The prophet* Micah spoke for God at the same time Isaiah did. Micah wanted people to know that the Lord* was the judge* of all the earth. He was a God who brought justice*. And he was coming to punish his own people, Israel*. Micah called to the people to stop following false gods. He told them to stop doing evil*. But this same God was also the one who will save the people. He was a God who gives grace*.

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Micah is a record of the many messages God gave Micah to speak. Most of these messages are about two ideas. Judah must turn back to God or he would punish them. God would bring Judah home and he would make the nation great. The book goes between these two ideas very quickly.

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The book begins as Micah told the people that God would use Assyria to punish them. If they did not listen to his words, God would punish them by taking them away from the land he promised them. Then Micah stopped talking about punishment and began to talk about salvation*. Assyria would take them away. But they would return. God would bring the people back from exile*. Micah told of a time when the people of Israel* would return. They would come back to the land and their king would lead them. That king was the Lord* their God. [1]

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God would use the nation of Assyria to discipline Israel. But he would also punish Assyria. Micah said that God would punish all of ‘the nations that have not obeyed’ God. [2] Any nation that did not obey God would be judged*. That was true of Assyria. And that was also true of Israel*. But the people who pleased God would receive mercy*. Who pleases God? Micah told them.

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‘The Lord* has shown you what is good.
   He has told you what he requires of you.
You must act with justice*.
   You must love to show mercy.
And you must be humble as you live in the sight of your God.’ [3]

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The book of Micah is like many of the other prophets*. It speaks to the people who first read the book. But it also speaks to people who would read the book in the future. Some of the things Micah said would happen soon after he said them. But some of them will happen at some time in the future. When that day comes, the enemy will be destroyed. [4] When that day comes, all the nations will enjoy God’s salvation*. [5] That future salvation* is as sure as Israel’s salvation* in the past. God is faithful* to his promise. [6]

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Micah also reminded the people of something else. They were still waiting for someone. They waited for a ruler. He was the king that God promised David. This king would come from Bethlehem. [7] He would lead his people. He would defeat their enemies. When he came, the small would overcome the great ‘in the strength of the LORD’. [8] These promises are some of the most important in the Bible. The one God has chosen would come. The prophets* called him the Messiah*. Isaiah said that his kingdom* would grow and never end. [9]

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Micah gave them another reason for hope*. He reminded them of yet another promise. Long ago, God told Abraham that he would bless* him. [10] God said that his family would become a great nation. God would do what he promised ‘in the days long ago’. [11] He would keep his promises. Micah pointed them to God in their time of trouble. They were God’s people. For God’s people, there was always hope*.

 

[1] See Isaiah 40:3

[2] Micah 5:15b

[3] Micah 6:8

[4] Micah 7:10

[5] Micah 7:12

[6] Micah 7:14-20

[7] Micah 5:1-5

[8] Micah 5:4

[9] Isaiah 7 and 9

[10] Genesis 12:1-9

[11] Micah 7:20