Micah 1:1-16
Q.1. To whom did the prophet Micah address his message? What was going to happen to Samaria? Why was judgment about to fall? – (Mic.1:1-7)
Micah addressed his prophecy to Samaria (capital of the northern tribes of Israel) and Jerusalem (capital of the southern kingdom of Judah) – The word of the Lord which came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem (Mic.1:1 c.f. 1:5). During the reign of Ahaz king of Judah, the Assyrians conquered Israel, and took many captives (2 Kgs 17:1-6). They tried to invade Judah, where Hezekiah was king. However, with encouragement from the prophet Isaiah, the Assyrians were routed by a plague from God (2 Kgs.18:13-19:37). Even Judah was ripe for judgment under Ahaz, for – he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and even made his son pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had driven out from before the sons of Israel (2 Kgs.16:3). Fortunately, his son Hezekiah turned the nation back to God in revival – 5 He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. 6 For he clung to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses (2 Kgs.18:5-6). However, nothing like that would spare the tribes of Israel, so – All of her idols will be smashed, all of her earnings will be burned with fire and all of her images I will make desolate, for she collected them from a harlot’s earnings, and to the earnings of a harlot they will return (Mic.1:7). God could endure this apostasy no longer.
Q.2. How was the prophet called to express the demise of Israel? How far reaching were the sins of Israel? Where would God’s glory hide? – (Mic.1:8-16)
The prophet would be a living parable to Israel, as he walked about barefoot and naked like a captive (Mic.1:8). Israel’s sins had been embraced by Judah and spread to the gate of Jerusalem (Mic.1:9, 12 c.f. Q.1 about Ahaz). Micah warned Israel that she would go into exile (Mic.1:16). God would hide His face from their plight – the glory of Israel will enter Adullam (Mic.1:15 c.f. 1 Sam.22:1-2). This was the cave that David and his companions retreated to when pursued by King Saul.