Micah
Weldon Scott

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

MICAH - A TALE OF TWO CITIES

Micah - Outline

I. The Prophecy of Retribution (1-3)
  1. The calamity of it (1)
  2. The cause of it (2,3)
II. The Promise of Restoration (4,5)
  1. The Restoration Depicted (4:1-8)
  2. The Restoration Delayed (4:9-5:6)
  3. The Restoration Described (5:7-15)
III. The Plea for Repentance (6,7)
  1. The Standards of the Nation (6:1-8)
  2. The Sins of the Nation (6:9-12)
  3. The Sorrows of the Nation (7:1-6)
  4. The Savior of the Nation (7:7-20)

Micah (736-700 BC) was a contemporary of Isaiah. His chief ministry was to Jerusalem, but extended also to Samaria. His ministry was during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, so he actually lived to see the evils he pronounced on Samaria come to pass. No doubt his messages helped to bring about the spiritual awakening in Judah during the days of Hezekiah (See Jeremiah 26:18). Micah corroborated Isaiah's message. Isaiah was a scholar and probably ministered to the upper classes in Jerusalem, for he had important contacts with King Hezekiah. On the other hand, Micah was a man of the fields and probably spoke more to the rank and file outside the city.

Micah fearlessly denounced the would-be false hireling "prophets" who were in it for gain, even consulting demons and practicing witchcraft.  He spoke out with great boldness against the people, bluntly naming their sins. The princes of the land did not escape his tongue-lashing, accusing them of violence, oppression, and corruption. They were merciless in their treatment of the poor, and cruel in their greed for gold. Finally Micah denounced the priests, accusing them of graft.

Despite all the corruption in the moral, religious, and national life of the people, the prevailing attitude was complacency.God was in the midst of His people; therefore they could come to no harm. Micah plainly told them otherwise. Micah not only prophesied concerning the events of his day, but also saw in the far future, as did many of the Old Testament prophets. He speaks of the "last days" (4:1) (See also Isaiah 2:2,3) foretelling of the coming Messiah and closes his prophecy with a passionate plea for repentance.




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