A study of the minor prophet Micah: the man and his message (given at the Laindon Christadelphians Bible Study Class, Dec 15) thebibletrue@gmail.com

1. AstudyofMicah(2)
Laindon Bible Study, 23rd December 2015

2. A ‘quick’ recap of last week
• Sedimentary layers of prophecy (ten in total?)
• Who is like Yahweh? (Contrast idols / Divine character / Challenge)
• A prophet to Judah from the village Moresheth-gath
• Timed 735-700 BC, momentous mid-Assyrian period
• C: Jotham (mixed), Ahaz (bad) and Hezekiah (good)
• C: Hosea and Isaiah, parallels (e.g. symbol of harlot)
• “Hear” sections: Chs 1&2, Chs 3-5 and Chs 6&7
A study of Micah (2) 2
Key messages of the book (Section 1)
• Judgement (1 v 2 – 2 v 11)
– 1 v 2-4: God is Almighty, He will come forth to judge the earth
– 1 v 5-9: The transgressions of Samaria and Jerusalem
– 1 v 10-16: Lamenting the fate of towns/villages of Judah
– 2 v 1-2: The practising of iniquity, reason for judgement
– 2 v 3-11: The ‘time of evil’ to be let loose by God
• Deliverance (2 v 12-13)
– 2 v 12-13: The gathering of the remnant flock
A study of Micah (2) 11
10 Declare ye it not at Gath [winepress], weep ye not at all: in the
house of Aphrah [house to dust] roll thyself in the dust. 11 Pass ye
away, thou inhabitant of Saphir [fair], having thy shame naked: the
inhabitant of Zaanan [pointed] came not forth in the mourning of
Beth-ezel [house of narrowing]; he shall receive of you his standing.
12 For the inhabitant of Maroth [bitterness] waited carefully for good:
but evil came down from the Lord unto the gate of Jerusalem. 13 O
thou inhabitant of Lachish [invincible], bind the chariot to the swift
beast: she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion: for the
transgressions of Israel were found in thee. 14 Therefore shalt thou
give presents to Moresheth-gath [possession of Gath]: the houses of
Achzib [deceit] shall be a lie to the kings of Israel. 15 Yet will I bring an
heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah [crest of a hill]: he shall
come unto Adullam [justice of the people] the glory of Israel.
Shepherding another repeated theme...
e.g. 4 v 6-8, 5 v 4-6, 5 v 8 & 7 v 14
[Note: sheep naturally wander/defenceless/reliant]
[definitions]
Key messages of the book (Section 2)
• Judgement (3 v 1-12)
– 3 v 1-4: Judgement upon the heads of Jacob and princes of Israel
– 3 v 5-8: Judgement upon the (false) prophets and seers
– 3 v 9-12: Rulers, prophets & priests each responsible for God’s fury
• Deliverance (4 v 1 – 5 v 15)
– 4 v 1-5: The LORD’s house established, peaceful reign ensues
– 4 v 6-8: The LORD’s subjects and royal dominion
– 4 v 9-10: The travail: captivity and redemption from Babylon
– 4 v 11-13: Victory over opposing nations
– 5 v 1-6: God’s chosen leader to deliver Israel (Hezekiah/Christ)
– 5 v 7-15: Cleansing God’s people, vengeance upon the heathen
A study of Micah (2) 12
Key messages of the book (Section 3)
• Judgement (6 v 1 – 7 v 10)
– 6 v 1-2: The appeal to the court – to hear God’s charges
– 6 v 3-5: The accusation – God’s love & deliverance
– 6 v 6-7: The defence – how can Israel respond?
– 6 v 8: The appeal to the court – to hear God’s request
– 6 v 9-12: The accusation – wickedness, violence & deceit
– 6 v 13-16: The sentence – sickness, emptiness & desolation
– 7 v 1-10: The defence – recognition of sin and lamentation
• Deliverance (7 v 11-20)
– 7 v 11-13: Jerusalem rebuilt and people regathered
– 7 v 14-15: The people liberated and nourished
– 7 v 16-20: The nations humbled and truth to Jacob performed
A study of Micah (2) 13
1 Listen to what the Lord says:
"Get up! Defend yourself before the
mountains!
Present your case before the hills!"
2 Hear the Lord's accusation, you
mountains,
you enduring foundations of the earth!
For the Lord has a case against his
people;
he has a dispute with Israel!
Micah – minor prophet, major messages

3. Our two studies
A study of Micah (2) 3

4. Seven chapters, seven exhortations
Micah
Man
has no
defence
Dangers of
covetousness
Symmetry
of divine
justice
Affliction
before
gathering
Littleness
before
greatness
What
doth the
LORD
require?
God
and
mercy
A study of Micah (2) 4

