The importance of his word in our lives do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly. They will strike israels ruler on the cheek with a rod. First, it is clear that worshiping idols stands in opposition to gods commands. We learned in previous lessons that judah consisted of the two southern tribes and israel the northern ten tribes. Gods special people micah major lessons from minor prophets. Book of micah overview insight for living ministries. The importance of upholding and living out the values of the kingdom.
The importance of nurturing a passionate relationship with god 2. So in spite of its difficulties, here are four reasons to preach the book of micah. Do we want to learn the lessons in the book of micah to prepare and school us in the spiritual process of becoming a member of the lords new church. The lower class people of samaria and jerusalem are the main recipients of this prophecy. According to the superscription, this judaean prophet was active during the last half of the 8th century bc. Micah is the sixth of the minor prophets, the last 12 books of the bible. An easyenglish bible version and commentary 2800 word vocabulary on the book of micah. The book of micah gives us specific advice on how to do that. Micah is an eighth century prophet who ministered in the southern kingdom judah along with his contemporary, isaiah. Micah presents a dark and brutal description of a world that has forgotten to love god and neighbor. On the one hand, the prophecies announce judgment upon israel for social evils, corrupt leadership and idolatry.
What micah told them must have been a hard lesson and irritating for them to hear. Micah announces that gods justice is coming in order to create a new future of love and faithfulness on the other side of israels sin and exile. This summary of the book of micah provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of micah. Do we want to learn the lessons in the book of micah. The first of the ten commandments reads, you shall have no other gods before me exodus 20. However, micah preaches to the rich when opportunity permits. Micah announces god s condemnation of the false prophets and the rich and powerful for their evil ways. This commentary has been through advanced checking.
Live justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our god. Micah speaks a message from god to all the nations. His mother had dedicated the silver to the lord by way of a graven image and a molten image having paid 200 shekels to the founder. His book, the book of micah, is near the end of the ot, right after jonah. These messages came in visions, oracles, dreams, parables, and the like. Nahum prophet against nineveh nahum came along a century after jonah, prophesying again the destruction of nineveh. Yes, nineveh repented in jonahs day, and god spared them at that time. 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. The book of micah proves to be the most significant prophesy of jesus birth. We learn that he stole 1100 shekels of silver from his mother but later confessed and restored it to her. The following characteristics of 8th century jerusalem provide the background for understanding isa 112.
What can we learn from these verses about what will happen as we repent of our sins. Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom of israel, while jerusalem was the capital of the southern kingdom of judah. What can we learn from the account of micah and the idol in judges. Micah dealt with the problem of idolatry as well as the severe injustices that were occurring among. Its a great lesson on the folly of trying to avoid the lords call on your life, but the lessons we can learn from jonah dont end there.
His prophecies were directed to both israel and judah, though mostly to the scripture. Micah 3 niv bible then i said, listen, you leaders of. Micah lived around the same time as the prophet isaiah, who lived in the much larger and more important city of jerusalem. It was a time of prosperity and military expansion see introduction to amos. A promised ruler from bethlehem marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. Micah s career began a little later than his contemporaries, isaiah and hosea isaiah 1. These studies may be used and duplicated with our permission. The book of micah was likely written between 735 and 700 b. As the book progresses, we learn of corrupt leaders, corrupt prophets, corrupt judges, and the oppressed women, children, and families who have been crushed by all of that corruption.
Micah was from judah but he prophesied for the whole nation. The mention of hezekiah places the date of the book after this event, and the listing of the three kings of judah mic. Students may use different words but should identify the following principle. Malachi is the final book of the 12 minor prophets, which the jewish scholars viewed as one book although recorded by 12 different scribes over a period of perhaps 350 years.
