Thoughts for the Day

The word of the Lord came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem:

Hear, you peoples, all of you;
listen, O earth, and all that is in it;
and let the Lord God be a witness against you,
the Lord from his holy temple.
For lo, the Lord is coming out of his place,
and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth....

All this is for the transgression of Jacob
and for the sins of the house of Israel.
What is the transgression of Jacob?
Is it not Samaria?....

All her images shall be beaten to pieces,
all her wages shall be burned with fire,
and all her idols I will lay waste;

For her wound is incurable.
It has come to Judah;
it has reached to the gate of my people,
to Jerusalem.

(Lectionary New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Micah was a prophet in Judah eight centuries before Jesus. He came from Moresheth a small town in the southwest very near to Philistine territory. God called him to be a prophet during the reigns of kings Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. He was a contemporary of Isaiah, and prophesied at the same time as Hosea and Amos were prophesying to the northern kingdom of Israel. We might wonder what Micah has to do with us centuries later, however it was he who would foretell the Messiah's birth in Bethlehem, and distill what the Lord requires of us as His people.

Coming from the country Micah was less concerned with political issues, and more concerned with the fact that God has a zero-tolerance for sin. The people have ignored their promises to God, in the covenants made with Abraham and Moses. They have turned their back on Him, built altars on the mountain tops and worshipped pagan gods to the very gates of Jerusalem. God calls them to repentance, and his opening words denounces the people of Samaria and Judah, promising retribution.

We may live centuries later but Micah's message is chilling in its condemnation of all who sin and who do not repent, however to those who do ask for forgiveness, God holds out his hand to them.

Heavenly Father,
as Micah reminded the people
You call sinners to repentance,
and for those who do not accept Your offer
there will be retribution,
but to those who accept Your offer
there will be forgiveness.
May we take his call as seriously today.
Amen.