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Bristol SDA Church

Garhett Morgan

Prophet of Peace: Micah

Father, Lord, we're here in Your house again on Your Sabbath day.

Lord, it's amazing to know that You went to the synagogue on Sabbath day as Your custom was thousands of years ago.

And Lord, Your Word is still true today as it was then.

Lord we ask that your Word as it is presented today would be presented in a pure manner as your Word has no guile.

Father speak as only you can and help myself be lost in your message.

So just a little history before we get into the book of Micah because we're going to read quite a bit of scripture today so this can fall into place.

But Micah was written around 725 BC, so about 725 years before Christ.

And the name Micah in the Hebrew means, who is like God?

Now if you remember the scripture reading that we read, if you want to turn there for just a moment, if you go to Micah chapter 7 verse 18, Micah actually plays on his name a little bit.

You'll notice in Micah 7, 18 it says, Who is a God like unto thee?

So He's playing off of what his name means there.

Then it goes on to say, 1 that pardons iniquity.

And you know what's been amazing me as we've been going through these minor prophets is often at the end of the chapter that deals with judgment or often at the end of the book that deals with judgment, God always shares His plan for restoration of His people.

It always ends on hope and peace and a promise of restoration if we only claim it.

But yeah, Micah was written around 725 BC.

And it's interesting to note that Micah's ministry took place about 1 generation before the prophet Jeremiah of the Old Testament as well.

So he was kind of a forefather to Jeremiah himself.

And 1 of the major prophets of the Old Testament was actually a prophet during the time that Micah was being a prophet as well.

When you read through the book of Micah, which we don't have time to get through all the chapters today, you'll find that Micah was raised in a very poor part of society.

When Micah was speaking to people, he was speaking to people that weren't necessarily rich or affluent or had a great pedigree.

And you'll notice that's kind of a common theme with the minor prophets.

We talked about that just a few weeks ago.

But Micah really, his ministry majorly influenced the people that were kind of outcast in the Jewish society.

And The reason for that is that during the time that Micah was a prophet, the other prophet that was ministering to those that were a little bit more higher class was the prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah and Micah ministered at the same time in biblical history, which is kind of interesting.

The Bible doesn't tell us this, But it would be interesting to know if Micah and Isaiah ever met together and prayed together and wrote together.

But they did minister around the same time.

And Isaiah ministered to those that are a little bit more wealthy and affluent.

And Micah ministered to the rest of the people that weren't necessarily like that.

So they both had a specialty, I guess you could say, in their ministry.

During this time, like all the minor prophets, the tribe of Judah and really the whole Israelite nation was going through a time of rebellion and they were trying to go through a little bit of a spiritual reform.

Now the book of Micah is really known for 2 verses and I want to take you to these 2 verses because these are verses that are often quoted but with the exemption of these 2 passages we really don't hear a lot from the prophet Micah.

Micah chapter 5 verse 2 is 1 of the most famous verses from this book.

And the reason is it's 1 of the best messianic prophecies that we have that prophesies about the first coming of Jesus and even mentions the town where he was going to be born.

Micah chapter 5 verse 2 says, But thou Bethlehem Ephraitha, 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 old and from everlasting.

If you jump down to verse 5 it says, and this man shall be the peace.

So Micah is very well known for this text often because it's a messianic prophecy and we can take from this chapter that this is a book that was definitely inspired, the whole book of Micah that is, because it was right about the first coming of Jesus, why wouldn't it be right about all the other things it's prophesying as well?

It's kind of great that it mentions Bethlehem by name.

The other verse that Micah is very well known for is Micah 6 and verse 8.

Now you've probably heard this verse quoted many times, but this is how it reads.

Micah 6, 8 says, He hath showed 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." You've heard that verse before probably, right?

So it's a very common scripture song too, right?

So those 2 passages in Micah are the verses that you probably recognize or that are well known to you.

But with the exception of those verses, we really don't get into the Book of Micah as often as we should.

Now, I don't know if you know who John Wesley is, I'm assuming a lot of you do, but the Book of Micah was actually 1 of his favorite books to preach out of.

He had over 50 sermons just on the book of Micah.

And when I saw that, I thought that was quite interesting.

And as I began to look into the book of Micah, not only was I encouraged, but it overwhelmed me with the similarities that Micah has, not only with the rest of the Bible, but specifically the book of Revelation.

But before we get there, take a look here at Micah chapter 1.

And I'd just like to read you a little bit here about Micah himself.

Micah chapter 1, and notice here, Micah 1 verse 5, it says this, For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins of the house of Israel, what is the transgression of Jacob?

Verse 6, Therefore I will make Samaria as a heap of the field, and as plantings of a vineyard I will pour down the stones thereof in the valley, and I will discover the foundations thereof.

And it begins to talk about God destroying the idols that the nation is worshipping.

You'll notice the common theme in all the minor prophets.

It seems like the Israelites can't seem to give up idolatry, right?

Every time God is telling them to get rid of their idols and turn back to Him.

And it's very easy for us to point our fingers and say, man, they really struggled with idols.

But in reality, we do the same thing, don't we?

We might not be worshiping a graven image.

We might not be worshipping Buddha or Baal or those other biblical idols.

But my friends, there are idols that we all set up in our own lives, aren't there?

And God wants us to only worship 1 true God and that's Him and not ourselves, which is probably the idol that we enjoy worshipping the most.

But Micah continues and he has a bone to pick, not with just the entire nation of Israel, but with their leaders.

We find this in Micah chapter 3 and This will lead up into the crux of his message.

Micah 3, verse 5, and notice what he says, it says, Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err.

So notice there, the prophets that make the people go astray is what that's saying.

Continues, that bite with their teeth and cry, Peace!

And he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.

Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision.

And it shall be dark unto you that you shall not divine.

The sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them." So what's this talking about here?

Micah is saying that there are leaders and prophets and priests that were well respected in the nation of Israel that were once inspired by God, but they began to get a little bit corrupt.

Not just a little bit corrupt, but corrupt completely.

And as we'll read a little bit later, the prophets were only prophesying to make money, to get wealthy, for very selfish motives.

And because of this Micah is calling them out and saying, just so you know, the prophets, the leaders, the priests are leading people astray from God.

And because of that God can't bless them with inspiration anymore.

I mean, how can God bless somebody that is leading people away from Him, right?

So God is saying that He's going to take away His Holy Spirit from their religious leaders.

Verse 7 continues with that, 7 Then shall the seers be ashamed and the diviners confounded.

Yea, they shall also cover their lips, for there is no answer of God.'" And for myself as a pastor, I take a look at these verses and I feel conviction.

Because when I look at these things, I realize the responsibility that God has given myself to not lead people astray.

But at the same time, this wasn't just written to pastors, but it was written to religious leaders, for the elders in our church, for the deacons in our church, for our deaconesses in our church.

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Prophet of Peace: Micah

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