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AUTHOR: Micah's authorship is generally recognized. He was a native of Moresheth-Gath, a village located about 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem. He was probably a farmer and lived in the time of Isaiah [ Isa 1:1 - “The vision that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.” ], [ Isa 1:1 - “The word of the LORD that came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah; the vision which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.” ], prophesied during the reigns of Pekahiah, Pekah, and Hoshea in Israel, and of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah in Judah, from the year A.D. 738 to 698 BC
ORIGIN OF THE NAME: It means “who is like God?”. It has the same meaning as the name Miguel and its variants are: Micael, Miguel, Michael, as well as the female version Micaela.
THEME: God reveals his wrath through the prophet; through his love, God seeks justice on earth. The prophet's main message demonstrates the need for justice in the land; if not, God acts with power. Micah's theme is God's compassion. Micah used images of prostitution to describe idol worship, as Hosea had done [ Hosea 1:7 - “I will deal with love to the nation of Judah; and I will give them victory, not by bow, or by sword, or by battle, nor by horses and horsemen, but by the Lord his God.” ]. God's wrath would fall on the nation, because of the sins of violence and social injustice. The prophet noted that Israel had rejected the truth [ Mic 7:2 - “The godly have disappeared from the land; there is not even a fair one. All are lying in wait to spill blood; each hunts his brother with a snare.” ]. Due to the evil machinations of a people who rise up against God's teachings, the righteous God warns the nation of the enemy's invasion of the land and the exile of the people from their land. Despite the tone of coming chastisement, Micah's vision goes beyond God's judgment and shows future restoration and blessings. God would take pity on his people and completely blot out their sins.
COMPILATION: Approximately 740 / 710 BC. It consists of 7 chapters and 105 verses.
CHRONOLOGY (ESTIMATED) | |
752 BC | Jotham's reign begins in Judah |
740 to 710 BC | Estimated period of Micah's ministry |
736 B.C. | Ahaz Begins to Reign in Judah |
729 BC | Hezekiah's reign in Judah begins |
722 BC | Assyria Takes Israel Captive |
701 BC | Assyria besieges Jerusalem |