MICAH LESSON 1


     Micah was a prophet of the southern tribes. Isaiah was a prophet
in Judah and Hosea in Israel at the same time. Micah was the penman of
his book. He prophesied under king Jotham's, Ahaz's, and Hezekiah's
reigns. The name "Micah" means who is like Jehovah. He lived in the
territory of Judah, but spoke to the ten tribes of Israel, as well as
to Judah. The definition of true religion is found in Micah 6:8 "He
hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD
require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk
humbly with thy God?"  He foretold the fall of Samaria and Jerusalem.
He prophesied the birth of Jesus in Micah 5:2 "But thou, Beth-lehem
Ephratah, [though] thou be little among the thousands of Judah, [yet]
out of thee shall he come forth unto me [that is] to be ruler in
Israel; whose goings forth [have been] from of old, from everlasting."

     Now we will begin the verse by verse study in Micah 1:1 "The word
of the LORD that came to Micah the Morasthite in the days of Jotham,
Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria
and Jerusalem."

     We see the authority that Micah prophesies with in this first
verse, "the Word of the LORD". Morashite or Morasheth-Gath is a
village in the lowlands of Judea. It was located about 20 miles south-
west of Jerusalem. The names of the kings of Judah are listed here,
because his primary message was to them. Samaria was the capital of
Israel, and Jerusalem was the capital of Judah.

     Micah 1:2 "Hear, all ye people; hearken, O earth, and all that
therein is: and let the Lord GOD be witness against you, the Lord from
his holy temple."

     This message is actually for sinners everywhere, and for all
time, as well as to Judah and Israel. This is saying, that they should
pay careful attention, because whatever happens to the ten tribes of
Israel has a bearing on all of humanity. This should set an example to
warn everyone to repent and turn away from sin. No one is exempt from
punishment, when the sin is the worship of false gods.

     Micah 1:3 "For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place,
and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth."

     The sins of Israel had risen up to heaven. God is above the
highest place upon the earth. He is Almighty God. His place, spoken of
here, is His throne in heaven. One reason the high places are
mentioned as being tread upon by the LORD, is because they were places
of false worship.

     Micah 1:4 "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 mountain being molten makes you think of a volcano erupting.
This speaks of a terrible time of calamity. This is the very thing
that happens when a volcano erupts. The lava pours down the sides of
the mountains like a stream of water.

     Micah 1:5 "For the transgression of Jacob [is] all this, and for
the sins of the house of Israel. What [is] the transgression of Jacob?
[is it] not Samaria? and what [are] the high places of Judah? [are
they] not Jerusalem?"

     Their transgression, that had angered God so greatly, was
apostasy. They had gone away from their first love {God Almighty}, and
were worshipping false gods and idols. This does not speak of just the
ten tribes of Israel, but includes the two tribes of Judah and
Benjamin.  In fact, it could easily be speaking of our churches today,
as well.  The sad thing is that many of us are Christians in name
only. We are not sold out to God. We let things of the world take
precedence over God.

     Micah 1:6 "Therefore I will make Samaria as an heap of the field,
[and] as plantings of a vineyard: and I will pour down the stones
thereof into the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof."

     This speaks of terrible destruction. Actually, stones do pour
down into the valley when a volcano erupts. They were, also, thrown
down in battle. Samaria will be totally destroyed. When this
destruction is over, it will be a barren land.

     Micah 1:7 "And all the graven images thereof shall be beaten to
pieces, and all the hires thereof shall be burned with the fire, and
all the idols thereof will I lay desolate: for she gathered [it] of
the hire of an harlot, and they shall return to the hire of an
harlot."

     The "harlot" spoken of here, is the harlot wife of God {Israel}.
The hires means the wages of prostitution. God looked upon idolatry as
spiritual adultery. They were unfaithful to God {their husband}. The
Assyrains are just as idolatrous as Israel, and they will get these
idols for themselves.

     Micah 1:8 "Therefore I will wail and howl, I will go stripped and
naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and mourning as the
owls."

     This is speaking of the sorrow of Micah at the destruction which
was to come. He is trying to convey the magnitude of the destruction
that God will bring upon these people, if they do not repent and
return to the One True God.

