44: Micah — Introduction & The ruler from Bethlehem — Micah 5:2-15

Get Ready

Micah (which means “Who is like Jehovah?”) has two significant passages. The first is the prophet’s prediction of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem, which he calls “one of the little clans of Judah.” The second passage identifies the three things the Lord requires of us [6:8].

Author

In the first verse the author identifies himself as “Micah of Moresheth.” His home was a small village in the southern part of Judah. He does not tell us his “day job,” but his denunciation of greed and oppression probably marks him as poor and used to hard work. At the same time, he demonstrates familiarity with Jerusalem and Samaria, the capital cities of Judah and Israel.

Micah does put his work “in the days of Kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah,” who reigned in Judah from 750 to 687 BCE.

Context

The period of Micah’s prophecy included two very significant events. Assyria defeated the northern kingdom in 722 BCE, which fulfilled his prophecies against Israel [1:2-7]. The victors removed the Israelites from the land and brought in settlers from other parts of the empire. 

The destruction of Samaria just to the north should have gotten the attention of the people of Judah. 

To some degree it did. King Hezekiah led a reformation that destroyed the places of idol worship and returned the people to following God’s commandments. He followed Isaiah, the prophet, and even withstood an invasion attempt by the Assyrian king, Sennacherib. The invasion failed when God killed almost 200,000 Assyrian soldiers in their camp.

After Hezekiah died, however, the leaders of Judah thought that having the temple in Jerusalem was enough to protect them from the suffering the same fate as Israel. In the end they were wrong.

Structure

There are three sections in this book. Each section begins with a judgment and ends with a  promise.

• The first section [chapters 1-2] is the judgment against Samaria and Jerusalem, particularly against greed and corruption. The powerful “devise wickedness and evil deeds” and then “they perform it because it is in their power,” [2:1]. Micah singles out taking people’s property and inheritance. The section ends with God’s promise to gather the people and “set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture,” [2:12]. 
• The middle section [chapters 3-4] is a judgment against wicked rulers and religious leaders “who hate the good and love the evil,” and “who cry ‘Peace’ when they have something to eat, but declare war against those who put nothing in their mouths,” [3:2, 5]. This section ends with another promise of restoration: “I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away, and those I have afflicted,” [4:6].
• The final section [chapters 6-7] is like a court case God is bringing against the people: “Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. . . . for the Lord has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel,” [6:1-2]. The sin here is corruption: “wicked scales and dishonest weights,” [6:11]. The section – and the book – ends with Micah saying God “will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities under foot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness to Jacob and unswerving loyalty to Abraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors from days of old,” 7:19-20].

Chapter five is an interlude in which the prophet predicts “the one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old,” [5:2] will come from Bethlehem. This interlude also describes the role of “the remnant of Jacob” and the ultimate judgment “on the nations that did not obey,” [5:15].

Major Themes

Micah is like most of the Old Testament prophets: his message is a mixture of judgment and denunciation of sin with promises of God’s love and loyalty to his chosen people.

God does not excuse or overlook sin. He rescued the Israelites from slavery and called them to demonstrate his love and holiness to the world by their example. When the people ignore his commandments and worship idols he calls them to account through his prophets. Actions have consequences and sin leads to punishment. But God’s love is steadfast. Restoration will follow punishment. Reconciliation will follow estrangement. Fellowship will lead to obedience.

Micah goes farther than any other prophet in describing how the future ruler will accomplish God’s purposes and lead his people. He predicts his birth in Bethlehem; he describes him as “from of old, from ancient days;” he says the ruler will provide for the people and give them peace and security – and will ultimately defeat the Assyrians. Both the gospels of Matthew [2:6] and John [7:42] refer to this prophecy of Jesus’ birth.

Get into the Word

1. Who wrote this book?  What does his name mean? When did he write it? What else do we know about the author?

2. What was the political and military situation when the prophet did his work? What significant events happened during his ministry? What effect did this have on the other kingdom?

3. How did the kingdom of Judah respond to the events? What did the king attempt to do? Who did the king follow? How did he deal with the Assyrian attackers? What happened to the opposing army? What was the long-term effect of his actions?

4. How is this book organized? What does each major part deal with? How are the parts similar to each other? How do they differ?

5. What does the interlude between the judgments deal with? What is significant about this passage? Why do you suppose the prophet put it where he did? How did he know the location?

6. How is this author like most of the other Old Testament prophets? What is the primary theme of this prophecy? What does he say about God’s response to sin? What does he say about God’s love? What does he say about God’s promise for the future?

Bible Trivia:

Micah begins his book with the last words of another prophet with a very similar name, Micaiah: “Hear, you peoples, all of you!” [1 Kings 22:28].

And . . .

Micah’s closing words: “You will show faithfulness to Jacob and unswerving loyalty to Abraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors from the days of old,” [7:20], are paraphrased by a much later prophet, Zechariah (the father of John the Baptist): “Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our ancestor, Abraham,” [Luke 1:72-73].

And . . .

Jesus echoes Micah in his prediction of family division [7:6]: “A man against his father, and a daughter against her mother and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household,” [Matt 10:35-36]. 

44: The ruler from Bethlehem and the remnant — Micah 5:2-15

Get Ready

How do you feel about the safety and security of your family? Do you have a home security system? Do you always lock your doors when you leave? Do you have anti-virus protection on your computer and cell phone? Do you stop your mail when you go on vacation?

The Word

Notes . . .

Memory Verse
What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? [Micah 6:8].

Next Lesson
Nahum 1: The consuming wrath of God and promise for Judah.