Micah and the Philosophical Context
The
prophet Micah was active from 730-701. Micah, though from Judea, has much in
common with the prophets to Samaria. He
was a younger contemporary of Amos and Hosea.
Isaiah had started preaching earlier. He restricts himself to social
criticism. The terms used of military
organization suggest he may have come from this sphere of life.
He believes he is
the only one filled with mispat. The
opposite is "rebellion and sin."
He denounces the nabis in 3:5-8, 2:6-11.
They are leading people astray.
The people oppose him in 2:6-7, 3:11. He received as little a hearing as
Amos in the north. They seem to believe
Micah proclaims a new-fangled God who is uncompromising in expecting
mispat. God turns away from people in
3:1-4, 7, but God is also injured and judges in 6:11-12, 16. Micah gives little
hope for possible repentance. The issue
is not that they view God as a judge.
They turn away from mercy because God is bringing together action and
destiny. This seems to have come from a
new experience of God as they looked at history. Social institutions were collapsing. The prophet closes intertwines God with
reality in ways not viewed before. He
sees God in more cosmic terms than tied to the land.
Though many view
chapters 4-6 as from an exilic date, the evidence does not demand this. He proclaims the messianic future. He
attaches what he has to say about the anointed one to a future king. He thinks
of a new David who will restore the original Davidic Empire. He dismisses
contemporary kings. Sennacherib had just humiliated the king of Israel.
Contemporary descendants of David have lost their saving function. They have
relinquished their right to the praises contained in the royal psalms. He
expected God to blot out Zion from the pages of history.
In Micah 1:1-2, we
have a simple identification of the historical setting and his personal
setting.
Micah 1:3-2:11 and
3:12 consider Israel on trial.
In 1:3-7 the focus
is on the Northern Kingdom. Micah presents a fearsome image of God coming out
and treading upon the places of the earth. Mountains will melt. The reason is
the sin of Jacob and Israel. Samaria will become an open country. The Lord will
uncover the foundations of Samaria and destroy all its images. Reminding of
Hosea, he says “as the wages of a prostitute she gathered them (idols), and as
the wages of a prostitute they shall again be used.” Then, in 1:8-16 the focus
is on Jerusalem. The lament of the prophet is that the wound is incurable that
has come to Judah. Disaster has come to the gates of Jerusalem from the Lord.
They have gone into exile. Then, in 2:1-11 the focus shifts to land-grabbers. McKeating
says during the monarchy, land did pass out of the hands of the family. Independent farmers were passing out of
existence. Micah resisted this process. Isaiah takes the same stand in 5:8. Nehemiah 5, three centuries later, showed the
same concerns. The “Alas” or “Woe” is for a funeral. In this case, the “Alas”
is for those who devise wickedness and evil. They have the power to execute
their evil. They covet the property of others, and seize it. The prophet
proclaims that the Lord is devising a plan against this family. “On that day” they
shall offer lamentation and acknowledge their ruin. In fact, “the Lord alters
the inheritance of my people, how he removes it from me!” their captors have
their fields. The response to all of this was that the people did not want him
to preach. They did not believe disgrace will overtake them. Speaking to Jacob,
he wonders if the patience of the lord has been exhausted. Yet, his words do
good to one who walks uprightly. Yet, they rise up against the people as if an
enemy. They strip the robe from the peaceful. They drive out women and children
from their homes. If someone preached a lie, such as encouraging wine, such a
person would be the preacher for this people.
3:1-4
focuses on rulers of Jacob and the house of Israel. They should now justice.
Yet, they hate the good and love the evil. They tear people apart. They will
cry to the Lord, but the Lord will answer. The Lord will hide his face from
them, due to their wickedness.
In 3:5-8 the focus
is on the prophets. Micah has a word from the Lord to the prophets who lead the
people astray. They cry “Peace” when they have something to eat, but declare
war against those who put nothing into their mouths. They shall be in spiritual
darkness, without revelation. They shall experience shame. They will have nothing
to say from God. However, as for Michael, he is “filled with power, with the
spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his
transgression and to Israel his sin.”
