In our study of Micah chapter one, we look at God's judgment on people that set up things to be like God.
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This is the word of ADONAI that came to Mikhah the Morashti during the days of Yotam, Achaz and Y'chizkiyah, kings of Y'hudah, which he saw concerning Shomron and Yerushalayim:
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.
Listen, peoples, all of you! Pay attention, earth, and everything in it! Adonai ELOHIM will witness against you, Adonai, from his holy temple.
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.
For - look! - ADONAI is coming out of his place, coming down to tread on the high places of the land.
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.
Beneath him the mountains will melt, the valleys split open like wax before fire, like water poured down a steep slope.
When God shows up, even the earth reacts as this verse speaks of a great earthquake that is unstoppable.
All this is because of the crime of Ya'akov and the sins of the house of Isra'el. What is the crime of Ya'akov? Isn't it Shomron? And what are the high places of Y'hudah? Aren't they Yerushalayim?
The charges against the northern and southern kingdoms was that they set up images to be equal to God. In the north, it was at Samaria which was not even the prescribed place of worship (Jerusalem). In the south, they set the idols up in the holy city of Jerusalem. It was not that they totally abandoned God but the fact was that they tried to trust in both God and their idols. God is a jealous God and will not tolerate anyone or anything being elevated to the place that is set aside for Him as Creator of all things. It is easy for us to say that we do not do this type of thing but is that true? Do you put your trust in your family, your job, your pastor, or your retirement account? Are we like Judah where we do not replace God but we simply split our trust between Jesus and our own efforts? Real faith (trust) is only faith when it's all you have!
"So I will make Shomron a heap in the countryside, a place for planting vineyards; I will pour her stones down into the valley, laying bare her foundations. All her carved images will be smashed to pieces, all she earned consumed by fire; and I will reduce her idols to rubble. She amassed them from a whore's wages, and as a whore's wages they will be spent again."
The charges were presented and the evidence was clear and so God tells the people what was to happen. The city of Samaria was completely destroyed by the Assyrians when they captured the northern kingdom. Throughout the Bible prostitution is a symbol of spiritual unfaithfulness. The wealth that these places of idolatry obtained through the offerings of the people is what is meant by the "wages of prostitutes". This wealth would be taken by the Assyrians and used in their own places of idolatry.
This is why I howl and wail, why I go barefoot and stripped, why I howl like the jackals and mourn like the ostriches.
The prophet was not happy about the message of judgment that he had to share. This is a pattern with God in the fact that he often used tender hearted men to share a harsh message. This message bothered Micah so much that he was willing to walk like he was out of his mind with grief. Being barefoot and naked was a sign to the people that they were going to be taken away from the land in shame as slaves.
For her wound cannot be healed, and now it is coming to Y'hudah as well; it reaches even to the gate of my people, to Yerushalayim itself.
It is one thing to share a message of judgment with those that are not close to you but it is something else to give bad news to those who are close to you. Micah was upset because this message of judgment was not only for the northern kingdom but also for his people.
Don't tell about it in Gat, don't shed any tears. At Beit-L'afrah [house of dust] roll yourself in the dust.
Micah begins a list of ten towns that would be affected by the judgment. We are reminded that, throughout the Bible, the number ten is associated with earthly completion and this is a picture of the complete judgment of the entire nation of Israel. Gath, whose name means weep town, was told not to cry and let the Philistines know what was going to happen. Beth Ophrah means dust down and they were told to roll in the dust which was a sign of repentance and mourning.
Inhabitants of Shafir, pass on your way in nakedness and shame. The inhabitants of Tza'anan have not left yet. The wailing of Beit-Ha'etzel will remove from you their support.
Shaphir means beauty town and the beauty is gone; replaced by shame. Zaanan means march town and, instead of marching out to defend the land, they will stay in their homes. Beth Ezel will not fight for the land either.
The inhabitants of Marot have no hope of anything good; for ADONAI has sent down disaster to the very gate of Yerushalayim.
The name of the town Maroth means bitterness and they believed the false prophets that were saying that God would not judge His people. They were waiting on their rescue but it never came.
Harness the chariots to the fastest horses, inhabitants of Lakhish; she was the beginning of sin for the daughter of Tziyon; for the crimes of Isra'el are traceable to you. Therefore you must bestow parting gifts upon Moreshet-Gat.
Lachish was southwest of Jerusalem and was where idolatry was introduced to the southern kingdom. Horses were kept there for worship of the sun. The horses and chariots will not rescue them and, in fact, they would give the town of Moresheth Gath to the Assyrians. The Hebrew translation for "parting gifts" is wedding gift and they were to give the town to the Assyrians much like a father gives a wedding present to his daughter when she weds.
The houses of Akhziv will disappoint the kings of Isra'el. Inhabitants of Mareshah, I have yet to bring you the one who will [invade and] possess you. The glory of Isra'el will come to 'Adulam.
Akzin promised the leaders of Israel that they would assist them against the Assyrians. When the time came, they did not keep their word. The leaders of Israel ended up fleeing to a cave at Adullam (En Gedi) like David had hid in.
Shave the hair from your head as you mourn for the children who were your delight; make yourselves as bald as vultures, for they have gone from you into exile.
This verse speaks of the fact that the Assyrians took the young people first.
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