Micah 3 Study Notes

3:1-12 In this chapter Micah declared that corrupt rulers, prophets, and priests plagued God’s people. Political and judicial leaders perverted justice, and the spiritual leaders perverted God’s word.

3:1-4 Leaders should be just, putting things into a rightful state and restoring (Hb) shalom, or “wholeness.” Instead, Micah saw rulers who hated good and loved evil. He described their sin in cannibalistic terms (you eat the flesh of my people), for such is the impact of false teaching about God. Because they offered no justice to others, they would find no solace in the Lord, who would hide his face from them (see Dt 31:17).

3:5-7 False prophets preached peace to those who supported them and war to those who did not (Jr 23:9-32; 28:1-17; Ezk 13:1-9; Zph 3:4). God would no longer speak to them in visions or otherwise. Having no word from the Lord, they would lose their position of honor and be ashamed.

3:8 But God had left a faithful witness distinctly different from the false prophets. Empowered by the Spirit of the Lord, Micah had a powerful voice of justice (see Is 58:1-2). He preached about rebellion and sin (cp. Mc 1:5,13), dealing with issues that would not be resolved until God’s people confessed and abandoned their sin.

3:9-11 The corrupt leaders were known to abhor justice and pervert everything that is right. They were guilty of bloodshed and injustice, influenced by a bribe . . . payment, and silver. Still they trusted in God’s constant presence and blessing. Such false faith misinterpreted God’s patience and grace as his approval of their actions. They saw Jerusalem and the temple as signs of an irreversible right standing with God, overlooking their responsibility for holiness (1Kg 6:12-13; 9:6-8; see note at Jr 7:4).

3:12 The Lord cannot look with favor upon sin (Hab 1:13), so the people faced God’s judgment. Jerusalem would fall and the temple mount would be destroyed much like Samaria (1:5-7). Micah’s sermon spurred King Hezekiah’s reform (Jr 26:17-19; cp. 2Kg 18:1-6; 2Ch 29:1-31:21) and helped save Jeremiah’s life a century later (Jr 26:7-19).