Micah

Composition

Micah is a biblical text found in both the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament. Micah is one of the twelve minor prophets, which are contrasted with the four major prophets. In the Hebrew Bible, all works of the minor prophets are grouped into one book called The Twelve. In the Old Testament, each of the twelve minor prophets is granted his own book. The Book of Micah is after the Book of Jonah and before the Book of Nahum.

Micah is commonly divided into two halves, with each half following the same pattern. It begins with prophecies of punishment that are typically inflicted upon the Jewish people and moves on to prophecies of eventual salvation. This pattern is consistent with many other prophecies in the Old Testament, in which the people of Judah and Israel are punished for breaking their covenant with Yahweh, then promised a return to good fortune if they live according to the rules set forth in the covenant.

Traditionally, the Book of Micah is attributed to the prophet Micah, a contemporary of the prophet Isaiah. Micah lived in Moresheth, a small village in the foothills surrounding Judah. Whereas Isaiah was a native of the larger city, Micah would have been viewed as an outsider, making it more difficult for him to convince others that he spoke the word of God. The Bible states that Micah prophesized and preached during the reign of Judah’s three kings: Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.

Micah believed that the priesthood of the city of Judah was corrupt. Because of this, he worked to avoid associations with the traditional priesthood, seeking to convince the people of Judah that he would lead them back to righteousness. Like his status as an outsider, this stance likely alienated him from the people of Judah, making many more reluctant to accept his messages.

Because of the age associated with biblical works, it is impossible to know for sure whether the text in the Book of Micah can be attributed to the biblical figure. Some traditionalists attest that the prophet Micah wrote the entire book. Other scholars note that the prophecies of doom show stylistic differences from the prophecies of salvation, suggesting that they might have been composed by different authors and compiled later. Additionally, they note that some parts of the text reference historical events that occurred in the sixth century BCE, while others reference events that took place in the eighth century BCE. Many scholars suggest that the book underwent a complex editorial process throughout its history, and the text of the Book of Micah may have been written and revised by numerous authors over the course of centuries.

Summary

Micah begins with an anonymous narrator stating that the Lord chose Micah to be a prophet during the reign of the kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. It states that the Lord began sending Micah visions, instructing him to share what he saw with the rest of Judah. These visions declared that God was coming down from his resting place and treading Earth. Yahweh is angry and condemning the people of Samaria and the city of Jerusalem. Micah states that the people of Israel have sinned and must be severely punished.

In the vision, the Lord states that the land of Samaria will be quickly destroyed and transformed into a heap of rubble. After Yahweh carries out his punishment, the land that was once Samaria will be fit only for planting vineyards. The religious idols that the Samarians worshipped instead of Yahweh will be smashed, and the treasures contained within Samaria’s temples will be burned.

Through Micah, Yahweh states that the culture of Samaria is an unstoppable plague. The people of Samaria sin as a way of life. Unfortunately for the Israelites, Yahweh notes that this plague has infected Jerusalem. He asserts that the people of Judah should be ashamed of themselves for living in sin and breaking the holy covenant.

God states that the people of Judah should weep and mourn because God has decided to lift his protections. A conqueror will be brought against Judah, and without God’s protection, Judah will be unable to stop him. God then notes that those in Judah live a covetous lifestyle, stealing homes, inheritances, and the wealth of their neighbors. To punish such sins, their lands and wealth will be taken by the invaders, turning the rich into the poor.

The prophets of Israel spoke out against Micah, stating that his words were false, and no such destruction will come to Judah. Micah argues that such prophets are not communicating the will of God and instead prophesize “wine and beer” for the people, making themselves popular. Though this message is more attractive than Micah’s grim tidings, Micah assures the people of Judah that he speaks the truth. Jerusalem will be conquered, and the those in Judah will be severely punished for their transgressions.

