INTRODUCTION

AUTHOR:
Micah (Mikayahu) which means "Who is like Yahweh?" His name signified his allegiance to God, and served as a challenge to the false prophets of that day.
DATE:
According to the text of the book (Chapter 1, Verse 1), Micah served as a prophet during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, "kings of Judah." This would place the time of his ministry from 739BC to 687BC.

Most believe Micah to have been written during the later part of Ahaz's reign and Hezekiah's reign. Some critics believe parts of the book were written AFTER the Exile to Babylon. However, they disregard the Supernatural inspiration of God's Holy Spirit.

THEME:
The theme seems to be threefold:
1) The announcing of the downfall of sinful nations,
2) The hope of bringing repentance to the nation of Judah,
3) And, the offer of God's comfort through the coming Messiah.

Micah wrote during the same time as Isaiah. Being from the small village of Moresheth, Micah tends to champion the poor and bring accusations against corrupt political and religious leaders of the day.

His prophecy came during times of uneasiness, heartache, and difficulty for poor people. They were deceived by false prophets, harshly ruled by corrupt leaders, and often overrun by foreign powers.

CHAPTER 1

The word of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

The following prophecies were revealed to Micah by God and were preached during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah in Judah. Though Micah lived and prophesied in Judah, he also spoke against Assyria and Israel (the Northern Kingdom).

2 Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. 3 For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. 4 And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.

God is in His "holy temple" (vs 2). ALL people should listen to Him because He is the "LORD GOD" - the commanding Creator and eternal Judge.

The intent of the verb usage in the first part of verse 2 is "He DOES come forth and judge the earth today." God is constantly watching over the earth and all that is happening in it. The intent of the second part of verse 2 is "He WILL come down and tread..." God will one day come to set things right in the earth.

When GOd comes, mountains will melt like wax (vs 3). Our God is a "consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29). When the mountains are melted, the valleys will be "cleft" with the fiery substance pouring down from the mountains.

It is an awesome time when the omnipotent God comes to judge the earth! Those who have refused God will see the beauty of His holiness, and will be (like the mountains) melted before His glory. Those who have made a mockery of the existence of God will feel stark terror at His presence.

5 For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? is it not Samaria? and what are the high places of Judah? are they not Jerusalem? 6 Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof. 7 And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered it of the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an harlot

What is the CAUSE of God's anger toward the people? It is the "transgression of Jacob," and the "sins of the house of Israel." Literally speaking, it is the "breaking away" of the people from God. Israel (the Northern kingdom) broke away and formed a new nation following idolatry. Omri, when he was king, bought a hill names "Samaria" (1Kings 16:24). From that capital issued the decrees to worship idols instead of God. This "breaking away" actually can refer to ANYONE who refuses to worship God.

There is also the "high places of Judah." Many people in the Southern kingdom also worshipped idols. They set up "groves" in the hills and mountains and secretly worshipped idols of their "vain imaginations."

Not only is God a "consuming fire," but He is a "jealous God" (Deuteronomy 4:24, Exodus 20:5). God, our Creator, wants ALL of our worship. All idols are LIES, made out of the imaginations of man. God wants people to worship the TRUTH. And the TRUTH is JESUS.

8 Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the owls. 9 For her wound is incurable; for it is come unto Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

The sins of idolatry have brought disastrous results! Micah declares that he will "go stripped and naked" to show what will happen to the people who refused God. The idolatry of Israel had infected Judah (vs 9). The sins of idolatry had corrupted the whole of their lives: politically, socially and religiously. God was approaching the gate for judgment.

10 Declare ye it not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust. 11 Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning of Beth-ezel; he shall receive of you his standing. 12 For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem. 13 O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the swift beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee. 14 Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath: the houses of Achzib shall be a lie to the kings of Israel. 15 Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel. 16 Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.

"Declare ye it not!" Micah was sure that if the people of the heathen cities named heard about the judgment of God upon Israel and Judah (vs 12) that those people would ridicule them. But these cities would also taste the wrath of God because of their own idolatry.

They had the same "transgressions" as Israel (vs 13). They would also be carried away naked and ashamed.

Mareshah (vs 15) was a town in Judah. Adullam was also a place in Judah: the place where David hid from Saul (see 1Samuel 22:1).

Baldness (vs 16) was a sign of shame because of captivity.

Captivity was certain to come, just as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others had prophesied.
And the REASON was IDOLATRY.

Why worship a lie when we can worship TRUTH?

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.