Thy Strong Word — Micah 1: The Coming Destruction

The Rev. Rick Jones, Chaplain and Vice President of Spiritual Life for the Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch, in, Minot, ND, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Micah 1.

This chapter sets the tone for the whole book, emphasizing the themes of judgment, retribution, and the need for repentance. Starting with an ominous proclamation of judgment against Samaria and Jerusalem, the prophet paints a vivid picture of impending destruction and upheaval, describing the coming devastation due to idolatry, corruption, and social injustices. Micah’s message highlights God’s righteous anger towards the people’s disobedience and warns of the consequences they will face for their sins.

Micah, one of the few prophets of his time still faithful to God in Israel, rebukes the societal injustices of the Israelites and pronounces judgment on the wickedness of the religious and political leaders of the time. Notably, Micah is the prophet who foretells that the future messianic ruler will be born in Bethlehem. Jesus not only fulfilled that prophecy, but he embodies Micah’s call for justice, mercy, and humility, bringing restoration and reconciliation through his life, death, and resurrection.

Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God’s Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations.

Thy Strong Word is graciously underwritten by the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. Through the mission gifts of people like you, LHF translates, publishes, distributes and introduces books that are Bible-based, Christ-centered and Reformation-driven. Learn more at lhfmissions.org.

Micah 1

1 The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

The Coming Destruction

²Hear, you peoples, all of you;^[a]
    pay attention, O earth, and all that is in it,
and let the Lord God be a witness against you,
    the Lord from his holy temple.
³For behold, the Lord is coming out of his place,
    and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth.
⁴And the mountains will melt under him,
    and the valleys will split open,
like wax before the fire,
    like waters poured down a steep place.
⁵All 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?
And what is the high place of Judah?
    Is it not Jerusalem?
⁶Therefore I will make Samaria a heap in the open country,
    a place for planting vineyards,
and I will pour down her stones into the valley
    and uncover her foundations.
⁷All her carved images shall be beaten to pieces,
    all her wages shall be burned with fire,
    and all her idols I will lay waste,
for from the fee of a prostitute she gathered them,
    and to the fee of a prostitute they shall return.

⁸For this I will lament and wail;
    I will go stripped and naked;
I will make lamentation like the jackals,
    and mourning like the ostriches.
⁹For her wound is incurable,
    and it has come to Judah;
it has reached to the gate of my people,
    to Jerusalem.

¹⁰Tell it not in Gath;
    weep not at all;
in Beth-le-aphrah
    roll yourselves in the dust.
¹¹Pass on your way,
    inhabitants of Shaphir,
    in nakedness and shame;
the inhabitants of Zaanan
    do not come out;
the lamentation of Beth-ezel
    shall take away from you its standing place.
¹²For the inhabitants of Maroth
    wait anxiously for good,
because disaster has come down from the Lord
    to the gate of Jerusalem.
¹³Harness the steeds to the chariots,
    inhabitants of Lachish;
it was the beginning of sin
    to the daughter of Zion,
for in you were found
    the transgressions of Israel.
¹⁴Therefore you shall give parting gifts^[b]
    to Moresheth-gath;
the houses of Achzib shall be a deceitful thing
    to the kings of Israel.
¹⁵I will again bring a conqueror to you,
    inhabitants of Mareshah;
the glory of Israel
    shall come to Adullam.
¹⁶Make yourselves bald and cut off your hair,
    for the children of your delight;
make yourselves as bald as the eagle,
    for they shall go from you into exile.

Footnotes

Micah 1:2 Hebrew all of them
Micah 1:14 Or give dowry

Rev. Dr. Phil Booe

Native North Carolinian Rev. Dr. Phil Booe serves pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, and host of Thy Strong Word on KFUO Radio. His parishioners probably think he can’t teach Bible study without a mug of coffee in his hand, and he’ll always be happy to eat a plate of sushi. When he’s not shepherding his flock or teaching on the radio, you might find him watching bad movies from the 50s, 60s, and 70s, and especially binging RiffTrax and MST3K episodes. Some day he’d love to travel to the Lutheran homeland in Germany, but for now he spends time in Minnesota with his wife, son, daughter, and cat, and looks forward to Holy Week every year.