Micah was a prophet in the Bible who was active during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. His prophecies are recorded in the Book of Micah, which is the sixth book of the twelve minor prophets in the Old Testament. Micah was a contemporary of the prophets Isaiah and Hosea.
Micah was from Moresheth-Gath, a small town in the foothills of Judah. He prophesied about both judgment and restoration for Jerusalem and Samaria. His messages called out social injustice, idolatry, and empty ritualism. He looked forward to a future King who would reign in justice and righteousness.
Key Events in Micah’s Ministry
Here are some of the major events that occurred during Micah’s prophetic ministry:
- The Syro-Ephraimite War (Isaiah 7) took place between Judah and the allied forces of Syria and Israel around 734-732 BC. This conflict formed the background for some of Isaiah’s and Micah’s prophecies.
- The fall of Samaria occurred in 722 BC when the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and deported many of the inhabitants. Micah and Isaiah prophesied this judgment.
- King Hezekiah instituted religious reforms in Judah after becoming sole regent around 715 BC. Hezekiah tore down idolatrous altars around the country and reinstituted true temple worship in Jerusalem. Micah’s messages may have played a role in motivating these reforms.
- The siege of Jerusalem by Sennacherib king of Assyria happened around 701 BC. God delivered Judah by killing 185,000 Assyrian troops, forcing Sennacherib to withdraw (2 Kings 18-19). Micah likely prophesied about this event ahead of time.
So Micah carried out his prophetic work against the backdrop of growing Assyrian aggression that eventually engulfed the northern kingdom of Israel and threatened Jerusalem itself. His messages centered around calling Judah to repentance in light of God’s impending judgment for their sins.
Micah’s Prophecies
The Book of Micah consists primarily of prophecies of judgment and restoration for both Samaria and Jerusalem. Here are some of the major themes and passages:
Judgment against Samaria and Jerusalem
- Micah 1:2-7 – God will come in judgment against the idolatry of Samaria and Jerusalem
- Micah 3:9-12 – Zion will be plowed as a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins, and the temple mount will be overgrown because of the sins of its prophets and leaders.
- Micah 5:10-15 – The Lord will destroy the wicked in the land and purge idolatry and witchcraft from His people.
- Micah 6:9-16 – The Lord presents His case against the sins of His people – dishonesty, violence, idolatry, and failure to obey Him.
Restoration of a remnant
- Micah 2:12-13 – The Lord will gather and assemble the remnant of His people like sheep in a pasture.
- Micah 4:1-8 – In the last days the Lord’s house will be established and many nations will come to learn of Him and walk in His ways.
- Micah 7:8-20 – God will show compassion and tread sins underfoot. He will show faithfulness to Jacob and Abraham by forgiving their sin.
The future righteousness of Zion
- Micah 3:12 – Zion will be plowed as a field because of the sins of its prophets and priests, but in the last days Zion will be the chief of the mountains.
- Micah 4:1-4 – In the last days the Lord’s house will be established as chief among the mountains. People will stream to Zion to learn the ways of the Lord.
- Micah 4:6-8 – God will reign in Zion forever once He has gathered the lame and outcast of His people.
The Messiah from Bethlehem
One of Micah’s most significant prophecies pointed ahead to the birthplace of the Messiah:
Micah 5:2 (ESV): But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
This prophecy predicted the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. The Jewish leaders affirmed this to Herod when the magi came looking for the newborn king (Matthew 2:1-6). Jesus was born in Bethlehem, so He fulfilled this important messianic prophecy.
Key People in Micah’s Prophecies
Micah interacted with or mentioned several significant figures in his prophecies:
- Jotham – King of Judah from 750-735 BC. He was a godly king who did what was right but failed to remove the idolatrous high places (2 Kings 15:32-38).
- Ahaz – Wicked king of Judah from 735-715 BC. He practiced idolatry and even offered his own son as a sacrifice (2 Kings 16).
- Hezekiah – Godly king of Judah from 715-686 BC. He led extensive religious reforms and sought the Lord (2 Kings 18). Micah likely prophesied during his sole reign.
- Omri and Ahab – Wicked kings of Israel mentioned in Micah 6:16 for leading the people into idolatry.
- Sennacherib – King of Assyria who invaded Judah around 701 BC. His army was miraculously defeated by the Lord (2 Kings 18-19).
Major Themes in Micah
Some of the major themes that emerge in the Book of Micah include:
- Judgment for idolatry and sin – Samaria and Jerusalem both face impending judgment for their idolatry, injustice, and failure to follow the Lord (Micah 1:5, 3:12, 6:13-16).
- Justice and mercy – Micah calls out corrupt leaders and emphasizes God’s delight in justice, mercy, and humility rather than external ritual (Micah 3:1-3, 6:6-8).
- The future exaltation of Zion – Though Jerusalem would be punished and ravaged, ultimately Zion would be exalted above the hills and nations would stream to her (Micah 4:1-4).
- The remnant – A faithful remnant would emerge from the judgment who would walk in God’s ways and experience His restoration (Micah 2:12-13, 4:6-7).
- The Messiah – The Messiah would be born in insignificant Bethlehem yet arise as Israel’s eternal king (Micah 5:2-5).
So Micah intertwined messages of pending judgment with hope for the future redemption of Zion and the coming of the Messiah. Overall his prophecies emphasized God’s hatred of sin and idolatry coupled with His faithfulness to keep His promises.
