"Micah "
By Michael Browder Ph.D.
May 16, 2010

What does God expect of us? This question is answered by one of the obscure prophets of the Bible, a man named Micah. The Book of Micah is one of the twelve so-called Minor Prophets. Have you ever heard a sermon on Micah? We are going to look at him today, as part of my ongoing effort for us to know the Bible better.

Micah lived and preached around 735-705 B.C. Now, that was a very significant time in the history of the Bible. Something very important happened in 722 B.C. What was it? The Lost Tribes of Israel. Most of the descen-dents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, perhaps as many as 10 of the 12 Tribes, were carried off into captivity by the Assyrians, and lost forever in history.

You remember that, after the time of King Solomon, Son of King David, the land was divided into 2 kingdoms: the larger kingdom of Israel in the North, and the smaller kingdom of Judah in the South. From that time on, those who lived in the south are properly called Jews, rather than Israelites. The southern kingdom, Judah, kept its capital at Jerusalem. But the Northern Kingdom built a prosperous new capital city and worship center at Samaria.

In 722 B.C., the Assyrian armies swept in and carried away all the people of the Northern Kingdom, and they replaced them with people they had conquered in a different part of the world. The tribes of the Northern Kingdom who were carried off are what we call the “Ten Lost Tribes.”

The prophets of the Bible had predicted that this destruction would happen. The Northern Kingdom had become notoriously wicked and had forsaken the Lord. The Southern Kingdom, because they repented and returned to the Lord, was saved at the last minute by a miracle.

Micah was one of the prophets speaking out against the sins of Israel and Judah. He usually addresses them by their capital cities Samaria and Jerusalem, just as we might speak of Washington or Moscow today.

This was one of the greatest times in history for prophets. (I guess that was because there was so much sin.) Micah was preaching at the same time as Amos, Hosea, and Isaiah. He is mentioned by the later prophet Jeremiah. We can see parallels between Micah and his contemporaries. Like Amos, he attacks the rich for exploiting the poor. Like Hosea, he speaks against immorality. And like Isaiah, Micah predicts the coming of the Messiah.

Micah’s prophesies come as a series of sermons. Each one begins with the word, “Listen!” “Listen” and hear what God is trying to tell you. This is still good advice to us today.

Micah begins by talking about the holiness of God and his holy temple. Do you remember that chorus that we used to sing from Habakkuk: “The Lord is in his holy temple” Or Psalm 11:4The LORD is in his holy temple; [from] the LORD's throne is in heaven. His eyes are watching, his eyes examine [all] humankind. The Lord watches us. God knows what we are up to, even in our hearts!

Our God is a holy God. And because of his holiness, he hates sin. He will not let it stand, and he brings judgment against it. We see that in Micah God cries out against the sin of the people. The people have worshipped false gods. They have been immoral. They have mistreated the poor.

First, the leaders, who were supposed to keep things right, have become corrupt. Micah says, “They hate good and love evil.” Also, the judges were corrupt looking to their own interests rather than justice. And even the religious leaders, who were supposed to stand up for the right and call people to repent, instead were just false prophets, telling people what they want to hear. Micah says all of these people are like a brier. They look good on the outside, but their wickedness will wound you like the prick of a thorn.

Micah says, “Woe is me! …to have to live in such an evil day.” He can’t even find anyone he can trust to confide in as a friend. He wails with anguish at what he sees. He not only tears his clothes like other prophets, he casts them entirely off in his grief. He says that hurts him to have to speak out. Meanwhile, his enemies taunt him saying, “Where is your God?”

The Lord’s prophecy comes strong upon Micah. He says: (3:8-9) But truly, I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.

God says, “I have a case against the sinful people, and I am going to cause them suffering. I am going to stomp down the high places where they worship false gods. I’m going to send disaster. I’m going to put punishment around their necks. I’m going to cast down their haughty, corrupt cities, turning them into a heap of ruins. Wreak vengeance on those who refuse to hear.”

We might think it would end there, but this is not God’s way. The Lord addresses them tenderly: “What have I done to you?” And then he says,
“Remember that I have been with you from Shittim to Gilgal.” Shittim is the last place the Children of Israel camped before they entered the wilder-ness, and Gilgal is the first place they camped in the Promised Land. God is saying, “Have you forgotten? I was with you all the way through the wilderness. How can you forget me now?” The same is true for you and me. God has been with us through so much. How can we forget him now?

In Micah, as in every prophet, there is always a word of hope. There is no promise of judgment in the Bible, no matter how much vengeance, wrath and destruction that will be poured out, there is not prophecy of judgment that does not also include a word of hope.

In Micah, the Lord says, “There is going to come a day when I restore a remnant of my people. Not all of them will be lost.” This refers to the Coming of the Lord at the end of time, but it also refers to the birth of Jesus.

Micah actually prophecies where Jesus will be born. He says, Micah 5:2 But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.

Think of this. More than 700 years before Jesus is born, Micah says that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. That’s one powerful prophecy.

Then Micah says: (7:7-9) But as for me, I will look to the LORD, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. When I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me. [True,] I must bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he takes my side and executes judgment for me. [Nevertheless,] He will bring me out to the light; I shall see his vindication.

And Micah says, “ When I fall, I shall rise.” Great words of faith! It’s like that hit song a few years ago: I get knocked down, but I get up again, and they’re never going to keep me down!

So, in Chapter 6, Micah asks: Micah 6:6-7 "With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"

He is saying, “I know I have sinned. What sacrifice can I possibly give God that will make it right?” You and I know the answer to that. There is no sacrifice that we can bring. But Jesus Christ has paid the price for our sins, if we will only receive him.

In answer to Micah’s question, “How shall I come before God?” The Lord gives him the answer. Some of the most famous words in the Bible: 6:8

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

There is so much we could say about this verse. I will have to preach an entire sermon on it alone sometime. Let me read it again. The words speak for themselves, but I want to just put one more touch on it. As usual, looking from the viewpoint of Methodist theology, I see the three types of Grace. “To act justly” is Prevenient Grace. We can do good to others even before we know Christ. “To love mercy” is to know the salvation and Justifying Grace of Jesus. And “to walk humbly with your God” describes the lifetime process of Sanctifying Grace.

Finally, filled with awe and thanksgiving, Micah asks, “Who is like God?” What a great question to end on! Who is like God? In fact, here is the symbolism. Every name in the Bible has a very significant meaning. And Micah’s name itself means, “Who is like the Lord?” Or “Who is like God?” [Short for Micaiah, or Micayahu or Michael]

Micah says (7:18-19) Who is a God like You? Pardoning iniquity, And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You [Lord] will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea.

Who is like God? Think about it. Who is like God? I think of that chant (I Ki. 8:23) There’s no God like Jehovah! There’s no God like Jehovah!