a coming Deliverer and a call for national mourning (vs 15-16)

D. The Sins of the people (ch 2)

Whereas Chapter 1 dealt with sins against God, Chapter 2 addresses sins against each other -- Personal wickedness in many forms.

1.      Plotting & scheming for illicit gain (vs 1-5)

2.      A call for the end of prophecy against evil (vs 6-7)

3.      Grievous treatment of the poor and helpless (vs 8-9)

4.      Looking for prophets to tickle their ears (vs 10-11)

5.      A promise of coming Restoration (vs 12-13)

Who is like the God of Deliverance?

Background from the OT: Micah 3 - 4

A. The Sins of the Princes (3:1-4)

1.      To "know justice" is to understand it, cling to it, do it

2.      They actually preferred evil

3.      Using the idea of cannibalism to relate just how evil they are

4.      Ultimately, they will cry out to God for help, but He will not hear their prayers

B. The Sins of the Prophets (3:5-7)

1.      They cause the people to err

2.      They're like poisonous snakes

3.      They say there is peace, when they should be preparing for war

4.      God will absolutely shut them down

5.      Notice Micah's disclaimer at verse 8: he is NOT one of them

C. The Sins of the Leaders of Jerusalem (3:9-12)

1.      Up to this point he's been speaking primarily to the Northern Kingdom, but now he's bringing everyone all together

2.      The heads judge for reward, the priests teach for hire, the prophets divine for money: a picture of utter covetousness

3.      Therefore…Zion to be plowed like a field

a)      This is the passage that would be quoted later by an elder rising up in defense of Jeremiah (see Jere 26:18)

b)      Talmud tradition holds that the foundations of the temple in Jerusalem were actually plowed up by Roman soldiers

D. But in the Last Days… (4:1-8)

1.      God, in His deliverance, will cast away the darkness of sin and bring the light of Righteousness

2.      Many nations will come to worship in Jerusalem

3.      He (Christ) will judge many people

4.      The Remnant (of Israel) will be restored

E. But first… (4:9-13)

1.      Judgment must come -- the Babylonian captivity

2.      Deliverance will come -- return from exile

3.      Verses 11 - 13 are probably a fast-forward to the time of Tribulation in the Last Days again

Who is like the God of Righteousness?

Background from the OT: Micah 5 - 7

A. The Coming Christ (5:1-7)

1.      Verse 1 of Chapter 5 is actually part of Chapter 4 in the original Hebrew text -- it refers still to Babylonian captivity -- significant because that event brought an apparent end to Davidic rule

2.      Verse 2 begins with a connecting thought -- "BUT"

3.      The birthplace of Jesus foretold exactly (there were two Bethlehem's) 700 years before it happened

4.      The divinity of Jesus established "from everlasting"

5.      Verse 3 is a jump forward in time through the Church Age until the last days

6.      Christ depicted as a shepherd (v 4)

7.      Another jump to end times at verses 5, 6 & 7 -- "Assyrians" are those who will ultimately come against Israel but will find deliverance in Christ

B. The Reigning Christ (5:8-15)

1.      Israel's glory will return

2.      They will no longer need to rely on their own might

3.      Righteousness will rule and reign

4.      God's vengeance on the heathen

C. God Pleads to His People ( ch 6)

1.      God says "look at all the things I've done for you" (v 1 - 5)

2.      The people respond "can we make it up to you by sacrificing more?" note also the reference to child sacrifice (v 6 - 7)

3.      God's answer: "I've already showed you through My example -- all I ask is justice, mercy, and for you to walk humbly with Me." (v 8) (see also Isaiah 1:16-20)

4.      Can a Righteous God ignore wickedness?

a)      God asks a rhetorical question (v 9-11)

b)      A description of His righteous judgment (v 12-16)

c)      Verse 16 -- reference to Omri and Ahab -- founding kings of Samaria

D. The Days at the end of Harvest (ch 7)

1.      "as it was in the days of Noah…" -- a description of the end days (vs 1-6)

2.      our hope comes from The Lord (v 7 - 17)

3.      who is like God? (v 18 - 20)

Introduction to Micah

A. Authorship and Dates

1. Written by Micah the Morasthite, not to be confused with any other figure named Micah. Moraseth is a town in Gath, about 20 miles south and west of Jerusalem.

2. The name means "who is like the Lord?" or "who is like unto God?"

3. Possibly knew or was a friend of Isaiah, probable contemporary of the prophet Hosea

4. Written across several decades, in the period beginning 750 B.C. through about 690 - 700 B.C.

B. Historical Setting

1. He witnessed the reigns of three southern (Judah) kings: Jothan, Ahaz, and Hezekiah

a) Jothan was good (750 - 731 B.C.)

b) Ahaz was very evil (731 - 715 B.C.)

c) Hezekiah was very good (715 - 686 B.C.)

