1 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. Micah prophesies about the judgment to come, but also offers a message of hope and restoration Micah prophesied during the reigns of “jotham, ahaz, and hezekiah, kings of judah” (micah 1:1), a time of pride and rebellion. Micah was a prophet who ministered in judah during the reigns of jotham, ahaz, and hezekiah He denounced the corruption of leaders, social injustice, and idolatry. Micah, a prophetic text, warns israel and judah of impending judgment due to their sins, emphasizing injustice and idolatry
It foretells the destruction of samaria and jerusalem but also offers hope through the promise of restoration and a future ruler from bethlehem. Micah is the sixth book of the twelve Micah lived in the small town of moresheth in the southern kingdom of judah at the same time isaiah was alive in jerusalem The northern and southern kingdoms had split long ago, and both had been violating their covenant with the god of israel. The book of micah provides one of the most significant prophecies of jesus christ’s birth in all the old testament, pointing some seven hundred years before christ’s birth to his birthplace of bethlehem and to his eternal nature (micah 5:2). The name micah comes from the hebrew word micayehû, which means “who is like jehovah?” indicating that men named micah had parents who were devout believers in yahweh.
His messages, preserved in the book of micah, offer insight into god ’s justice, mercy, and the hope of redemption. Micah describes the destruction of the lesser towns of judah (referring to the invasion of judah by sennacherib, 701 bce) For these passages of doom on the various cities, paronomasia is used.
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