"The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah - the vision he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem." NIV translation
We are introduced to the prophet and actually very little is known about him. His name means "who is like Jehovah" and he was from a little town that was located about twenty miles southwest of Jerusalem. He was apparently a friend of Isaiah's and they share very similar prophecies.
We see that he ministered during the moral decline of Judah from Jotham to Ahaz. Both Jotham and his father before him did not tear down the high places of idolatry and the nation went down hill from there. This is the same period of time in which Isaiah, Hosea, and Amos ministered.
"Hear, you peoples, all of you, listen, earth and all who live in it, that the Sovereign Lord may bear witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple." NIV translation
The prophet immediately lets us know that the message he is delivering is straight from God and it is a message of judgment.
We also see that the message is for us today as it is addressed to all who live on the earth. This is a reminder that God is unchanging.
He is going to present the charges against both the northern and southern kingdoms and we can be sure that God does not approve of these things even today.
"Look! the Lord is coming from his dwelling place; he comes down and treads on the heights of the earth." NIV translation
We get a little preview of what the problem is all about as the "heights of the earth" speaks of the places where men had set objects up to be worshipped. The prophet saw the fact that God was coming down to stamp out these places of idolatry.
"The mountains melt beneath him and the valleys split apart, like wax before the fire, like water rushing down a slope." NIV translation
When God shows up, even the earth reacts as this verse speaks of a great earthquake that is unstoppable.