Micah was a prophet in the Hebrew Bible, specifically mentioned in the Book of Micah. He is believed to have prophesied during the reigns of Kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, placing his ministry roughly in the 8th century BCE. The Book of Micah can be found in the back section of the Old Testament, among the minor prophets. Yet there is nothing “minor” about this prophet other than the length of the book that bears his name.
Micah: Table of Contents
In the Book of Micah, we find a beautiful path to repentance, restoration, and a promise of the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. Although we know little about Micah’s background, we do know when and where he prophesied, and the effect his prophecy continues to have on us today. His power as a prophet and call to turn away from sin and towards the Savior continue to bring us hope, and shape who we are as believers.
Where Do We Find Micah’s Story in the Bible?
“But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin” (Micah 3:8).
Micah’s name means, “who is a God like You?”, and his name itself becomes a meaningful theme for the book of Micah, as he summarizes his prophecy in Micah 7:18: “Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.”
It is stated in verse 1 that Micah is from Moresheth-Gath, a village located near the border of Israel and Philistia. It would have been considered ‘in the country’ in this time, as it was an agricultural area not near any major cities. This puts him in good company with the prophet Amos, who “was a shepherd who took care of sycamore-fig trees.”
There is no serious doubt that Micah is the author of the book that bears his name, as is also clearly stated in verse 1. Micah’s ministry likely occurred late in the reign of Jotham, and continued into the early years of King Hezekiah’s reign. This would place the book of Micah between the years 730 – 690 B.C.
Although it can be easy to think of one prophet coming after another, in order of their Biblical books, the reality is that many of them lived and ministered at the same times. Micah is no different, and he would have been a contemporary of three other prophets: Amos and Hosea in the northern kingdom of Israel, and Isaiah in the southern kingdom of Judah.
What Was Micah Known For?
The echoes of Micah’s effective ministry can be felt throughout the Old Testament as well as the New. He is not only referenced in his own book, but he is also mentioned by the prophet Jeremiah as laying the foundations for the spiritual reforms undertaken by Hezekiah: “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets’” (Jeremiah 26:18).
Micah is known for bringing a message of judgement and restoration that would spur a revival in the land of Judah. Among the prophets of the Old Testament, he is perhaps the most vocal in his demands of justice for the poor and downtrodden. He lashes out at greedy judges, who make money from unjust bribes while ignoring true justice and mercy.
He starts his book by speaking of the coming judgement of God, and makes clear that this judgement is a response to the transgressions of the people (Micah 1:5). In Micah 6:14:16 we see that the judgment will be harsh, and that it will be unavoidable.
Yet the beauty of Micah’s prophecy is that it assures us God will not end the story there. In fact, some of the most powerful promises of restoration, hope, and a coming Messiah are spoken by Micah:
“He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. Everyone will sit under their own vine and under their own fig tree, and no one will make them afraid, for the LORD Almighty has spoken. All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever” (Micah 4: 3-5).
“You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago” (Micah 7:19-20).
What Is the Message of the Book of Micah?
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
Justice. Love. Mercy. Humility. The overarching message of Micah is that God is Holy, and as a Holy God we should seek to act in a way that is becoming His holiness. Because He is holy, here are consequences to sin, yet there is hope for those who turn to Him. In the midst of crooked and depraved leadership, Micah 6:8 gives us a path to seek holiness, and is among the best-known verses of Scripture.
Another powerful prophecy from Micah is one we hear every year at Christmas, the one that tells us that the birth of Christ would occur in Bethlehem; "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times” (Micah 5:2). Over 700 years later, this prophecy would be fulfilled the night that Jesus was born.
Micah may have been from the country, but he had a strong grasp of literary technique and utilized powerful metaphors and vivid imagery throughout his prophecy.
What Happened to Micah?
We do not know how Micah lived out the rest of his life. However, it is clear from Jeremiah’s mention of him that he did not live out his days in fear of punishment or death, as so many prophets did. Instead, Jeremiah writes that his prophecy made a change and had a positive effect, “Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah fear the LORD and seek his favor? And did not the LORD relent, so that he did not bring the disaster he pronounced against them?” (Jeremiah 26:19).
The prophets in Scripture faithfully brought the Word of God to the people, no matter how unpopular that message may be. Many of these prophecies were unpopular and ended in persecution for the prophets. Thankfully for Micah, the people heard the message and turned to God, at least in the short term. Ultimately, this prophecy of judgement would come to pass.
Far from being an old, boring message for a people log ago, Micah’s words of promise and restoration after captivity still bring us hope today as we leave behind the captivity of sin, and walk into the hope and joy only found in Christ.
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Jason Soroski is a homeschool dad and member of the worship team at matthias lot church in St. Charles, MO. He spends his free time hanging out with his family, exploring new places, and writing about the experiences. Connect on Facebook or at JasonSoroski.net.