Application of Micah’s Message
As we read and study the prophecies of Micah, here are some key lessons and applications for today:
- We need to remove all idols from our hearts and live wholly for God, not conforming to the world’s standards (Micah 1:5-7).
- God is deeply grieved by social injustice and oppression of the poor. We must defend the marginalized (Micah 2:1-2).
- Religious observance means little if our lives don’t reflect justice, mercy, and humility (Micah 6:6-8).
- We must walk in God’s ways and trust His faithfulness, even when facing judgment for sin (Micah 7:7-9).
- Jesus perfectly fulfilled Micah’s prophecy about the Messiah’s birth in lowly Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-7).
- One day Zion will be exalted above all the mountains and nations will stream to her to learn of the Lord (Micah 4:1-2). This will be completely fulfilled in Christ’s millennial kingdom.
Micah calls us to live in holiness, walk humbly with God, defend the oppressed, reject empty religion, trust in God’s faithfulness, and look to Jesus our Messiah. The Book of Micah contains timeless truths for applying God’s righteous standards to our lives.
Micah’s Impact on Later Biblical Writers
As one of the writing prophets, Micah had a significant influence on later biblical authors. Here are some examples:
- Isaiah contains numerous themes and phrases that echo Micah’s prophecies. As contemporaries, they likely inspired and reinforced each other (cf. Isaiah 2 and Micah 4).
- Jeremiah 26:18 quotes the elders using Micah 3:12 to persuade the people not to persecute Jeremiah. They viewed Micah’s prophecy as authoritative Scripture.
- Ezekiel 22:27 borrows Micah’s condemnation of corrupt leadership oppressing the people.
- Zephaniah 3:19 references the lame and outcast of Micah 4:6-7 when prophesying about Israel’s restoration.
- Matthew 2:1-12 and Luke 2:1-20 quote Micah 5:2 to explain Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. The scribes also referenced Micah to answer Herod’s questioning.
- Hebrews 8:8 and 10:16-17 quote portions of Micah 7:18-20 to demonstrate God’s promises of forgiveness under the New Covenant.
So later biblical authors recognized Micah’s prophecies as the very words of God. They valued his message and applied it to later generations.
Micah’s Authorship
Internal evidence strongly supports Micah as the author of the book that bears his name. Micah identifies himself as a resident of Moresheth in the opening verse (Micah 1:1). The material focuses on events in Judah and Israel during his active years. The style, themes, and vocabulary are consistent throughout.
Some more skeptical scholars theorize that Micah authored only some of the material attributed to him. However, there is no good reason to doubt Micah’s authorship of the entire book. As a recognized prophet, he certainly could have delivered the various messages contained in the collection of his writings and prophecies that make up the Book of Micah.
The original recipients clearly accepted the Book of Micah as coming from the prophet himself. Just a few decades later, his prophecies were already being viewed as authoritative Scripture (Jeremiah 26:18). The Jews accepted the Book of Micah as inspired Scripture and included it in the section of the Minor Prophets.
Outline of Micah
The Book of Micah can be outlined as follows:
I. Superscription (1:1)
II. Judgment against Samaria and Jerusalem (1:2–3:12)
- A. The coming of the Lord (1:2-7)
- B. Lament for Jerusalem (1:8-16)
- C. Oppression and wickedness in Israel (2:1-13)
- D. Unjust leaders denounced (3:1-12)
III. The future glory of Zion (4:1–5:15)
- A. The exaltation of Zion (4:1-8)
- B. The rejection and restoration of Zion (4:9–5:6)
- C. The remnant purified (5:7-15)
IV. The Lord’s case against Israel (6:1–7:20)
- A. The Lord’s indictment (6:1-5)
- B. What does the Lord require? (6:6-8)
- C. Further indictment and punishment (6:9–7:6)
- D. Micah’s lament (7:7-13)
- E. The Lord’s compassion on Israel (7:14-20)
This basic three-part outline moves from judgment to future hope and finally to God’s response and promises of restoration. It summarizes the key themes of Micah’s prophecy and ministry.
Key Verses
Some of the most significant verses in Micah include:
- Micah 1:2 – Hear, you peoples, all of you; pay attention, O earth, and all that is in it, and let the Lord GOD be a witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.
- Micah 3:12 – Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.
- Micah 5:2 – But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
- Micah 6:8 – He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?
- Micah 7:18 – Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.
These key verses summarize Micah’s indictment against sin, prophecies of judgment and restoration, Messianic prophecy, call to faithfulness, and declaration of God’s mercy.
Summary of Micah
In summary, Micah was an 8th century BC prophet from Judah who prophesied judgment against the idolatry and injustice of Samaria and Jerusalem. He confronted the wicked leaders of his day and looked ahead to future restoration. Key elements of his prophecy include:
- Pronouncements of coming judgment against both Israel and Judah for sin and idolatry
- Condemnation of corrupt and oppressive leaders in Israel
- A prediction that Jerusalem would be destroyed and the temple mount overrun
- Prophecies of a purified remnant and the future exaltation of Zion
- The promise of a ruler from Bethlehem who would reign in righteousness
- Calls to repentance through social justice, mercy, and humility
- Declarations of God’s unmatched grace and forgiveness for the repentant
Micah courageously proclaimed God’s word during a time of rampant sin and corruption. His bold indictments called the nation to repentance in light of God’s impending judgment. Yet his prophecies looked ahead to a glorious Messianic kingdom centered in Zion. Micah stands as a significant prophet who impacted many later biblical authors. His themes of justice, mercy, and God’s grace still speak today.