Micah 1:1-16

Micah writes to both the nation of Israel and Judah, but mostly to Judah.  As he writes Israel is about to be overthrown by the Assyrians and his message is one that calls for Judah to wake up from their slumber so that they do not suffer a similar fate.  Micah and Isaiah write at the same time and have similar messages but Isaiah was focused more on Jerusalem and the leadership of the nation while Micah lived in a more rural setting and his focus was on the people in general.  This first chapter starts out with a stern warning for the nations of Israel and Judah and ends with Micah’s lament over the plight of his people.

MICAH WARNS ISRAEL AND JUDAH: Micah calls for the people of both nations to hear his message.  It is a message of warning that the Lord has been observing the lives of the people and is coming down to judge the nations for their evil acts and idolatrous worship.  The Lord’s judgment will melt the mountains and the valley will open up to swallow them.  The reason for this judgment is plainly stated as the transgressions of the people.  Micah points so the cities of Samaria and Jerusalem as the sampling of what the nations were doing as well as an example of what God was planning to do.  The cities were full of high places that were used for idolatrous worship and full of injustice and sinfulness.  God promises to destroy Samaria and make the city into a field as all of the buildings would be destroyed.  The idols would be broken into pieces and all of the wealth of the city would be consumed.  The idols had been made from prostitution and now they would be sold into captivity like a prostitute is sold for her body.  God always warns all of us of the consequences of sin and His coming judgment of sin.  It is up to us to pay attention and turn from our sin before it is too late.

MICAH MOURNS ISRAEL AND JUDAH: The message of the prophets was not an easy message for them to proclaim.  They cry out in pain over all that they must tell the people.  They truly hurt over the knowledge that they were given of God’s plans and coming destruction of the nations they lived in and loved.  Micah mourns the message he must proclaim.  He strips off his cloths and howls like the animals cry in the night.  The damage done to the nations is without remedy and this judgment of death has entered the city of Jerusalem.  Micah goes city by city in Judah lamenting the judgment and calling the cities to repent.  He describes the results of God’s judgment in each of these places and cries out over the pain that this destruction is causing him and the nation he loves.  He calls for the nation to cry out with him and repent; to shave their heads and tear their cloths in repentance because they are about to be taken away as slaves to a foreign country.  It is a very sad thing to see the judgment of God that will come upon the face of this earth.  God’s judgment is coming and we should mourn the plight of the nations who have turned their backs on God.