There was much religious activity, but it was the canaanite fertility cult using yhwhs name. The central theme of the book of isaiah is the nature of god and how he relates to his people. However, his prophecy concerns samaria and jerusalem. The book of micah introduction to the book of micah in the bible. What can we learn from the account of micah and the idol in. Ostensibly, it records the sayings of micah, whose name is mikayahu hebrew. Micah bible coloring page free childrens ministry resources. All abuse astrology confessions dating dreams energy fear grief healing lessons love love addiction meme parenthood. Micah prophesied during the days of jotham, ahaz and hezekiah, kings of judah micah 1. Our humility and love would be empty without our just action. We have detailed a brief summary of the book of micah for bible study or sunday school lessons. The book of micah describes gods coming judgment on israel because of its rebellion. These 12 books are called minor not because they are less inspired or of.
The following is a suggested outline of the book of micah. Tom constables expository notes on micah this is also available in the net. These questions make small group bible study a joy. Book of micah, the sixth of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets, grouped together as the twelve in the jewish canon. The first stage was the collection and arrangement of some spoken sayings of the historical micah.
Little is known about the prophet micah beyond what can be learned from the book itself and fromjer 26. They should not be shunned simply because they are labeled. Micah addresses issues that deal with the common people of israel during the time of. But also because i had forgotten, however briefly, that its often in brutality and darkness that the grace and brightness of jesus shines most brightly. When god had a message for the people, he gave his message through the prophets. Finding joy in the midst of the fire, was released last august. We will walk with humility, and we will love mercy. It is quoted five times in the nt, once by our lord. A word list at the end explains words with a star by them. It is possible that he was a friend of isaiah, and his prophecy has been called that of a miniature book of isaiah. A specific verse demonstrating this foreshadowing is micah 5. The prophet we are going to learn about today was named micah. 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.
The prophet micah identified himself by his hometown, called moresheth. Little is known about the prophet micah beyond what can be learned from the book itself and from jer 26. In many ways the book of micah is a sister book to isaiah. Judges chapters 17 and 18 tell us the story of micah. God gave him a vision about the future of jerusalem and samaria. On the one hand, the prophecies announce judgment upon israel for social evils, corrupt. Though their messages were shorter, they were no less powerful nor no less needed. Jotham and hezekiah were good kings, but ahaz was very wicked.
With what shall i come before the lord and bow down before the exalted god. An introduction to the book of micah an argument of the book of micah j. Micah prophesied israels rejection, ruin and revival. Micah the church of jesus christ of latterday saints.
It is important that you read the book assigned and answer the questions at the end of the lesson. This is the third of three lessons in our survey of the book of micah. We learned in previous lessons that judah consisted of the two southern tribes and israel the. Lessons you can learn from a man named ezekiel charisma leader. Micah was a prophet of god, a contemporary of isaiah ca. If so, we want to go to the core of scriptural meaning. Micah 5 a promised ruler from bethlehem bible gateway. The message of the book of micah is a complex mixture of judgment and hope. Her teaching dvd, the rooms of a womans heart, won the telly award, a prestigious industry award for excellence in religious programming.
At the beginning of the book, micah prophesied, all her images shall be beaten to pieces, all her wages shall be burned with fire, and all her idols i will lay waste 1. Will the lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil. Micah is the only book in the old testament to name bethlehem. Judah and israel had replaced yahweh with their idols. The book of micah prophesies and connects gods judgment. Basic timelines and orders of the twelve, the minor prophets modern order chronological order obadiah 926, 845, 785, 587 micah. Much of micahs book revolves around two significant predictions. Just received chucks stuff ive learned that ill never forget cd in the mail yesterday. The prophecy attests to micah s deep sensitivity to the social ills of his day, especially as they affected the small towns and villages of his homeland. Lets dive into our study of the book of micah and find out.
Categories 66 books of the bible coloring pages, micah post navigation. Summary of the book of micah the story of the bible. Micah micah s confessions and lessons that have helped with selfforgiveness, healing and acceptance. The city is now extinct, a pile of ruins outside the iraqi city of. Apr 22, 2015 4 readytouse bible lessons on the biblical book of micah. In particular, well drill down deeply into understanding and applying micah 6. A summary, synopsis or recap is a shortened version of the original. Intro to micah biblica the international bible society. Shall i offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul. Lessons from the lesser known is a series that seeks to glean practical and uplifting lessons for modernday christians from some lesserknown individuals in scripture. The author of the book of micah was the prophet micah micah 1. The prophecy attests to micahs deep sensitivity to the social ills of his day, especially as they affected the small towns and villages of. Lessons from zephaniah in the opening paragraph, zephaniah gives us his ancestry. Nineveh was a gentile city, the capital of the assyrian empire, and had no covenant with god.