In 3:9-12 the
focus is on rulers, a prophecy likely given around 716-701. The corruption
identified by Micah is similar to that which we find in Isaiah, Amos, and
Hosea. To the rules of Jacob and the house of Israel, he says the abhor justice
and pervert equity. They build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with wrong. Rulers,
priests, and prophets offer their services for money. Yet, they “lean upon the
Lord and say, Surely the Lord is with us! No harm shall come upon us.” His
prophecy is that Zion shall become a plowed field and Jerusalem shall become a
heap of ruins. He likely had Assyria in mind, of course, but it would not come
largely true until Babylon over 100 years later.
Micah 4:1-5,
11-13, and 5:1-15 have the theme of promises to Zion. In the context of the
entire prophecy by Micah, assuming that these sections are from Micah, it comes
after the prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem.
4:1-5 have the
theme of the future reign of the Lord in Zion. “In days to come,” the Lord will
raise Mount Zion above all mountains. People will stream to it. They will want
to go to the Mount and the house of “the God of Jacob,” so that God may teach
to them the ways of God. Out of Zion/Jerusalem will come instruction. God shall
judge between many peoples. God shall
arbitrate between strong nations. They hall beat swords into plowshares. They
shall be spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against
nation. They shall not learn war any more. They shall all sit under their own
vines and fig trees. Others shall not make them afraid. “For the mouth of the
Lord of hosts has spoken.” Yet, in a verse that seems to contradict verses 1-4,
verse 5 says that all the peoples walk in the name of its god, but Israel “will
walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.” One can see a duplicate
in Isaiah 2:2-4. Verse 4a is similar to Zechariah 3:10. Jerusalem becomes a
religious center. The point is that no one exercises political authority,
making war unnecessary. No one needs to impose mutual recognition and respect,
for people will come to it by instruction in the ways of the Lord. The point is
that the Lord wants the people made by the Lord to live in peace. As Pannenberg[1]
points out, the passage acknowledges that mutual regard and respect do not come
naturally, so we need political ordering of life together due to the strife
this lack of respect and recognition brings.
Yet, humanity will not find genuine peace until people acknowledge that
a standard of what is good and right applies to all. We find this standard in
the law of God. He[2]
also stresses that we find here the purpose of election, at least among the
prophets. While earlier notions of election may have focused on the separation
of the people of God from the nations, the prophetic notion of election is that
the people of God witness to the fulfillment of all creation in the righteous
will of God. The election of Israel is not an end in itself. It serves the will
of God on behalf of the human race as a whole. The people of God are to be a
sign of that renewed humanity. In fact, the creatures God has made have a yearning
that finds fulfillment in life in the divine presence and in fellowship with
their creator. The norm for the behavior of the people in relation to each
other is the divine justice that settles the conflicts of human rights. He[3]
also says, in a discussion of the historical aspects of election, that the
conflicts of history have involved battle concerning the content of the true
order, of what is truly the righteous will of God, as Israel saw it, the
nations fall short of what is right because they do not know the true God. At
the end of the ages, they will make pilgrimage to Zion to learn what is right
from the God of Israel and to let God settle their disputes. Until that time,
the call of Israel is to witness to the nations concerning the will of God.
4:11-13 has the
theme of the enemies of Zion crushed by the Lord on the threshing-floor, likely
offered at the Autumn Festival around 701. Many nations assemble against
Jerusalem. They do not understand the thoughts or plan of the Lord. The Lord
has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor. Then, the prophet says,
“Arise and thresh, O daughter Zion.” They shall “beat in pieces many peoples.”
They shall devote the wealth they gain to “the Lord of the whole earth.”
5:1-4 has the
theme of the distress of the Davidic dynasty. It has a close relation to
4:11-13. The prophet acknowledges a siege against Jerusalem, “with a rod they
strike the ruler of Israel upon the cheek.” An acrostic poem from around 587 BC
offers a comforting thought if one is struck on the cheek with a rod.
