Micah 1-3, Job 34:21-27, John 18:19-27, Revelation 11

Micah 1-3:

The first three chapters of Micah have little by way of positive feel-good vibe—interspersed only occasionally with promises of the future Redeemer (the promise of which is more clearly in view in chapter 4). Micah prophesied during a time of prosperity, and warned God’s people against their rebellion and its consequences; the northern kingdom fell during his ministry, and the southern kingdom also came close to dissipating too. 

In this context they are to “hear” God’s word (1:2). For there is judgment coming (1:6). It is such a serious judgment that Micah conjures up one of the famous poems in Israel, written to mourn the death of Saul by none other than David: “Tell it not in Gath” (1:10; 2 Samuel 1:20). Micah preaches against their misuse of their prosperity (2:1) and violent economic aggression (2:2). 

For such plain speaking he is told to keep quiet and no longer preach such controversial messages (2:6). Indeed, the kind of preacher they really want is one who will preach of wine and strong drink (2:11). 

For all such debauchery, there is a penalty—“They will cry to the Lord, but he will not answer them” (3:4). 

But Micah is a different kind of prophet, and he keeps on preaching: 

But as for me, I am 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 (3:8) 

But his words are ignored—they assume they can do no wrong: 

“yet they lean on the Lord and say,
“Is not the Lord in the midst of us?
No disaster shall come upon us” (3:11) 

And so: 

Therefore because of you
Zion shall be plowed as a field;
Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,
and the mountain of the house a wooded height (3:12) 

In the midst of all this doom and gloom there is still hope—hope resting in God’s faithfulness (not his people’s faithlessness): 

I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob;
I will gather the remnant of Israel;
I will set them together
like sheep in a fold,
like a flock in its pasture,
a noisy multitude of men (2:12)