"Micah the Moreshite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah and told all the people of Judah that this is what the LORD of Hosts says: 'Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.' Micah the MoreshiteThis phrase identifies the prophet Micah, who hailed from Moresheth, a town in Judah. The Hebrew root for "Moreshite" indicates a person from Moresheth, emphasizing Micah's origins and grounding his prophecy in a specific cultural and geographical context. Historically, Micah was a contemporary of Isaiah, and his prophecies were directed towards both Israel and Judah, calling them to repentance and warning of impending judgment. prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah
This phrase situates Micah's prophecy during the reign of Hezekiah, a king known for his religious reforms and efforts to return Judah to the worship of Yahweh. The historical context is significant because Hezekiah's reign was marked by both spiritual revival and political turmoil, including the threat from the Assyrian empire. The Hebrew word for "prophesied" (נָבָא, naba) implies speaking under divine inspiration, highlighting the authority and divine origin of Micah's message. and said to all the people of Judah
This phrase underscores the audience of Micah's prophecy: the people of Judah. It reflects the communal nature of prophetic messages in ancient Israel, where prophets addressed the entire nation or community. The Hebrew term for "people" (עַם, am) often denotes a collective identity, emphasizing the shared responsibility and destiny of the nation in response to God's word. This is what the LORD of Hosts says
This phrase introduces the divine message with authority. "LORD of Hosts" (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, Yahweh Tseva'ot) is a title that emphasizes God's sovereignty and command over the heavenly armies. It conveys a sense of power and majesty, reminding the audience that the prophecy comes from the ultimate authority in the universe. This title is often used in contexts of judgment and deliverance, reinforcing the seriousness of the message. Zion will be plowed like a field
This phrase uses agricultural imagery to describe the impending destruction of Zion, the hill upon which Jerusalem was built. The Hebrew word for "plowed" (חָרַשׁ, charash) suggests complete devastation, as a field is turned over and prepared for new planting. This imagery conveys the totality of the judgment that would leave no stone unturned, symbolizing the thoroughness of God's impending judgment due to the people's sins. Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble
This phrase continues the theme of destruction, with "heap of rubble" (עִי, i) indicating ruins or desolation. The historical context of Jerusalem's destruction by the Babylonians in 586 BC provides a vivid backdrop for this prophecy. The imagery of a once-great city reduced to ruins serves as a powerful warning of the consequences of turning away from God. and the temple mount a wooded ridge
This phrase concludes the prophecy with a stark image of the temple mount, the site of the holy temple, becoming overgrown and abandoned. The Hebrew term for "wooded ridge" (יָעַר, ya'ar) suggests a return to a natural, untamed state, symbolizing the loss of divine presence and the reversal of the land's sanctity. This imagery would have been particularly shocking to the original audience, as the temple was the center of religious life and identity for the people of Judah. Persons / Places / Events 1. Micah of MoreshethA prophet from the town of Moresheth, who prophesied during the reign of Hezekiah, king of Judah. His message was one of warning and repentance. 2. Hezekiah, King of JudahA righteous king who reigned in Judah and was known for his reforms and efforts to bring the people back to the worship of Yahweh. 3. ZionOften used to refer to Jerusalem, the city of God, and a central place of worship and significance for the Israelites. 4. JerusalemThe capital city of Judah, significant for its temple and as the political and spiritual center of the Jewish people. 5. The Temple MountThe site of the Jewish temple, a sacred place of worship and the dwelling place of God's presence among His people. Teaching Points The Importance of Heeding Prophetic WarningsProphets like Micah were sent by God to warn His people of impending judgment. Ignoring these warnings can lead to severe consequences, as seen in the history of Israel and Judah. The Role of Leadership in Spiritual ReformationHezekiah's response to prophetic messages highlights the critical role of leaders in guiding their people towards repentance and reform. Godly leadership can lead to national revival. The Consequences of Sin and UnfaithfulnessThe imagery of Zion being plowed like a field and Jerusalem becoming rubble serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of turning away from God. Sin leads to destruction, but repentance can restore. God's Sovereignty and JusticeGod's declarations through His prophets demonstrate His sovereignty and justice. He is patient, but His justice will prevail if His people continue in disobedience. Hope in RepentanceDespite the dire warnings, there is always hope in repentance. The history of Judah shows that when the people turned back to God, He was faithful to restore and bless them. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the prophecy of Micah, as quoted in Jeremiah 26:18, reflect the broader theme of judgment and repentance in the Bible? 