Faith Formation: Micah - Justice, Kindness, humility

Then the remnant of Jacob surrounded by many peoples, shall be like the dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not depend upon people or wait for any mortal. And among the nations a remnant of Jacob surrounded by many peoples, shall be like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, which, when it goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, with no one to deliver. Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off. Micah 5:7-9

The scribe who compiled the writings of Micah included other's words from other times. Micah wrote during the days of Kings Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah whose stories were told in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles. Micah was a contemporary of Isaiah, and his words were remembered years later by Jeremiah. The setting of this poem seems like it comes from a much later time than that of those kings and Isaiah. (The writings of Isaiah likewise came from three separate time periods. Before the exile to Babylon, during the return from exile, and at a time when Jerusalem was being rebuilt. Scholars refer to First Isaiah 1-39, Second Isaiah 40-55, and Third Isaiah 56-66 based on style, vocabulary and themes.) The clue that pushes this poem to a late time period is the word "remnant."

"Then the remnant of Jacob... And among the remnant of Jacob..." The remnant language is scattered throughout the Hebrew scripture, 81 times. It refers to small number of people whose lives have been preserved during times of disaster or exile. In the midst of a famine Joseph told his brothers, "God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to keep you alive for many survivors." Genesis 45:7 Isaiah spoke of a remnant of Israel who would survive and remember the faith after the devastation wrought by Assyria and Babylon. "On that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no longer lean on the one who struck them but lean on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to mighty God. For though your people, O Israel, were like the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return." Isaiah 10:20-22 The rise of the remnant who were left behind in Israel/Judah after the invasions of mighty empires, and the return of the remnant after a generation of exile did not happen during Micah's time of being a prophet to the kings of Judah.

The poem is structured by two parallel, symmetrical verses. A "Then the remnant of Jacob surrounded by many peoples," A' "And among the nations a remnant of Jacob surrounded by many peoples," B "shall be like the dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass," B' "shall be like a lion among the animals of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep," C "which do not depend upon people or wait for any mortal." C' "which, when it goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, with no one to deliver." A, The remnant is surrounded by hostile nations and peoples. That may refer to the great empires which paraded through the land, Egypt, Assyria Babylon and eventually Greece and Rome. It may refer to the host of Israel's neighbors who were often their adversaries, Philistia, Ammon, Moab, Edom, or Midian. Surrounded by these Israel often felt small and vulnerable. B, The poem encouraged the vulnerable remnant. You will be like dew and showers. The image was at once an image of life giving moisture, and the abundance that covers the entire land. The people were not without life or hope, and though small they would once again become like the sands of the sea. In B' the encouragement came with an image of strength and might, "like a lion." The message was that Israel would recover and once again be strong. C is a bit fuzzier. Maybe, as dew and showers are a blessing from above, or outside of human control, Israel's restoration would not depend on themselves, "upon people." It would not wait for "mortal" action. Rather it would depend upon God's saving presence. C' offers both Israel's confidence in itself and a veiled sense of dependence on God. At the end of Genesis Jacob blessed Judah as ruler and likened him to a lion/lioness, 49:8-10. In Numbers Balaam blessed the people of Jacob as "a people rising up like a lioness and rousing itself like a lion," 23:24, 24:9. The phrase "with no one to deliver" typically referred to God's sovereignty for good or for ill. "See now that I, even I, am he; there is no god besides me. I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal; and no one can deliver from my hand." Deuteronomy 32:39 "... although you know that I am not guilty, and there is no one to deliver out of your hand?" Job 10:8 God finally is in charge.

The last line seems tagged on, a bit disconnected from the poem, but still associated with it. There is some ambiguity as to who "Your" refers. Was it God's hand lifted up and cutting off Israel's enemies, which makes this a prayer? Or, was it encouragement to the people to stand strong, their hand lifted up when they felt weak like a remnant, and cut off from their former glorious days? This poem may have resonated during the times of Ezra and Nehemiah after the people had returned from Babylon. While they rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem they set up sentries and soldiers to watch out for the peoples and nations that sought to harass them and prevent them from establishing a strong city again. Contrarywise, Ezra and Nehemiah sought to purify Israel for God and were not kind to the remnant of Jacob that remained in the land after the elite and leaders were taken away in chains for a generation of exile.

Do Justice. Love Kindness. Walk humbly with God.

Pastor Tim Bauer