     Micah 1:9 "For her wound [is] incurable; for it is come unto
Judah; he is come unto the gate of my people, [even] to Jerusalem."

     God will not show mercy to them. Israel will be destroyed. The
terrible thing is that Judah has become involved in the same sins, and
they will not be spared either. The destruction of Judah is much
later, but prophets do not know the exact time of the fulfillment of
their prophecy. They just know it will happen. God's holy city
{Jerusalem} will even be destroyed.

     Micah 1:10  "Declare ye [it] not at Gath, weep ye not at all: in
the house of Aphrah roll thyself in the dust."

     Gath was the place of the Philistines. The people of Gath would
be happy and spread the coming destruction, so they do not tell them.
"The house of Aphrah" means house of dust. Rolling in the dust is a
sign of extreme mourning.

     Micah 1:11 "Pass ye away, thou inhabitant of Saphir, having thy
shame naked: the inhabitant of Zaanan came not forth in the mourning
of Beth-ezel; he shall receive of you his standing."

     "Saphir" means fair city. " Zaanan" means going out. "Beth-ezel"
means house at one's side. This is speaking of shame coming upon these
cities, as well. They should take up the mourning, also.

     Micah 1:12 "For the inhabitant of Maroth waited carefully for
good: but evil came down from the LORD unto the gate of Jerusalem."

     "Maroth" means bitterness. They expected God to protect them.
They did not repent, and great sorrow came to them.

     Micah 1:13 "O thou inhabitant of Lachish, bind the chariot to the
swift beast: she [is] the beginning of the sin to the daughter of
Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee."

     Lachish was about 14 miles northeast of Gaza. Sennacherib of
Assyria spoiled this city. This is telling them, to harness up their
best horses, and flee to safety in their chariots. It appears from
this, that Lachish was involved in the same transgressions as Israel.
It, also, appears they caused Jerusalem to get involved, as well.

     Micah 1:14 "Therefore shalt thou give presents to Moresheth-gath:
the houses of Achzib [shall be] a lie to the kings of Israel."

     Judah is involved in the very same sins as Israel. The presents
to Moresheth-gath are parting gifts. This means that Judah has given
up Moresheth-gath. They have relinquished ownership. This city is
given up to the enemy.

     Micah 1:15 "Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of
Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel."

     "Mareshah" means inheritance. "Adullam" is a place in Palestine.

     Micah 1:16 "Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate
children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into
captivity from thee."

     This baldness speaks of mourning. It, also, speaks of adultery.
An unfaithful wife had her head shaved, so the world would know she
was an adultress. They have gone into captivity, and Micah is telling
them to mourn for them.

                             Notes

















































                          Micah 1 Questions


1.  Micah was a prophet of the __________ tribes.
2.  ________ was a prophet in Judah and __________ in Israel at the
    same time.
3.  During whose reign did Micah prophesy?
4.  What is the definition of true religion in Scripture?
5.  Micah foretells the fall of _________ and ________.
6.  Where is the prophecy of the birth of Christ?
7.  What tells us, in verse 1, that Micah is under the authority of
    God?
8.  Where is Morashite?
9.  Who is this warning to?
10. The sins of _________ had risen up to heaven.
11. What is God's place spoken of here?
12. The high places were places of ________ ________.
13. What is verse 4 speaking of?
14. What was their transgression that had angered God?
15. Who was their first love?
16. What is sad about many Christians today?
17. I will make Samaria as an _________ of the _______.
18. What will happen to the graven images?
19. Who is the "harlot" in verse 7?
20. What were the "hires"?
21. They were unfaithful to God {_________ _________}.
22. Who will get the idols?
23. Describe the sorrow of Micah for these people.
24. Will God have mercy and stop the punishment?
25. Gath was a city of the _____________.
26. The "house of Arphrah" means house of ________.
27. What is rolling in the dust a sign of?
28. What does "Saphir" mean?
29. "Maroth" means ___________.
30. Who spoiled Lachish?
31. What are the gifts in verse 14?
32. The baldness speaks of __________.
33. It, also, speaks of ___________.