Lamentations 3:26-33
26 It is good that one should wait
quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
27 It is good for one to bear the
yoke in youth,
28 to sit alone in silence when the
Lord has imposed it,
29 to put one's mouth to the dust
(there may yet be hope),
30 to give one's cheek to the
smiter,
and be filled with insults.
31 For the Lord will not reject
forever.
32 Although he causes grief,
he will have compassion according
to the abundance of his steadfast love;
33 for he does not willingly
afflict or grieve anyone.
Yet, out of
Bethlehem will come one who is to Israel for the Lord. The Lord shall give them
“until the time when she who is in labor has brought forth.” His origin is from
ancient days. Then, the rest of the family will return to the people of Israel.
This ruler shall feed the flock “in the strength of the Lord.” They shall live
in security. This ruler “shall be great to the ends of the earth; and he shall
be the one of peace.” The point is that with the end of the old city and its
rulers will come a new ruler. The Lord will establish a new dominion on the
grave of the old Zion. What this means is that he discounts the legitimacy of
the current leadership to lay claim to the Davidic heritage. David was from
Ephrathah, a little clan around Bethlehem.
About thirty years
before this prophecy, Isaiah had said the following.
Isaiah 7:14 (733-735 BC)
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a
sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name
him Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:2-7 (soon after 733 BC)
2 The people who walked in darkness have seen
a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness— on
them light has shined.
3 You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you as with joy at
the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
4 For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of
Midian.
5 For all the boots of the tramping
warriors
and all the garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He
will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time
onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
The promise continued to exert
great influence within that tradition.
Isaiah 11:1-9 (From 525-475 BC)
1 A shoot shall come out from the stump
of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his
roots.
2 The spirit of the Lord shall rest on
him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of
the Lord.
3 His delight shall be in the fear of
the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes
see,
or decide by what his ears hear;
4 but with righteousness he shall judge
the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of
the earth;
he shall strike the earth with the rod
of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he
shall kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt
around his waist,
and faithfulness the belt around his
loins.
6 The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the
kid,
the calf and the lion and the fatling
together,
and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze,
their young shall lie down together;
and the lion shall eat straw like the
ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the
hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put its hand
on the adder's den.
9 They will not hurt or destroy on all
my holy mountain;
for the earth will be full of the
knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Of course, the gospels (birth
passages and genealogies) understand God’s deliverer to be Jesus Christ (=
Messiah = “son/descendent of David”), born of Mary in Bethlehem.
The more
literal Hebrew of verse 5:5a says, “This one will be peace,” meaning that he
will bring peace or salvation/deliverance. In the immediate context of this
passage (vv. 5 ff.), it is the Assyrians who will be defeated, if they should
attack Judah. For the notion of promised peace, consider the following verses.
Isaiah 9:6
6 For a child
has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Colossians 1:19-20
19 For in him
all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was
pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by
making peace through the blood of his cross.
Ephesians 2:14
For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both
groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility
between us.
Luke 2:14
14
"Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"
5:5b-6
has the theme of the future conqueror of Assyria. His prophecy is that if the
Assyrians come into the land, “we will raise against them seven shepherds and
eight installed as rulers.” They shall rule the land of Assyria with the sword.
They shall rescue us from the Assyrians.
5:7-9
has the theme of the future role of the remnant. This oracle looks forward to a time when Israel will
take vengeance on her enemies and reign supreme. The prophet says that “Then” the remnant of
Jacob will be like the dew from the Lord, which o not depend upon people.
Surrounded by many peoples, the remnant shall be like a lion among sheep of the
forest. The lion treads down and tears in pieces with no one to deliver. They
shall defeat their adversaries.
