The name Micah means “Who is like Yahweh?” The prophet served to show that none can
compare to Yahweh. He prophesied between
735 and 710 BC, during the reigns of Kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah (1:1). Micah prophesied concerning both Israel and
Judah. The book serves to guide us in
our lives today. There are many
practical lessons we can learn from Micah:
1. God
expects to be first. At the beginning of
the book, Micah prophesied, “All her images shall be beaten to pieces, all her
wages shall be burned with fire, and all her idols I will lay waste”
(1:7). Judah and Israel had replaced Yahweh
with their idols. The Bible teaches that
God is a jealous God (Ex. 20:5). God
doesn’t want us to divide our interest. He
wants our total devotion.
2. Some
people don’t want the truth. “‘Do not
preach’—thus they preach—‘one should not preach of such things; disgrace will
not overtake’” (2:6). Micah’s hearers
did not want to hear want God wanted them to hear. They wanted to hear smooth words. Some people today don’t want the truth. But, like Micah, God’s servants must preach
the truth anyway.
3. God
has a remnant. “I will surely gather all
of you, O Jacob, I will gather the survivors of Israel; I will set them
together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture; it will resound
with people” (2:12). No matter how evil
Judah and Israel became, some still stood for God’s truth. Not everyone turned from God. Today, even though things may at times look
bleak, God has a remnant.
4. God
doesn’t hear the prayers of the wicked. “Then
they will cry to the LORD, but he will not answer them; he will hide his face
from them at that time, because they have acted wickedly” (3:4). Because people acted wickedly, God would not
hear their prayers. God does not hear
the prayers of wicked people. We need to
live in such a way that God will hear our prayers.
5. God
promised his church. “In days to come
the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established as the highest of the
mountain, and shall be raised up above the hills” (4:1). God promised his church. The church was not some after-thought, but
God promised in the Old Testament to build his church.
6. Undesirables
have a place in the church. “In that
day, says the LORD, I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been
driven away, and those whom I have afflicted.
The lame I will make the remnant, and those who were cast off, a strong
nation” (4:6-7). Some people are not
popular; society looks down on them.
But, they have a place in the church.
The church is a place where people can come together and be accepted by
God.
7. God
promised a Messiah. “From you
[Bethlehem] shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin
is from of old, from ancient days” (5:2).
God knew man needed redemption.
He did not send Jesus at the last minute, but he intended to send Jesus
from all eternity.
8. God
cares about our hearts. “He has told you,
O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do
justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (6:8). god
cares how we act outwardly, but as shown here he cares primarily about our
heart. God is concerned that we act
justly, love kindness, and walk humbly with him. We act justly in an outward way. But we love kindness and walk humbly with god
more in an inward than outward way. In
order to please God, our hearts must be right.
9. God
forgives his people. “Who is a God like
you, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of
your possession? He does not retain his
anger forever, because he delights in showing clemency” (7:18). No matter how down and out man gets, God can
forgive. God wants to forgive. Micah even says that God “delights in showing
clemency.” Our God wants communion with
his people. He will forgive us if we
turn to him.
The book of Micah is rich. It teaches us much about our relationship with
God. It shows us how we can please
God. It shows us that God wants to be in
our lives. It is truly “heaven sent.”