2. At this time, the Israelites were split into two kingdoms: Israel, with its capital in Samaria in the northern half, and Judah, capital in Jerusalem, in the southern half.

3. The Assyrians (200 years before the Babylonians) were in the business of conquest, and were about to take over the northern kingdom and haul the Samaritans off to Damascus and points north

4. The northern kingdom was deep into idol worship -- complete with images of Baal and golden calves -- while the southern kingdom based out of Jerusalem still hung on to a form of worshiping the true God.

C. Themes and Structure

1. Micah's name, "who is like unto God" is a strong indicator of the overall theme of this book. Although he speaks against sin and the coming judgment for repeated apostasy, we continually see evidence of an incomparable God, rich in mercy and quick to forgive.

2. Verse 18 of Chapter 7 is key: “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.”

3. The first three chapters denounce sin, the last 4 chapters offer hope of reconciliation

4. Logical divisions

a) Who is like the God of Judgment? (ch 1 - 2)

b) Who is like the God of Deliverance? (ch 3 - 5)

c) Who is like the God of Righteousness? (ch 6 - 7)

D. Related Readings

1. Destruction of Samaria -- II Kings 17 - 19

2. Micah quoted in other scriptural references

a) Jeremiah 26:18 -- the elders' defense

b) Matthew 2:5 -- the birthplace of Christ

c) Matthew 10:35-36 -- Jesus sends out His disciples

Who is like the God of Judgment?

A. General Pronouncement of Coming Judgment

1. Directed specifically to Samaria and Jerusalem, but applicable to all the people of the earth (1:1-2)

2. Description of events to come (1:3-5)

3. Reason given: sin, transgressions (1:4)

B. Samaria's Judgment described (1:5 - 7)

1. She'll end up like heaps of crops in the field

2. There will be vineyards planted over her

a) There are vineyards planted today in the ruins of Samaria

3. All the buildings will be torn down

a) The ruins of the buildings, the stones of its temples, etc, lay in piles in the bottoms of ravines

C. Micah's Lamentation (1:8-16)

1. His language describes deep, formal mourning -- howling dogs, stripped and barefoot

2. A wound too deep to heal -- crossing the point of no return (v 9)

3. Hebrew Puns -- using the poetry and language of the day, Micah describes the coming sorrows by using a play on words of the meanings of the various towns and regions

a) Gath means "weep": weep not (v10)

b) Aphrah means "town of dust": roll in the dust (v 10)

c) Shaphir means "beauty": beauty will be shamed (v 11)

d) Zaanan means "march along together": they won't leave the city (v 11)

e) Maroth means "bitterness": they wanted good news but got none (v 12)

f) Lachish means "horse": hitch up a chariot and ride out (v 13)

4. A hint of a coming Deliverer and a call for national mourning (vs 15-16)

D. The Sins of the people (ch 2)

1. Plotting & scheming for illicit gain (vs 1-5)

2. A call for the end of prophecy against evil (vs 6-7)

3. Grievous treatment of the poor and helpless (vs 8-9)

4. Looking for prophets to tickle their ears (vs 10-11)

5. A promise of coming Restoration (vs 12-13)

Who is like the God of Deliverance?

A. The Sins of the Princes (3:1-4)

1. To "know justice" is to understand it, cling to it, do it

2. They actually preferred evil

3. Using the idea of cannibalism to relate just how evil they are

4. Ultimately, they will cry out to God for help, but He will not hear their prayers

B. The Sins of the Prophets (3:5-7)

1. They cause the people to err

2. They're like poisonous snakes

3. They say there is peace, when they should be preparing for war

4. God will absolutely shut them down

5. Notice Micah's disclaimer at verse 8: he is NOT one of them

C. The Sins of the Leaders of Jerusalem (3:9-12)

1. Up to this point he's been speaking primarily to the Northern Kingdom, but now he's bringing everyone all together

2. The heads judge for reward, the priests teach for hire, the prophets divine for money: a picture of utter covetousness

3. Therefore…Zion to be plowed like a field

a) This is the passage that would be quoted later by an elder rising up in defense of Jeremiah (see Jere 26:18)

b) Talmud tradition holds that the foundations of the temple in Jerusalem were actually plowed up by Roman soldiers

D. But in the Last Days… (4:1-8)

1. God, in His deliverance, will cast away the darkness of sin and bring the light of Righteousness

2. Many nations will come to worship in Jerusalem

3. He (Christ) will judge many people

4. The Remnant (of Israel) will be restored

E. But first… (4:9-13)