5:10-15
has theme of the Lord destroying all temptations. It looks forward to the
purification of Israel by removal of the false objects. “In that day,” the Lord
cut off horses and chariots. The Lord will cut of the cities and thrown down
strongholds. The Lord cut off sorceries and soothsayers. The Lord will cut off
images, pillars, and sacred poles so that they cannot bow down to the work of
their hands. “In anger and wrath I will execute vengeance on the nations that
did not obey.”
Micah
6:1-7:7 has the theme of Israel on trial.
6:1-8 presents the case
that the Lord has against Israel. The Lord has a controversy with the people of
Israel and contends with Israel. In the Old Testament, we see that many people
approach with the controversy they have with God. However, in this passage, God
has a controversy with the people of God. The opening verses (6:1-5) are
in a covenant lawsuit format. God recalls the redemptive act of Israel's
deliverance from Egypt. God has kept God's part of the covenant. They were brought from Egypt. They were given leaders. They overcame enemies. As Micah puts it, the Lord wonders what the Lord has done to them. After
all, the Lord brought them out of Egypt and Slavery. In addition, the Lord gave
them leaders. As Micah puts it, the Lord sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. The
Lord helped them against King Balak of Moab. The point of these actions was
that they would know “the savings acts of the Lord.” The final verses
(6:6-8) take the shape of a Torah liturgy. It represents the speech for the
prosecution. The subject is the usefulness of sacrifice. The prophet wonders, “With
what shall I come before the Lord.” Shall it be burnt offerings? Shall it be
rivers of oil? Shall it be his firstborn? Shall he give “the fruit of my body
for the sin of my soul?” Isaiah (1:11-17), Amos (5:21-24) and the
Psalmist (40:6-8; 50:7-11; 51:16-17) all uttered similar rebuffs of sacrificial
dependence. Although Micah knows that sacrifice is a necessary part of a right
relationship with God (and is commanded and carefully detailed by Mosaic Law in
Leviticus 1-6, these actions in themselves are still not enough. The answer comes back that
the Lord has told him what is good and what the Lord requires, namely, to do
justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God. The point is that God has
been faithful to the covenant, while the people have responded with faithless
ritual and lack of faith toward each other. Barth[4]
will stress that the passage does not address humanity, but Israelite humanity.
That which the Lord requires is not something that all human beings owe each
other, like the Ten Commandments, but is what those in covenant with each other
owe to each other. Of course, this specific comment, as true as it may be,
occurs in the context of his discussion of theological ethics, which for him
must have nothing to do with “philosophical” ethics. For him, theological
ethics must always directly relate to the command of God, specifically as shown
in Jesus Christ.
6:9-16
focuses on tricksters in the city, using the example of Samaria. The speech of
the prosecution resumes. The prophet focuses on cheating in business, of which
Amos 8:4-6 also speaks. He refers to it as the treasures of wickedness. The
wealthy are violent and deceitful. The Lord has begun to desolate them because
of their sins. They will have gnawing hunger within them. The Lord will hand
them over the sword. They shall sow, but not reap. The reason is that they have
kept the statutes of Omri and the works of the house of Ahab. They have
followed their counsels. For that reason, the Lord will desolate them. While
these were strong kings historically, the prophets clearly looked upon the
spiritual effect as coming under divine judgment.
7:1-7
focuses on universal injustice. The form is that of a psalm of lament. However,
the lament breaks off and the prophet returns to castigation. The poem begins
with “Woe,” for he has become like harvested fruit. The faithful have
disappeared from the land. No one righteous is left. People look for someone to
kill and to lay traps. They have skill in doing evil. They ask for bribes. The
powerful dictate what they desire. They pervert justice. The best among them is
nothing more than a thorn. Yet, the day of punishment has come. The Lord will
confuse them. Do not trust a friend or loved one. Do not speak freely even with
your spouse. The son will treat father with contempt. Daughter will move
against mother. In-laws will move against each other. Members of your household
will be your enemy. “But as for me, I will look to the Lord, I will wait for
the God of my salvation, by God will hear me.”
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