‌Through His prophet, Micah, God calls Israel and people everywhere to repent of their sin and authentically worship the one true God. Worship should be a life oriented completely around God and not something we do on Sundays. God points out the failures of Israel and Judah’s leaders and calls people to act with justice, to love showing mercy, and humbly walk or live with God. Because of God’s perfect justice, judgment will fall on those who disobey His Word, but there is mercy for those who repent and ultimate hope for God’s final restoration.

‌Micah’s name literally means “Who is like Jehovah?”

‌He was from the town of Moresheth, a small, off the beaten path place in southwest Judah – about twenty-five miles from Jerusalem. Micah was probably a peasant farmer, who may have experienced first-hand the injustices brought by the rich ruling class who took advantage of their fellow Jews.

‌What: The word of the Lord that came to Micah. It is the Word of God. It is a warning of God’s coming judgment. In His mercy, He reminds His people that they are breaking the covenant to follow Him and worship Him alone. Perfect justice means carrying out judgment for those who refuse to repent and return to God.

‌When: During reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah (successive kings of Judah) Approximately 735 to 710 BC.

‌To: The people of Judah and ALL of the people of the earth. Hear and pay attention! This is a warning of coming Judgment. The Lord God is a witness against you. In Heaven’s court, who could be a higher or more credible witness?

‌Why? The transgression or sin of Jacob (representing the northern tribes called Israel is now spreading to Judah (two southern tribes).

‌These opening verses describe a personal God who does not remain alone in heaven unaffected by the world and people He created. He is coming out of His place and will come down to actually walk on the earth.

• God is the God of all nations and all people. No one and no thing are outside of God’s control.
• God is holy – meaning He is set apart and different from us. When he administers judgment, it is in perfect justice.
• God is omnipresent and sees the actions of all people. Nothing escapes His notice.
• God is omnipotent or all powerful. Even the solid rock of mountains on the earth He created can dissolve and melt before Him.
• God’s judgment on sin is complete and thorough. No person can escape His justice.

‌There is no one like our God.

‌v. 5 This coming judgment is for Jacob – the sins of the house of Israel. What is their sin? Isn’t it Samaria? This was the center of the northern tribes which broke away after Solomon died. They set up their own capital and Jereboam, their own appointed king established worship in Samaria because they no longer had access to the temple in Jerusalem. Jereboam and the kings that followed lead the people to break their covenant with the one true God, Jehovah and instead worship idols and the evil false gods of their neighbors like Baal and Asherah.

‌v. 6 God says He will make Samaria like a heap in the open country. The city will be reduced to rubble right down to the very foundations. The city will be totally destroyed and it will become farmland where vineyards grow. The carved images will be beaten into pieces and her treasured burned up. The idols will be destroyed. The gold that was accumulated from temple prostitutes will be taken away by her conquerors.

‌Jerusalem remains the capital of the southern tribes now called Judah. The warning is specifically to the kings of Judah so that they would not follow in the example of Israel.

‌While God is right or just in carrying out His judgment on the sins of His people, he mercifully warns them to return before its too late.

‌Micah is not reading God’s judgment of sin and simply passing along God’s warnings. His heart is broken. He is compassionate on the sinners and laments or mourn and feel deep sorrow for those suffering. He says he will go stripped and naked. Stripped usually means stripped of sandals or barefoot. Those who mourn naked typically kept their loincloth or underwear as we would know it. Lamenting usually was accompanied by loud crying or wailing. This was a sign of complete humility and a willingness to be embarrassed and started at.

‌The self-righteous pulpit-pounding fire and brimstone preachers who yell at people for their sin and condemn them, show no humility or compassion for those they are shouting at. They are appalled at the sinfulness of people and show no interest in them or their souls. Micah on the other, is weeping and his heart is broken for the people who have strayed so far from the true God. He does not want to see them punished for their sin. His desire is that they repent and turn back to God.

‌Micah says I will cry like the jackals and mourn like the ostriches. The jackal is a wild dog that you can imagine howling alone in the night. The ostrich, or translations say dessert owl, make low moaning or hooting sounds. Again, these are mournful sounds we often hear in the darkness. Micah’s compassion can be seen and heard. When people see him walking barefoot and partially dressed; when they hear him weeping and they ask why – he can explain God’s call to repentance and warnings of coming judgment.

‌v. 9 Micah describes Israel’s sin of idolatry like a foul, deadly wound that has no cure in sight. And he sees this wound spreading to his own nations, the tribes of Judah and to the gates of Jerusalem, the holy city. The gates are the place were commerce and official business were happening. It’s like city hall.

‌In verses 10 through 15, Micah talks about twelve cities all withing a nine mile radius of Moresheth, his hometown. They could all be seen from there and they were part of a future destructive march of the Assyrian army under Sennacherib in 701 BC. The twelve cities likely represented the original twelve tribes of Israel. Each city name has a meaning that relates to how it will be judged.

‌Micah warns that they should not talk about this judgment in Gath, don’t go crying to the Philistines about God’s judgement.

‌Beth-le-aphrah means house of dust. Micah says roll yourselves in the dust – a sign of repentance

‌Shaphir means fair or beautiful city. Micah says go naked and in shame.

‌Zaanan means to go out and make war and Micah says your inhabitants will not go out.

‌Beth-ezel means house next door. Micah says you will taken away from your houses.

‌Maroth beans bitterness and Micah says you will wait anxiously for good, but disaster is coming from God.

‌Lachish sounds like team of horses. Micah says harness the horses to your chariots. Remember God says don’t trust in horses and chariots, only trust in the Lord your God.

‌Zion is another name for Jerusalem. That is the beginning or source of your sin. That is where the sins of Israel began.

‌His own city Moresheth means inheritance or possession. Micah says you will give away parting gifts like your dowry or inheritance.

‌Achzib is the place where Shuah lied and tricked Judah. Micah says your houses will be full of deceit.

‌Mareshah means conqueror. God will bring a conqueror to them.

‌Finally Adullam is where King David hid with 400 soldiers. Instead of being hidden, the glory of Israel – your kings and rulers will come hide with you in shame.

‌Remember verse two said “hear, all of you people, pay attention everyone on earth!

‌This is not just a warning to Israel and Judah. It is a warning to everyone, every where at every time. Turn away from your sin. Humble yourself and confess your sin to God and you will be saved. In Micah’s day, they were still looking for the Redeemer King. Remember this is approx 710 BC. Seven hundred years later, the messiah Micah speaks about in chapters 6-7 comes and Jesus is born. He did not set up an earthly kingdom, but instead called people to God’s spiritual kingdom with the same message of hope and salvation. Forgiveness of sins and a secure peace with God, come from humbling yourself and trusting in Jesus Christ the son of God who will eventually stand on the mountains of Jerusalem and reign as King of Kings.

‌Repent and humble yourselves, turn back to God, because the children you love and delight in will go in exile. While this sounds terrible, it is better than total annihilation. Your children will be saved and preserved in exile. They will be taken to another country, but they will be alive and protected from the invading armies.