Micah Gods judgment and Gods love are real

Micah God’s judgment and God’s love are real

Outline Introduction Content Lessons learned Application

Contemporaries • Micah – Judah (Southern Kingdom) • Hosea – Israel (Northern Kingdom) • Isaiah – Court in Jerusalem

Introduction Key Verse Micah 6: 8 “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. ” Author Purpose ◦ Probably Micah, perhaps a collection of various prophets ◦ To warn the Jewish people of God’s coming judgment for their sin and disobedience. Also, to teach them to live with justice and holiness in anticipation of the messiah to come. Time Period 742 -687 B. C. Reign of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah Period of Assyrian Dominance

Setting ◦ Political tensions during the reign of Ahaz which led to subjection to Assyria ◦ Hezekiah attempts to break free from Assyrian rule, but fails ◦ The people worshipped God as an obligation, no life -changing reality ◦ They didn’t walk humbly with God but instead failed to practice justice and pursued idolatry

The Book of Micah Important, relevant dates: The Assyrians captured Samaria in 722 (cp. Micah 1: 6). v In 606, the first groups of Judaeans were taken to Babylon as captives. v Jerusalem captured by Babylon in 597 (cp. Micah 4: 100). v Jerusalem fell in 586 (cp. Micah 3: 12). v First group returned in 536. v Walls of Jerusalem rebuilt in 444 (cp. Micah 4). v

Who is Micah? Micah means “Who is like Yahweh? ” The prophet of authentic worship/service to God and social justice Contemporary of Isaiah and cited by Jeremiah as an anti-establishment prophet who was respected by the king Southerner from Moresheth, from a rural background

Content Micah, The Book Two basic parts ◦ Chapters 1 -5 Judgments and promises for Jerusalem and Samaria ◦ Chapters 6 -7 The trial of the people and their restoration

Chapters 1 -5 1. Corrupt leaders of both nations denounced 2. Fall of Samaria and Jerusalem foreseen 3. Justice for the poor and oppressed 4. Prophets of peace are false 5. Restoration of the Davidic Kingdom and Jerusalem

Chapters 6 -7 1. The Lord requires proper lifestyle, not empty ritual 2. Jerusalem is guilty because of injustice 3. The people will be restored after punishment

The Book of Micah Section one (chapters 1 and 2). 1. The Judgment of God (1: 2 -4). A. Samaria not overlooked (1: 6, 7). B. Particular sins specified (2: 1 -11, 7). 2. Promise of restoration (2: 12, 13).

The Book of Micah Section two (chapters 3, 4, 5). 1. The “heads” of the people are addressed and especially held accountable (3: 1, cp. Heb. 13: 17). 2. Particular sins of these leaders (3: 2, 3, 4, 9, 10). 3. The teachers are addressed (3: 5, 11).

The Book of Micah Section two (chapters 3, 4, 5), cont’d. 4. The destruction of Jerusalem and restoration (3: 12, 4: 1 -2). 5. Babylon is named as the invading Kingdom (4: 10). 6. In keeping with Micah’s style, immediately restoration is again presented (5: 1, 2).

The Book of Micah Section three (chapters 6 and 7). 1. God challenges his people (6: 1, cp. Amos 4: 12). 2. They are urged to remember God’s mindfulness of them (6: 3 -5). 3. Israel, both realistically and ideally is presented (7: 1 -7).

Key Passages in Micah A. 3: 9 -12 “Zion shall be plowed as a field, Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins. ” B. 4: 1 -5 “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks…they shall no longer learn war. ” C. 5: 2 -4 “But you O Bethlehem Ephrathah…from you shall come forth one who is to be a ruler in Israel. ” D. 6: 1 -8 “What does the Lord require of you…do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God. ”

Themes Perverting faith Oppression The Messiah---King of Peace Pleasing God

Perverting faith Explanation – God will judge the false prophets, dishonest leaders, and selfish priests. They perverted their faith by mixing their selfish motives with an empty display of religion. Importance – Don’t try to mix your own selfish desires with true faith in God.

Oppression Explanation – Micah predicts ruin for all nations and leaders who were oppressive towards others. God will not put up with such injustice. Importance – Don’t ask God for help while ignoring those who are needy and oppressed or condoning the actions of those who oppress them.

The Messiah, King of Peace Explanation – God promises a new king to bring strength and peace to his people. He will restore his people through the Messiah. Importance – We can have God’s peace now by giving up our sins and welcoming Christ as king.

Pleasing God Explanation – Micah preaches that God’s greatest desire was not the offering of sacrifices, but he rather delights in faith that produces justice, love for others, and obedience to him Importance – True faith in God generates kindness, compassion, justice and humility.

Micah 1: 7 All of her idols will be smashed, All of her earnings will be burned with fire, And all of her images I will make desolate, For she collected them from a harlot's earnings, And to the earnings of a harlot they will return.

Samaria

A Promise of Prosperity

The Book of Micah Notwithstanding the many infractions of God’s people, He remains longsuffering and willing to forgive (Micah 7: 1820, cp. 2 Peter. 3: 9).

THE SECOND ORACLE AN INDICTMENT AGAINST LEADERS

Micah 3: 1 -3 And I said, “Hear now, heads of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel. Is it not for you to know justice? 2 You who hate good and love evil, Who tear off their skin from them And their flesh from their bones, 3 And who eat the flesh of my people, Strip off their skin from them, Break their bones, And chop them up as for the pot And as meat in a kettle. 1

Micah 3: 11 -12 Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe, Her priests instruct for a price, And her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the LORD saying, “Is not the LORD in our midst? Calamity will not come upon us. ” 12 Therefore, on account of you, Zion will be plowed as a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins, And the mountain of the temple will become high places of a forest. 11

Micah 4: 1 And it will come about in the last days That the mountain of the house of the LORD Will be established as the chief of the mountains. It will be raised above the hills, And the peoples will stream to it.

Micah 4: 2 And many nations will come and say, “Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD And to the house of the God of Jacob, That He may teach us about His ways And that we may walk in His paths. ” For from Zion will go forth the law, Even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Micah 4: 3 And He will judge between many peoples And render decisions for mighty, distant nations. Then they will hammer their swords into plowshares And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they train for war.

9 Micah 4: 9 -10 Now, why do you cry out loudly? Is there no king among you, Or has your counselor perished, That agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth? 10 Writhe and labor to give birth, Daughter of Zion, Like a woman in childbirth, For now you will go out of the city, Dwell in the field, And go to Babylon. There you will be rescued; There the LORD will redeem you From the hand of your enemies.

Micah 5: 1 -2 Now muster yourselves in troops, daughter of troops; They have laid siege against us; With a rod they will smite the judge of Israel on the cheek. 2 But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity. 1

Micah 6: 6 -7 With what shall I come to the LORD And bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves? 7 Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my first-born for my rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 6

Micah 6: 8 He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 7: 18 Who is a God like Thee, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love.

Micah 7: 19 -20 He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, Thou wilt cast all their sins Into the depths of the sea. 20 Thou wilt give truth to Jacob And unchanging love to Abraham, Which Thou didst swear to our forefathers From the days of old. 19

The Book of Micah - Key Verse “ 2: But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5).