Micah – Page 4 – Be Still…

Micah 2:12-13 – A New Beginning

Have you had the experience of reading a Bible passage, being completely certain the Holy Spirit gave you a message loud and clear, only to hear another’s viewpoint which is not at all the same? It’s like the Holy Spirit had a different message for them. Yet both messages seem relevant, even possible.

That just happened to me on this passage with my husband, David. You’ll recall he did his doctoral dissertation on the coherence of the Book of Micah, so I wasn’t surprised we may have had a different take. I was thrilled he shared with me several books from well-respected scholars displaying our respective messages. I had no idea Bible scholars had written such differing opinions so openly and with such authority. It was exhilarating! The Spirit inside me was overjoyed, too!

Micah 2:6-11 – Are You Feeling Comforted?

Read Micah 2:6-11

Micah doesn’t just proclaim God’s words as a monologue, but he engages with the people. I don’t know about you, but I often picture our Biblical prophets walking through the streets or standing on rooftops calling out God’s proclamations.

The people are clearly in denial. They can’t imagine that what Micah is talking about involves them. It’s ludicrous! There must be some mistake. Do these people even know God? If they did, wouldn’t their faith tradition cause them to act differently?

Micah 2:1-5 – Do We Let Evil Win?

Read Micah 2:1-5

We still see some of these very same sins in our day, don’t we? Striving for power often leads to manipulation, fraud, and violence. This is not new to our times. It might not even look that much different. The bottom line is that evil is still alive and well. Even though centuries have passed, the evil one is still using the same tricks to lure and engage his subjects.

I can truthfully say that I have laid awake at night on numerous occasions. However, I have never schemed against another. In those nights of tossing and turning, I’m usually extremely excited about something about to happen (like a trip to see family) or distraught over a situation that is really outside of my control, but for some reason I want to take it back rather than leaving it in God’s hands.

Micah 1:6-16 – Here’s What to Expect

Read Micah 1:6-16

Large ceramic hands cupping to hold and protect a crouching small ceramic person

Micah is not bringing news of great joy. His predictions of the Lord’s coming do not call for a triumphant entry full of praise. God’s anger toward his people was burning bright, and we are given a glimpse at the path the conquerors will take in destroying the land of Israel and Judah.

Micah is beside himself with grief. Israel is where it will all begin, but his own homeland in the southern kingdom is not secure. Micah uses such descriptive language to describe his own emotional state. “I will mourn and lament. I will walk around barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and moan like an owl.” Have you had a time in your life when you have felt so desperate? How did you get through that time?

Micah 1:1-5 – The Lord is Coming!

Read Micah 1:1-5

I’m super excited to walk through the Book of Micah with you. Micah was a prophet used by God around the same time as Isaiah and Hosea. Micah is known as a “minor prophet” only because his book is short. His three major themes of justice, peace, and the Messiah have made great impact. For me personally, my happy ending all began when attempting to dig into the meaning of this book twenty-five years ago.

My pastor husband, David, did his doctoral dissertation on the book of Micah. He has always been honored and grateful to God for being chosen for publication by Scholar’s Press. One of the first things I did during our courtship was to ask to read his book on Micah. I had never met a published author before! While I found it to be “way over my head” in terms of my literary understanding, I was enthralled, and a bit intimidated, by David’s intellect and great faith. I was able to overcome my feelings of “not being enough” thanks to David’s great love and devotion to me. I see that Amazon still has a few copies of his book published back in 1988, if you’re interested!