The prophecy attests to micahs deep sensitivity to the social ills of his day, especially as they affected the small towns and villages of his homeland. Together, adonai, we refresh our commitment to justice. Much of micah s prophecy is very severe in tone, though it does contain much poetic beauty similar to that of isaiah. Like isaiah, micah told his people to repent of their sins and return to god. It sounds too much like what is happening in our world today. Micah prophesied during the reigns of jotham, ahaz, and hezekiah see mic. The assyrian empire and then the babylon empire would destroy the nation and leave jerusalem in ruin. Each bible lesson consists of 20 or so readytouse questions that get groups talking.
These bible studies are published by the middletown bible church, 349 east street, middletown, connecticut 06457 u. He has also reached thousands of additional bible students through his popular book. The latest material comes from the postexilic period after the temple was rebuilt in 515 bc, so that the early 5th century bc seems to be the period when the book was completed. The prophets divine for money what is also freely given, though i suspect these are not true prophets that are being spoken of. Micah was from moresheth gath, located some 25 miles southwest of jerusalem on the border of judah and philistia, near gath. Micah was a prophet so passionately committed to delivering his message that once stripped himself naked to bring his point across micah 1. Some, but not all, scholars accept that only chapters contain material from the late 8th century prophet micah. The book of micah provides one of the most significant prophecies of jesus. Few books go as deep and as dark as micah does so quickly.
The book of micah is very short, which is why he is called one of the minor prophets. These are the things that have helped micah discover deeper depths of love and more meaningful connections. Persistent sin leads to sure ruin why is gods judgment soon coming. The message of the prophet micah contains dire warnings, but also hope of restoration for israel and all nations. What can we learn from the account of micah and the idol. Encourage the students to read isaiah chapter 1 before class. Micah the lesson from the lords blows slj institute. The prophet micah taught us to walk humbly with god and to love mercy. Judges 17 and 18 record the story of a man named micah who built a shrine and worshiped humanmade idols.
According to this information and we realize that the chronological data at our disposal are a bit uncertain, micah appeared on the scene at. Broadly speaking, micah s prophecies primarily concerned the state of israel and judah around the time of the fall of samaria 722 b. There are many striking similarities between the two. The author of the book of judges includes the story in order to teach us some lessons. Zepahaniah prophesied during the reign of king josiah, about 640609 bc, making him a contemporary of the prophets jeremiah, nahum, and possibly habakkuk. Micah did not argue with the lord, nor did he try to put a positive. Micahs career began a little later than his contemporaries, isaiah and hosea isaiah 1. The theme of kindness from the verse above is mentioned in this bible lesson about kindness. Judgment and restoration inspire fear and hope, two ideas wrapped up in the final sequence of micahs prophecy, a courtroom scene. Are we willing to lay aside a dead church to take up a living church with the lord at the center. There are many practical lessons we can learn from micah.
Much of micah s book revolves around two significant predictions. His prophecy is the shortest book in the old testament, and one of the most difficult of the prophets to. Micah was from the town of moresheth, probably moresheth gath in southern judah. Apparently micah died in peace in the days of good king hezekiah jer. Because the prophet nahum specifically addresses the people of nineveh, this book could be considered a sequel to jonah, who was sent to nineveh about.
Like the teachings of the prophet isaiah, many of micah s teachings are written in the style of hebrew poetry. Outline of the book of micah he hath showed thee, o man, what is good. The book of micah contains a three fold message of sin, judgment and hope. But in nahums days, the sins of nineveh again overflowed the cup, provoking god again. The book of micah is the sixth book of the 12 minor prophets. The main purpose of a summary is as a simplification highlighting the major points from the original and much longer version of the subject. This man should not to be confused with the prophet micah. The book of micah is the sixth of the twelve minor prophets in the hebrew bible old testament. Shall i come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old.