What is Required of Me? (Micah)

This document outlines a detailed exegetical survey of the Book of Micah, as

presented in a Bible study lecture. The speaker systematically breaks down the

book into three thematic sections: God’s indictment against Israel’s sins, prophecies

of hope concerning the Messiah and the Church, and a final exploration of God’s

requirements for humanity, culminating in a message of restoration and

faithfulness.

The Indictment: God’s Case Against Israel (Chapters

1-3)This section details the first part of the speaker’s analysis, focusing on Micah

chapters 1-3, which serve as God’s formal indictment against Israel and Judah for

violating their covenant. The speaker begins by establishing the historical context,

noting that Micah prophesied during the reigns of Jotham (750-735 BC), Ahaz (735-

715 BC), and Hezekiah (715-686 BC), making him a contemporary of the prophet

Isaiah. This overlap explains the many parallels and mirrored verses between their

books. God’s impending judgment is described with terrifying imagery, such as

mountains melting like wax, to capture the people’s attention. The root cause for

this judgment is sin and transgression, specifically the pervasive idolatry centered in

Samaria, where King Ahab had established an altar to Baal (1 Kings 16:32).

The indictment becomes more specific, detailing the sins of the people. In Chapter

2, Micah condemns those who “devise iniquity” on their beds at night and then use

their power to violently seize fields and homes from the less fortunate. The speaker

emphasizes the warning in Micah 2:3 that this divine judgment is a disaster “from

which you cannot remove your necks,” illustrating that no one can escape God’s

justice. The corruption extended to the spiritual leaders; the people preferred false

prophets who preached comfortable lies—condoning drunkenness, for instance—

to avoid feeling shame for their sins. Chapter 3 highlights the systemic corruption

of leadership: rulers judged for bribes, priests taught for pay, and prophets divined

for money. These false prophets would “chant peace while they chew with their

teeth,” meaning they preached whatever their patrons paid them to say, and would

even “prepare war” against anyone who refused to pay. Despite their blatant

corruption, these leaders falsely believed they were on God’s side and therefore

invincible. As a direct consequence of these sins, Micah prophesies the complete

destruction of Jerusalem, stating that Zion would be “plowed like a field” and

become “heaps of ruins.”

The Hope: Messianic Prophecies and Restoration

(Chapters 4-5)

This section shifts the focus from judgment to the message of hope and restoration

found in the messianic prophecies of Micah chapters 4 and 5. The speaker

interprets Micah 4:1, which speaks of the “mountain of the Lord’s house” being

established in the “latter days,” as a direct prophecy of the establishment of the

Church, finding its fulfillment in Hebrews 12:22-23. Another prophecy in Micah 4:3

foretells a time of peace when nations “shall beat their swords into ploughshares,” a

peace the speaker connects to Jesus Christ, who brings peace through the blood of

His cross (Colossians 1:20). The speaker highlights the use of the word “remnant” to

describe those who would remain faithful and be restored, a term later applied to

the Church in the New Testament (Romans 11:5).The most explicit prophecy discussed is Micah 5:2, which foretells the Messiah’s birth: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah… out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” Thespeaker notes this verse was quoted by the chief priests to Herod (Matthew 2:4-6),confirming that it was understood as a messianic prophecy even then. The precision of the prophecy is underscored by two key details: its fulfillment occurred

approximately 700 years after it was written, and the specific designation

“Ephrathah” distinguishes it from other towns named Bethlehem. The speaker

presents this as a powerful tool for demonstrating the divine inspiration of the

Bible. Furthermore, the phrase “from everlasting” is emphasized as proof of Jesus’s

divine and eternal preexistence. The section concludes by referencing Micah 5:4,

which refers to the Messiah as a shepherd who will “stand and feed His flock,” a

clear parallel to Jesus’s depiction as the “Good Shepherd” in John 10.

The Requirement: God’s Standard for Humanity

(Chapters 6-7)

This section explores the central question of the study,

“What does the Lord

require?”, by analyzing Micah chapters 6 and 7. The speaker frames this portion of

the book as a “covenant trial,” a courtroom scene where God pleads His case

against Israel before all of creation. In this trial, God contrasts His own record of

faithfulness—rescuing Israel from Egypt, providing leaders like Moses, and

thwarting Balaam’s curse—with the people’s consistent record of sin and covenant

violation. The speaker then addresses humanity’s inadequate attempts to appease

God through external actions, such as offering burnt offerings,

“ten thousands of rams,” or even “ten thousand rivers of oil.” These material sacrifices are presentedas insufficient answers.

The true answer is provided in Micah 6:8: “He has shown you, O man, what is good;

and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk

humbly with your God.” The speaker defines these three requirements:

• To do justly: To act with integrity, give others what is due, and actively oppose oppression.

• To love mercy: To consistently extend steadfast, loving kindness and grace to others, not reluctantly or occasionally.

• To walk humbly: To maintain a daily posture of dependence, submission, and

  communion with God, recognizing one’s place as a created being.

Despite this clear standard, the people’s corruption was so deep that it permeated

their commerce, with evidence of “wicked scales” and a “bag of deceitful weights.”

Micah laments this pervasive evil, feeling as if “the faithful man has perished fromthe earth.

” However , the prescribed response to such overwhelming despair is to

“look to the Lord” and “wait for the God of my salvation.” The book concludes with

Micah’s confidence in God’s ultimate justice and faithfulness, acknowledging that

God does not retain anger forever but casts sins away and keeps the promises of

truth and mercy He swore to Abraham.

Historical and Prophetic Context

This section provides supplemental analysis of the historical timeline and prophetic

accuracy of the Book of Micah. The speaker reiterates that Micah ministered in the

southern kingdom of Judah during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah,

around 700 BC. He was a contemporary of the prophet Isaiah. Micah’s prophecies

addressed both the northern kingdom (Samaria) and the southern kingdom

(Jerusalem). At that time, the formidable Assyrian empire was attacking the

northern kingdom, so a prophecy of its downfall would not have been surprising to

his audience. However , the speaker emphasizes that Micah also specifically

prophesied the future conquest of the southern kingdom by the Babylonians, an

event that would not occur for many years after his death. This demonstration of

divine foreknowledge, detailing a specific future event that was not an obvious

geopolitical development at the time, is presented as compelling evidence that the

book was divinely inspired.

Justin Newell, Summer Series, 2026