Exploring The Minor Prophets -- Part 8

 Micah -- Part 1

     Micah was a much different type of prophet than the one that we just learned about. The book of Micah is similar to the other Minor Prophets we've studied so far in that the Lord gives a message to the prophet who is then tasked with delivering God's message to a certain group of people. 

     Micah ministered in the southern kingdom of Judah. He was a prophet at the same time as the great prophet Isaiah. While Isaiah had a wide ranging message during his ministry, Micah is mostly concerned with people living in and near to the city of Jerusalem. He preaches a message of repentance to them. During the reign of King Ahaz, the people had drifted far away from the Lord. God wanted them to turn back to the true way and follow Him and Him alone. 

     There are two things in particular that I want to point out from the book of Micah that are applicable to us today. Micah contains one of the most well-known Messianic prophecies. Micah is the one who told that Jesus would be born in the city of Bethlehem. He would come from the same city as King David.

     The people in Micah's day would easily understand the significance of the place of the Messiah's birth. The Messiah would be of the house and lineage of David. 

     God made a covenant with David while David was on the throne. God told David that a member of his family would rule on his throne forever. The ultimate fulfillment of this would be the reign of the Messiah ruling from the throne of his ancestor David. 

     We know looking back how the prophecy was fulfilled. Just as Micah told us, Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. He was the Messiah, and He was of the house and lineage of David. He was and is the fulfillment of the covenant that God made with David all those years before. 

     When Jesus returns at the time of His glorious Second Advent, He will rule and reign with righteousness and justice throughout the entire universe. There will be no more sin, suffering or sickness. Nation will no longer rise against nation. They will study war no more. Even so, Lord Jesus come.