Day 349

Micah 1:1–4:13; Revelation 6:1-17; Psalm 134:1-3; Proverbs 30:1-4

TODAY WE BEGAN the book of Micah —the sixth of the twelve Minor Prophets that conclude the Old Testament.

Very little is known about Micah’s life outside of the book that shares his name, but we do have some information. Micah’s name means “Who is like God?”* He was from the town of Moresheth, which many scholars associate with Moresheth-gath; this would place him in the lowlands, among the villages of southern Judah.

The book begins by telling us, “The LORD gave this message to Micah of Moresheth during the years when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah. The visions he saw concerned both Samaria and Jerusalem” (Micah 1:1). The capital cities of the northern and southern kingdoms were Samaria and Jerusalem, respectively, so we understand who he was speaking about, and from the references to the kings, we can likely date Micah’s prophetic ministry to the early decades of the eighth century BC. Also, Micah is briefly mentioned in the book of Jeremiah, which allows us to see that his prophecies were being referenced over a century after the fact.

Micah follows the same pattern three times in this prophetic book. First are utterances of doom and judgment followed by words of hope and restoration. This is certainly not unlike other prophetic works in the Bible, but the pattern in Micah appears intentional.

Contained within the prophecies of Micah are promises of a coming messianic deliverer. For example, Micah 5:2 is quoted in Matthew 2:5-6, making reference to Jesus: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf” (Micah 5:2).

In fact, Jesus Himself quoted from Micah while explaining the disruption His coming (and His message) were bringing to the world’s system:

Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.

I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Your enemies will be right in your own household!

One thing is certain within the book of Micah: God is supremely displeased with corruption, idolatry, rebellion, and those who misuse their power to exploit the less fortunate. And He is even more passionate about hope and restoration for those who keep His covenant.

MEDITATION:

Who but God goes up to heaven and comes back down? Who holds the wind in his fists? Who wraps up the oceans in his cloak? Who has created the whole wide world? What is his name —and his son’s name? Tell me if you know!