2. In what ways did Hezekiah's leadership influence the spiritual state of Judah, and what can we learn from his example for our own leadership roles? 3. How does the imagery of Zion being plowed and Jerusalem becoming rubble serve as a warning for us today in our personal and communal spiritual lives? 4. What are some modern-day "prophetic warnings" that we might be ignoring, and how can we better attune our hearts to God's messages? 5. How can we apply the lessons of repentance and restoration from this passage to our own lives, especially in times of personal or communal crisis? Connections to Other Scriptures Micah 3:12This verse is directly quoted in Jeremiah 26:18, showing the continuity of prophetic messages and the importance of heeding God's warnings. 2 Kings 18-20These chapters provide context for Hezekiah's reign, his reforms, and his response to prophetic messages, illustrating the impact of leadership on national repentance. Isaiah 1:8This verse also speaks of Jerusalem's desolation, reinforcing the theme of judgment due to the people's unfaithfulness. People Achbor, Ahikam, Elnathan, Hezekiah, Jehoiakim, Jeremiah, Josiah, Micah, Shaphan, Shemaiah, Uriah, UrijahPlaces Babylon, Egypt, Jerusalem, Kiriath-jearim, Moresheth, New Gate, Shiloh, ZionTopics Almighty, Armies, Broken, Field, Forest, Heap, Heaps, Height, Hezekiah, Hezeki'ah, Hill, Hosts, Jerusalem, Judah, Mass, Micah, Morashtite, Morasthite, Moresheth, Mo'resheth, Mound, Mountain, Overgrown, Places, Ploughed, Plowed, Prophesied, Prophesying, Prophet, Rubble, Ruins, Saying, Says, Spake, Spoke, Temple, Thickets, Thus, Walls, Wooded, Woodland, ZionDictionary of Bible Themes Jeremiah 26:18 1431 prophecy, OT methods
7271 Zion, as symbol
7467 temple, Solomon's Jeremiah 26:17-19 8160 seeking God Library The Life of Mr. Robert Garnock.
Robert Garnock was born in Stirling, anno ----, and baptized by faithful Mr. James Guthrie. In his younger years, his parents took much pains to train him up in the way of duty: but soon after the restoration, the faithful presbyterian ministers being turned out, curates were put in their place, and with them came ignorance, profanity and persecution.--Some time after this, Mr. Law preached at his own house in Monteith, and one Mr. Hutchison sometimes at Kippen. Being one Saturday's evening gone …
John Howie—Biographia Scoticana (Scots Worthies)A Godly Reformation
'Hezekiah began to reign when he was five and twenty years old, and he reigned nine and twenty years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. 2. And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. 3. He in the first year of his reign, in the first mouth, opened the doors of the house of the Lord, and repaired them. 4. And he brought in the priests and the Levites, and gathered them together into the east street, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture The Prophet Micah.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. Micah signifies: "Who is like Jehovah;" and by this name, the prophet is consecrated to the incomparable God, just as Hosea was to the helping God, and Nahum to the comforting God. He prophesied, according to the inscription, under Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. We are not, however, entitled, on this account, to dissever his prophecies, and to assign particular discourses to the reign of each of these kings. On the contrary, the entire collection forms only one whole. At …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Second Stage of Jewish Trial. Jesus Condemned by Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin.
(Palace of Caiaphas. Friday.) ^A Matt. XXVI. 57, 59-68; ^B Mark XIV. 53, 55-65; ^C Luke XXII. 54, 63-65; ^D John XVIII. 24. ^d 24 Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. [Foiled in his attempted examination of Jesus, Annas sends him to trial.] ^b and there come together with him all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. ^a 57 And they that had taken Jesus led him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, ^c and brought him into the high priest's house. ^a where …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Sanctification.
I. I will remind you of some points that have been settled in this course of study. 1. The true intent and meaning of the law of God has been, as I trust, ascertained in the lectures on moral government. Let this point if need be, be examined by reference to those lectures. 2. We have also seen, in those lectures, what is not, and what is implied in entire obedience to the moral law. 3. In those lectures, and also in the lectures on justification and repentance, it has been shown that nothing is …
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology The Twelve Minor Prophets.
1. By the Jewish arrangement, which places together the twelve minor prophets in a single volume, the chronological order of the prophets as a whole is broken up. The three greater prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, stand in the true order of time. Daniel began to prophesy before Ezekiel, but continued, many years after him. The Jewish arrangement of the twelve minor prophets is in a sense chronological; that is, they put the earlier prophets at the beginning, and the later at the end of the …
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Jeremiah 26:18 NIVJeremiah 26:18 NLTJeremiah 26:18 ESVJeremiah 26:18 NASBJeremiah 26:18 KJV
Jeremiah 26:18 Commentaries
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