Introduction
Micah
Introduction to Micah
Micah was a prophet from southwestern Judah whose prophecy nevertheless dealt also with the northern kingdom, Israel, and its capital in Samaria. He was a contemporary of Isaiah and included some of the same prophecies (Micah 4:1-3; compare Isaiah 2:2-4). In fact, in his younger days Micah may have been a disciple of Isaiah. His name meant “Who is like Jehovah?”
He wrote his prophecy while Israel was still in the land, but only shortly before the Assyrian invasion and destruction of Israel (Micah 1:1,6). There are indications in later chapters that he continued his ministry in Judah after seeing the fulfillment of his prophecy of Samaria’s destruction.
He also prophesied the eventual Babylonian captivity of Judah (Micah 4:10), even though that prophecy would not be fulfilled until over a century later. It is noteworthy that Jeremiah, the last prophet of Judah before the exile, quoted Micah’s prophecy in his own prophecy some 120 years later (Jeremiah 26:18, citing Micah 3:12). According to Jeremiah, this prophecy was made at the time good king Hezekiah reigned in Jerusalem.
Although Micah preached against the wickedness of both Israel and Judah, he also prophesied the ultimate victory of God and His people through the coming Messiah. His book includes the wonderful prediction of Messiah’s human birth in Bethlehem, a prophecy eventually to be fulfilled over seven hundred years later. He also recognized the eternal deity of the Messiah (Micah 5:2).
