Week 3: Micah

If I had to pick a favorite book in the Old Testament it would be Micah, because it’s a fantastic blend of  judgment and hope, specifically hope for peace.
There’s a debate amongst scholars about when Micah was written, most think around the time of the fall of Samaria (late 8th c. BCE), however there are references to the Babylonian captivity in the text. The uncertainty of scholars does not devalue the text.
Micah speaks to a desire for diving judgement and an end to violence as a result of God’s judgment on the nations. What can we, who live so long after the text was written, take away from Micah? Before we answer that, let’s talk about what we shouldn’t do with Micah. We should not compare our current history to the history in Micah. While, it’s tempting to compare what we don’t like about our current history to the downfall of nations and rulers in the Bible, we shouldn’t do it. These texts were written for specific times and places and 2020 in the United States is neither the time nor the place. We shouldn’t be using Micah to make apocalyptic predictions. With that being said, let’s get back to the question at hand. Micah offers us the opportunity to reflect, repent, and hope. Reflect on how we got to where we are, repent for the injustices that have brought us here, and hope that one day we will live in a world without injustice, a world where it is on earth as it is in heaven, where God is our peace. Amen.

1. Take time this week (possibly inspired by the resources from last week) to reflect on injustices in our collective history.

2. Once you’ve reflected, think about how to repent. Repentance is much more than confession. What changes are you making in your life as part of repenting?

3. Reflect on the oracles of hope in Micah. What would we collectively, and you individually, turn into plowshares and pruning hooks?

4. Reflect on how the practice of daily reading and prayer have been going for you. What works for you? What doesn’t?