5. “Let the Lord GOD be witness against you”
• Lesson: Man has no legitimate defence before the Almighty God
A study of Micah (2) 5
1 v 2
“Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord God be
witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of
his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. And the
mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire,
and as the waters that are poured down a steep place.” (v. 2-4)
Romans 2 v 1-4
“Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for
wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that
judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is
according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou
this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same,
that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of
his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the
goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”

6. Judgement
(6 v 1 – 7 v 10)
Part played Message Quotation(s)
6 v 1-2
The appeal
to the court
To hear God’s
charges
“... the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead
with Israel.” (v. 2)
6 v 3-5
The
accusation
God’s love &
deliverance
“For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed
thee out of the house of servants...” (v. 4)
6 v 6-7 The defence
How can Israel
respond?
“Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before
the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings...” (v. 6)
6 v 8
The appeal
to the court
To hear God’s
request
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the
Lord require of thee...” (v. 8)
6 v 9-12
The
accusation
Wickedness,
violence & deceit
“Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the
wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?” (v. 10)
6 v 13-16 The sentence
Sickness, emptiness
& desolation
“Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making
thee desolate because of thy sins.” (v. 13)
7 v 1-10 The defence
Recognition of sin
and lamentation
“I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned
against him, until he plead my cause...” (v. 9)
The court scene of ‘Section 3’
A study of Micah (2) 6

7. “Covet fields... and houses, and take them”
• Lesson: The dangers of covetousness and seeking for gain (power)
A study of Micah (2) 7
2 v 2
“Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light,
they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand. And they covet fields, and take them
by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a
man and his heritage.” (v. 1-2)
Colossians 3 v 5-7
“Mortify therefore your members which are upon
the earth... and covetousness, which is idolatry: For
which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the
children of disobedience: In the which ye also
walked some time, when ye lived in them.”

8. “Who pluck off their skin from off them”
• Lesson: Divine judgement is certain and symmetrical for recipient
A study of Micah (2) 8
3 v 2
“And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not
for you to know judgment? Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin
from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; Who also eat the flesh of my people, and
flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the
pot, and as flesh within the caldron. Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear
them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill
in their doings.” (v. 1-4)
Galatians 6 v 7
“Be not deceived; God is not
mocked: for whatsoever a
man soweth, that shall he
also reap.”
James 2 v 13
“For he shall have
judgment without mercy,
that hath shewed no
mercy...”

9. “I will gather her... that I have afflicted”
• Lesson: A remnant, by definition, requires a reduction process
A study of Micah (2) 9
4 v 6
“In that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather her that is
driven out, and her that I have afflicted; And I will make her that halted a remnant, and her
that was cast far off a strong nation: and the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from
henceforth, even for ever.” (v. 6-7)
“Whose fan is in his
hand, and he will
throughly purge his
floor, and gather his
wheat into the
garner; but he will
burn up the chaff
with unquenchable
fire.” Matthew 3 v 12
“And I will purge out from
among you the rebels, and
them that transgress against
me: I will bring them forth out
of the country where they
sojourn, and they shall not
enter into the land of Israel:
and ye shall know that I am the
Lord.” Ezekiel 20 v 38

10. “Though... little among... thousands of Judah”
• Lesson: God’s wisdom is not the same as man’s wisdom
A study of Micah (2)
5 v 2
“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out
of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have
been from of old, from everlasting.” (v. 2)
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as
the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my
thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55 v 8-9
2 Corinthians 12 v 9 (see also 1 Corinthians 1 v 26-31)
“And he [the Lord, about thorn in flesh] said unto me, My grace is
sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the
power of Christ may rest upon me.”

11. “Do justly... love mercy... walk humbly”
• Lesson: The ‘simplicity’ of God’s requirements
A study of Micah (2) 11
6 v 8
“Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall
I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath
shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly,
and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (v. 7-8)
Deuteronomy 10 v 12-13
“And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear
the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the
Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the
commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this
day for thy good?”
Ahaz offers firstborn
Also, cp. with Jesus’ criticism of religious leaders and their focus on ritual
vs. fundamental matters (Matthew 23 v 23 “judgment, mercy, and faith”)

12. “He delighteth in mercy”
• Lesson: Mercy rejoices/triumphs over judgment*
A study of Micah (2) 12
7 v 18
“Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the
remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt
cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the
mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.” (v. 18-20)
Psalm 103 v 8-14
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He
will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt
with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the
heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions
from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear
him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”
* see James 2 v 13 and original Greek katakauchaomai
Depths of sea

13. Our two studies completed
A study of Micah (2) 13
Who is like Yahweh?