God then informs Micah that after the punishments are conducted, he will help the Jewish people recover. Yahweh will collect the Israelites like sheep in a pen, allowing their king to release them when Yahweh feels the time is right. God rebukes the current leaders of Israel, who he believes hate good and love evil, stating that he will not answer their pleas for aid. He also states that prophets who take bribes for providing positive fortunes will be struck down, and their visions will abandon them. Additionally, Jerusalem will be destroyed and reduced to a heap of rubble. By allowing invaders to scatter the Jewish people, God will purify the city of the Samarian disease.

Yahweh then shows Micah visions far into the future when a great temple to the Lord is built in the highest mountains. Many people will travel from across the world to pray at the temple and learn the ways of the Lord. God will speak from this temple, settling disputes for nations and ensuring that all serve his will. The nations of the world will cease taking up arms against one another, instead beating their swords into plowshares. The people of the world will cease training for war, and everyone’s needs will be met.

God states that he will gather the exiles, the lame, and other disadvantaged people in Zion as part of his kingdom. But for now, the Jewish people must accept their punishment. They must go into exile, as instructed by their captors when Jerusalem is conquered. Though it will hurt the Jewish people to watch their holy land defiled, they have been reassured through Micah that all is moving according to God’s plan. God tells Micah that Israel will remain abandoned until God sends a shepherd who will stand in the strength of the Lord, who will lead the Israelites within their homeland. Soon after, God will ensure that the enemies of the Jewish people are destroyed.

Themes

One of the most prominent themes in Micah is the disobedience of the Jewish people. The people of Judah, whom God chose as his holy people and bound to the holy covenant, have learned immoral ways of living from the people of Samaria. They act covetously, amass wealth by stealing from their neighbors, pay priests for good fortunes, and worship foreign idols. God does not believe that the Israelites will cease such behavior without sudden and drastic intervention. To assure them that they must immediately repent, Yahweh has decided to allow the city of Jerusalem to be razed.

God’s love and mercy play an equally important role in Micah. In this prophetic work, God does not punish the Jewish people to see them suffer or restore his own honor. Instead, he seeks to purge the Israelites of an evil culture. By allowing all those who practice this culture to be thrown from their positions of power, God makes way for a new lifestyle to emerge. He will provide a shepherd to lead the people of Judah, paving the way for the establishment of God’s true kingdom on Earth. This kingdom will benefit everyone by ending wars between nations and ensuring that everyone lives in safety. However, such a kingdom cannot come to pass if the Jewish people continue their sinful ways. To live in God’s glory, Jerusalem must be destroyed so this new kingdom can be built from the rubble.

Finally, the sin of false prophesy is repeatedly referenced throughout the Book of Micah. The religious leaders of Judah have begun accepting payment for their prophesies. If the prophets are well-fed and well-paid, they provide good fortunes to the peoples. However, if the prophets are hungry or displeased, they will prophesize negative events. Micah struggles against these prophets, who tell the people what they want to hear. Many people in Judah would rather hear pleasing lies than acknowledge that God is unhappy with them, and they must change their way of life.

Bibliography

“An Introduction to the Book of Micah.” Bible.org, 2022, bible.org/article/introduction-book-micah/. Accessed 27 Apr. 2022.

“Key Themes in Micah.” IVP Books, 2022, ivpbooks.com/blog/key-themes-in-micah.html. Accessed 28 Apr. 2022.

“Micah.” BibleGateway, 2022, www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Micah+1&version=NIV. Accessed 28 Apr. 2022.

“Micha the Prophet.” MyJewishLearning, 2022, www.myjewishlearning.com/article/micah/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2022.

Soraski, Jason. “What Was the Prophet Micah Known For?” BibleStudyTools, 10 Nov. 2021, www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/what-was-the-prophet-micah-known-for.html. Accessed 28 Apr. 2022.

“Summary of the Book of Micah.” Got-Questions.org, 2022, www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Micah.html. Accessed 28 Apr. 2022.

“The Book of Micah.” United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2022, bible.usccb.org/bible/micah/. Accessed 28 Apr. 2022.