Background+of+Micah

=toc **Date & Setting **=

Micah dates his book to the reigns of Jotham (742-735BC), Ahaz (735-715 BC), and Hezekiah (715-687BC).[|[i]] No specific evidence is given to place Micah at a specific era. Some say Micah ministered during the siege of the Assyrian king Sennacharib in 701 BC.[|[ii]] Previously, Israel experienced a time of prosperity and expansion of territory during the reigns of Uzziah (767-739 BC) in Judah and Jeroboam II (786-746 BC) in Israel. This prosperity was a result of pressures from Assyria subsiding because of internal problems in Assyria who were not as concerned about the surrounding nations because of their inward focus. During the reign of Uzziah, Assyrian strength grew to expand in the south and the west under the leadership of Tigeth-pilezer III (745-727 BC).[|[iii]] Jotham inherited the nation in a prosperous state with foreboding danger because of the dominance of Assyria upon Israel. Israel soon became a vassal of Assyria and as Israel’s leadership attempted to rebel it fell to Sennacharib of Assyria in 722 BC.

=**Context **=

In the southern kingdom, weakness, injustice, and corruption were characteristics of Judah during the reign of Ahaz because Assyria was exerting influence over Judah and the wealth of the previous era had allowed for the perversion of worship practices to become common. Evidence of the rise of Assyrian domination is seen in the list of cities in Micah 1:10-16 which indicate the march of Sennacharib during an invasion. Because the Northern kingdom had fallen, Micah’s message is directed towards Judah and more specifically, the people of Jerusalem. A contemporary of the prophet Isaiah, Micah ministered directly to the people and the religious leaders of Jerusalem to address issues more directly on a social and religious scale while Isaiah ministered to the political leaders of the nation to direct their attention to the big picture of God’s plan for Israel.

=**Cultural Issues Addressed by the Prophet Micah **=

Micah specifically addresses the perversion of worship practices [|[iv]] and their injustice towards others.  [|[v]] The prosperity of the nation during the time of Uzziah and Jotham had produced a materialistic and religiously complacent society. Religious leaders earned their income by taking advantage of those they were meant to lead in the worship of God. They even marketed themselves to the people for their religious practices (Micah 3:9-11). The injustice addressed by Micah had to do with the selfishness of the people who abused their fellow man and took advantage of the poor. The contrast between the rich and the poor was great during this time period. There were dishonest practices occurring (Micah 6:10-11, Micah 7:1-4a), the homes of the weak were taken from them, children became slaves, women were disregarded (Micah 2:1-11). Israel followed the moral and social requirements of the Covenant[|[vi]]such as the law of jubilee but the instructions to provide for the helpless (poor, widow, orphan, sojourner) were forgotten[|[vii]]. The Israelites had forgotten the word of the Lord and his expectations for justice. Therefore, Micah the prophet travels from the small town of Moresheth to deliver the message of the Lord regarding his heart for the oppressed and the consequences for disregarding the Lord’s commandments to the city of Jerusalem. Bibliography Alfaro, Juan I. 1989. //Justice and Loyalty: A Commentary on the Book of Micah//. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans. Allen, Leslie C. 1976. //The Books of Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah//. Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans. Smith, Ralph L. 1984. //Micah-Malachi//. Waco, Texas: Word Books. Wolff, Hans Walter. 1990. //Micah: A Commentary//. Minneapolis: Augsburg.

[|[i]]Ralph L Smith, //Micah-Malachi// (Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1984), 4

[|[ii]] Hans Walter Wolff, //Micah: A Commentary// (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1990), 2

[|[iii]]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> Ibid., 5

[|[iv]]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> Smith, //Micah-Malachi//, 5. Cf. Micah <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';">1:7,3:5-7, 11; 5:11-13

[|[v]]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> (Smith 1984, 5). Cf. Micah 2:1-2, 8-9; 3:2-3, 9-11; 7:2-6

[|[vi]]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> Alfaro, //Justice and Loyalty//, 6.

[|[vii]]<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif';"> Smith, //Micah-Malachi//, 5.

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