Micah - 05

      What are some of the icons of human pride and/or achievement? In the class discussion, people mentioned the Colossus of Rhodes (one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World, destroyed by an earthquake less than a century after it was constructed), the space program, the Challenger & its explosion, the Moon Landing, Martin Luther King march, Titanic, Communism, the “Almighty Dollar,” Sports, Military, and the Hindenburg. All of these are human, some are good, some good in their proper sphere, some bad for the world. Some were hailed as signs of human mastery, only to be proven wrong. Especially ironic is the Titanic, hailed as unsinkable and a proof that humans had prevailed over nature, only to be sunk on its maiden voyage.

      All of these areas of endeavor and achievement might be subjects that the prophets, such as Micah, would find interest.
     In Micah 5:7, comes an interesting image. The remnant of Jacob is compared to dew from the Lord. This soft, seemingly positve and gentle image of dew was used in I Samuel in the sense of powerful inevitability, which appears to be Micah’s intention here. Micah goes on in verses 8 & 9 to give a vision of the remnant of Israel becoming a strong nation, “like a young lion among the flocks of sheep.” Turn to verses 10-11 and we hear of God’s destruction of military installations and resources. Horses cut off, also the chariots and the cities of the land. In Palestine of that time, horses only had military application. The donkey was the animal of peace. Cities were strongholds, fortresses. As they were associated, therefore, with war, they were to be banished. (This idea seems to accord with the words of 4:1-4). People would not rely on the military (a human achievement).
      Verse 12-14 goes on to the subject of religious righteousness. Sorceries were to be cut off, and soothsayers. These had to do with the arts by which people thought they could get miraculous power of people and things, treading on the prerogatives of God. Soothsaying was a way of trying to gain miraculous information. These were to be eliminated to a higher and more spiritual faith life. Idols and aspects of idol worship were also to be eliminated. Standing images may refer to uncarved tree trunks or stones that were thought to hold spirits. Graven images referred to images that have been carved. Asherim were images of the mother goddess, who in the ancient religious belief was the consort of the god Baal. Asherim were associated with fertility rites.
      You shall no longer worship the work of your own hands... this comment could be seen as tying together the theme of the two sections. Military might is a human work, as are the poles and images.
      People would no longer bow down to the work of their own hands.
     This has definite application to the pride of the modern world. What are the icons and lessons of pride? The Titanic? The shock when the Challenger exploded? For some parallel ideas, read Psalm 20:7 and Psalm 33:16-17
      Verse 15 returns to an anti-foreign theme. Some scholars see it as displaced, belonging to the earlier element. One suggests it was added by an editor or scribe who couldn’t bear the thought of the only prophecy being against Israel’s disobedience. Some of the other prophetic books have this as a much stronger theme.
      All of chapters 4 and 5 contain challenging alternating images of universal peace, restoration of the Hebrew remnant, peace, war, triumph, change and judgement. Many scholars do not believe much, if any of these chapters were by the original Micah. Yet they were placed together by an editor who thought they did fit together.
      What do you think of these varying images? What message do you hear out of them? What questions?
      Chapters 6-7 returns to material believed by scholars much of which to have been by the original Micah.
      The passage begins with a call upon God to arise and plead the case against Israel. The maintains and hills were the jury. (Ecological themes were likely not in Micah’s mind, but perhaps could be applied in modern thought.)
      God presents the case. What has God done to the people? Good! God brought them up from the land of Egypt, redeemed them from slavery, sent helpers in the form of Moses, Aaron and Miriam. The reference to Balak and Balaam refers to a later period than the Exodus. You may recall that Balak, king of the Moabites, wanted Balaam to throw a nasty and powerful curse against the Israelites. But Balaam refused, saying he could only curse what God wanted cursed, and bless what God wanted blessed.  Shittim and Gilgal are more symbols of more saving acts. Shittim was the last post in the wilderness and Gilgal the first encampment is they entered the land.
     One scholar sees 6-8 as a passage inserted on a different subject. However, if the first 5 verses are like the opening in a law case, the next verses might appear as the plea on the guilt box for how to respond, how to make things right. Burnt offerings? Thousands of rams? Rivers of oil? First born child? The last has been taken by some as an implication that human sacrifice was being practiced at the time. But if it was, it was not being done by the people as an approved part of the worship of Yahweh. There are reports of it. Jepthah made a vow and sacrificed his only daughter. Ahaz (735-715 b.c.) and Manasseh (687-642 b.c.) are both said to have sacrificed their own children. But Jeremiah reports God’s anger with human sacrifice: Jeremiah 7:30-1 does the same. When practiced, human sacrifice was a result of assimilation/influence of pagan practices.
     What God wants justice, kindness and walking humbly with God. This seems like a remarkable thing to say about a god in those days. In ancient times, a god was seen as a powerful being whose support was achieved through sacrifices and loyalty. Yet here, the service that God wants is humility, justice and kindness.  Sacrifice is diminished in importance here. Amos had already lifted this thought (Amos 5:21-5) and possibly earlier thinkers (I Samuel 15:22)
      This is not to say that sacrifice was or is unimportant. The entire concept of sacrifice remains to this day. Not animal sacrifice, but the idea of offering of ourselves and our resources unto the same place that our hearts reside. In worship, the offering is the modern rendition of the ancient concept of sacrifice.
      After this (verse 9), Micah returns to the issues of social justice. Wicked scales, deceitful weights. Through these verses, the punishment again fits the crime.
      The reference to Omri and Ahab has to do with the royal dynasty in Israel (the northern kingdom after the time of Solomon). They were strong rulers, but viewed by the prophets and the faithful as outstanding in wickedness. (Ahab married Jezebel.) Since the southern kingdom had returned to the ways of these evil doers, they would fall.
       Chapter 7 has the style of a lament. Woe is me! Life is compared to the situation of someone going out to find something in the vineyard or tree, longing for it, but nothing can be found. In the same way, is the search for the godly individual. It may remind us of the old story of Diogenes going out with his lantern in search for an honest man. Jeremiah would also go out an hunt through the streets of Jerusalem looking for a righteous man - Jeremiah 5:1.  It is reminiscent also of legend of Lot or an angel bargaining with God to save the city if a certain number of righteous individuals were located. A TV movie was once made on the same theme called “Human Feelings.”
     In verses 5-6 we encounter a VERY dismal picture where no one can trust anyone and there is conflict within neighbors, friendships, marriages, family and home. (One scholars says that Micah must have slipped into an abnormally depressed mood, since he usually seemed to have more faith in the humble poor. -- or at least, his prophecies are uttered more specifically against the rich and powerful. Did he think he was the only good person alive? If so, he would have surely came off as an unbearable prig. On the other hand, a less than perfect person can still hunt with hope in their heart for those who are better. Micah never claimed he was perfect, just that he was conveying God’s message.