Micah I. Introduction A. Micah B. Judgment on Israel and Judah, prospect of forgiveness C. Let us consider the book II. Micah: The Details A. Authorship 1. Recorded message of Micah of Moresheth 2. Validated even in days of the kings (Jeremiah 26:18 / Micah 3:12) B. Dating 1. Micah prophesies in days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (Micah 1:1) 2. ca. 739-700 BCE 3. Contemporary, or late contemporary, of Hosea, Isaiah 4. Book written soon after C. Audience 1. Jerusalem and Samaria (Micah 1:1) 2. Much we can gain from it D. Purpose 1. To reveal the word of God that came to Micah 2. To pronounce judgment on the faithless people 3. To extend the hope of forgiveness, future restoration 4. To affirm God's goodness and mercy III. Micah: The Story A. Main Sections 1. Judgments (Micah 1-3) 2. Future Restoration (Micah 4-5) 3. Judgment and Restoration (Micah 6-7) B. Judgment on the People (Micah 1-3) 1. Address to all the creation; LORD a witness against them from His holy temple; He will come down, tread upon high places; world will tremble before Him; all this because of the sins of Israel and Judah; their transgression in Samaria, Jerusalem; Samaria to be a heap of stones, returned to vineyards; destruction of idols; gathered them for fee of prostitution, will return to fee of prostitution (Micah 1:1-7) 2. Micah laments because of this; wound incurable, reached to Jerusalem; cities of southwest Judah not to weep but to roll in dust and lament for the upcoming disaster from God upon all of them; it will all be given to a conqueror; make lamentation, children will go into exile (Micah 1:8-16) 3. Woe to wicked: those who oppress others, take their property; God will bring disaster upon them; will be taunted that day, will be utterly ruined (Micah 2:1-5) 4. Micah told not to preach disaster, for it will not happen; Micah wants to know why this should be said; people not listening to God, work as enemy of God; women dispossessed, children taken away-- they should go, for their place not for rest because of uncleanness of land; those who would preach of wine and strong drink would be accepted; God will gather Jacob as a shepherd his sheep, king leading army (Micah 2:6-13) 5. Call to rulers of Israel: they should know and do justice, but they oppress and do injustice; they will cry to God but He will not answer (Micah 3:1-4) 6. Call to false prophets: they speak good things when filled, evil when hungry; they will go without vision or divination; sun goes down on prophets; they will be disgraced, no answer from God; Micah filled with power to declare to Israel their sins (Micah 3:5-8) 7. Call to rulers: do not do justice, pervert the right way; build Jerusalem with sin and blood; easily bribed, priests and prophets in it for money; all lean on the LORD, believe no disaster will come; yet because of them, Zion to be plowed, Jerusalem a heap of ruins (Micah 3:9-12) B. Hope for Restoration (Micah 4-5) 1. In latter days, mountain of house of LORD established as high mountain; people flow to it, seek to learn from God to do His will; law to go out from Zion; God will judge the peoples; war implements turned into agricultural ones; no more war; sit under vine and tree, none to make afraid; mouth of LORD has spoken; all peoples walk in name of its god, we walk in name of LORD God forever (Micah 4:1-5) 2. On that day, the lame, driven away, afflicted will be restored, made a nation; God reigns over them; former dominion to return to Jerusalem (Micah 4:6-8) 3. Now they cry out, act as if they have no king or counselor; great pain on them, as a woman in labor; will go out from city to Babylon; there God will rescue them (Micah 4:9-10) 4. Nations assembled, seek to destroy Zion; they do not know thoughts of God, that they will be threshed there; Zion will be made iron and bronze, beat peoples into pieces; their spoil as devoted to God (Micah 4:11-13) 5. Zion to gather troops; siege against them; ruler will come forth from Bethlehem, an ancient ruler; Judah given up until time of return, then all will be shepherded, majesty of God's name will be great; they will dwell securely, he will be their peace (Micah 5:1-5a) 6. Assyrian to come into land, tread on palaces; shepherds raised against them to shepherd with sword; God will deliver people from the Assyrians when they enter Judah (Micah 5:b-6) 7. Remnant of Jacob then in midst of people, as dew that does not wait for man; Jacob as lion in midst of sheep, will tear others in pieces, none to deliver; hand over adversaries, enemies to be cut off (Micah 5:7-9) 8. In that day, horses, chariots, cities, strongholds, sorceries, fortune-tellers, idols, pillars, Asherim will be destroyed; God will execute vengeance on disobedient nations (Micah 5:10-15) C. Complete Indictment, Consequences (Micah 6-7) 1. Creation to hear God's indictment of Israel; He wants to know how He has wearied them; re-telling of exodus, wilderness events, consider God's saving acts (Micah 6:1-5) 2. Should people come to God with offerings and sacrifices?; God indicates what He wants: do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with God (Micah 6:6-8) 3. Voice of God to city; wisdom to fear God; God can no longer forget treasures of wickedness, false measure; God will not acquit those using false weights; rich are full of violence; all lie and deceive; God to strike them with terrible blows; eating without satisfaction, hunger, what they have given to others; sowing without reaping; statutes of Omri and works of Ahab kept so that God will make them a desolation; they will bear scorn (Micah 6:6-16) 4. Woe to prophet, like the end of the harvest; godly have perished from earth; all are sinful; best of them is like briers, thorn hedge; day of punishment has come; they ought not trust anyone, even family and spouses; family relationships overthrown; Micah to look to the LORD, wait for God of salvation (Micah 7:1-7) 5. Enemy not to rejoice over fall; will wise; LORD will be light in darkness; will bear anger of God for sin; He will plead case, execute judgment; prophet to see vindication; enemy will see, be shamed; enemy to be trampled like mire on streets (Micah 7:8-10) 6. Day of building; boundaries to be extended; ingathering from nations; earth to be desolate because of deeds of inhabitants; plea for God to shepherd His people, let them return to land; God will show signs like against Egypt in Exodus; nations will see, be ashamed; nations become deaf, lick dirt like snakes; come trembling out of strongholds; they will fear God (Micah 7:11-17) 7. Who is like God, forgiving sin, passing over transgression; God not angry forever, delights in steadfast love; God will have compassion on Israel, will cast their sins into sea; God will show faithfulness to Jacob and Abraham as He swore to fathers (Micah 7:18-20) IV. Micah: Important Passages A. Micah 3:12 / Jeremiah 26:18 B. Micah 4:1-5 / Isaiah 2:2-4 C. Micah 5:2 / Matthew 2:6, John 7:42 D. Micah 6:8 E. Micah 7:6 / Matthew 10:35-36, Luke 12:53 V. Conclusion A. The message of the prophet Micah B. Judgment on the sins of Israel and Judah C. Yet God is faithful, forgiving-- hope for the future! D. Let us not be sinful like Israel, but do justice, love kindness, and walk in humility before God! E. Invitation/songbook