Micah

Definition and Meaning

Micah is a prophetic book of the Old Testament. The twelve shorter prophetic books are known collectively as the Minor Prophets, and in the Protestant ordering Micah is the sixth of these. It has seven chapters. The Hebrew name Micah is understood to mean "Who is like the LORD?" Some interpreters suggest that the question near the end of the book, "Who is a God like unto thee?" (Micah 7:18), echoes this name.

Biblical and Historical Background

According to Micah 1:1, Micah came from Moresheth, a rural town in Judah, and prophesied during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. He was a contemporary of the prophet Isaiah, who ministered in Jerusalem. The book is set in the late eighth century BC, when Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, fell to Assyria.

The book alternates between messages of judgment and messages of restoration.

• Judgment: Micah denounced the powerful who seized others' fields and houses, leaders who took bribes, and false prophets, and he foretold the destruction of Jerusalem (Micah 3:12). This prophecy is quoted about a century later in Jeremiah 26:18.
• Prophecy of peace: Micah 4:1–3, which includes the words "they shall beat their swords into plowshares," is nearly identical to Isaiah 2:2–4.
• Bethlehem prophecy: Micah 5:2 declares that out of Bethlehem shall come one who is to be ruler in Israel. Matthew 2:6 quotes this verse in connection with the birth of Jesus Christ.
• Summary of faith: Micah 6:8 sums up what God requires of a person: "to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God." Here "mercy" denotes steadfast love and faithfulness.

The traditional view holds that Micah wrote the entire book. Some scholars, however, believe that portions of chapters 4–7 were added later.

Use in Korean Churches

• Micah 5:2 is frequently used as a sermon text during Advent and at Christmas. Churches that follow the Revised Common Lectionary, a schedule of Scripture readings arranged according to the church year, read it as one of the texts for the Fourth Sunday of Advent.
• Micah 6:8 is widely quoted across denominations. Churches that emphasize social engagement, as well as Christian civic movements, tend to read this verse as a basis for the social responsibility of faith, while churches that emphasize personal piety tend to read it as a summary of a humble life of faith.
• The prophecy of peace in Micah 4:3 is also cited in sermons and prayer meetings on the themes of peace or Korean reunification.
• Micah 7:19, "thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea," is often used in sermons on the forgiveness of sins and repentance.