Biblical Revivals and Awakenings
So far in our series we’ve looked at twenty-two examples of revival in the Bible:
- Seth
- Noah
- Job
- Abram
- Joseph
- Moses
- Joshua
- Judges
- Naomi
- Ruth
- Hannah
- Samuel
- David
- Solomon
- Jehu
- Elijah
- Elisha
- Jonah
- Amos
- Hosea
- Isaiah
- Hezekiah
God had other prophets at the time of Isaiah. One of them named Micah. We’ll see what we can learn about revival from Micah’s ministry in this part of our special series.
Micah the Prophet
The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem. Micah 1:1
Micah’s name means “Who is like Yah” (מִיכָיָה). Micah the prophet was born in Moresheth, which was about 25 miles southwest of Jerusalem. He lived during the reigns of three kings of Judah: Jotham, Chaz, and Hezekiah. God called Micah to prophesy to Judah and Samaria (Israel). While Micah came down hard on false leaders and prophets of his day, he also spoke of God’s love and forgiveness of the nations that would come through the coming Messiah – the Seed of the woman who would destroy the seed of the serpent.
Micah may be best known for identifying Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah –
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.’ Therefore He shall give them up, Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth; Then the remnant of His brethren Shall return to the children of Israel. And He shall stand and feed His flock In the strength of the Lord, In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God; And they shall abide, For now He shall be great To the ends of the earth; And this One shall be peace. Micah 5:2-5
The only kings mentioned in the Book of Micah are Joaham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah. However, Micah also prophesied against Israel, which would have been during the reigns of Menahem, Pekahiah, Peak, and Hoshea. As you read through Micah’s writings, you’ll see how God directed His warnings and promises to the kings and people of both the Southern and Northern Kingdoms.
The 8th century BC prophecies of Micah against Judah and Israel were not soon forgotten. The prophet Jeremiah, who lived in Judah a decades later, remembered the prophesies of Micah –
Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, And the mountain of the temple Like the bare hills of the forest.’ Jeremiah 26:18
As we’ve seen from previous prophets, the problems of God’s people worshiping idols in the “high places” was front and center in Micah’s prophecies –
For behold, the Lord is coming out of His place; He will come down And tread on the high places of the earth. The mountains will melt under Him, And the valleys will split Like wax before the fire, Like waters poured down a steep place. All this is for the transgression of Jacob And for the sins of the house of Israel. What is the transgression of Jacob? Is it not Samaria? And what are the high places of Judah? Are they not Jerusalem? Micah 1:3-5
One revival question for God’s people today might be whether we have any “high places” in our lives? Are there places we go to secretly worship other gods? That may sound like a strange question to ask Christians, but anything or anyone who we love more than God can become a “high place” in our lives. If we go to church on Sunday, but visit our “high places” during the week we may find that God will remove His blessing from us and take away the possibility of any revival in our lives.
Micah and False Prophets
Micah wrote forcefully against false and lying prophets. Here are some examples to consider –
Do not prattle,’ you say to those who prophesy. So they shall not prophesy to you; They shall not return insult for insult. You who are named the house of Jacob: Is the Spirit of the Lord restricted? Are these His doings? Do not My words do good To him who walks uprightly? ‘Lately My people have risen up as an enemy— You pull off the robe with the garment From those who trust you, as they pass by, Like men returned from war. The women of My people you cast out From their pleasant houses; From their children You have taken away My glory forever. ‘Arise and depart, For this is not your rest; Because it is defiled, it shall destroy, Yes, with utter destruction. If a man should walk in a false spirit And speak a lie, saying, ‘I will prophesy to you of wine and drink,’ Even he would be the prattler of this people. Micah 2:6-11
Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets Who make my people stray; Who chant ‘Peace’ While they chew with their teeth, But who prepare war against him Who puts nothing into their mouths: ‘Therefore you shall have night without vision, And you shall have darkness without divination; The sun shall go down on the prophets, And the day shall be dark for them. So the seers shall be ashamed, And the diviners abashed; Indeed they shall all cover their lips; For there is no answer from God. But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, And of justice and might, To declare to Jacob his transgression And to Israel his sin. Now hear this,
You heads of the house of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel, Who abhor justice And pervert all equity, Who build up Zion with bloodshed And Jerusalem with iniquity: Her heads judge for a bribe, Her priests teach for pay, And her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the Lord, and say, ‘Is not the Lord among us? No harm can come upon us.’ Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, And the mountain of the temple Like the bare hills of the forest. Micah 3:5-12
The priests and prophets of Judah and Israel were telling the people not to believe the prophesies of Micah, Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, and others. The one great revival that occurred during those days was when Hezekiah became king of Judah. We saw how the young king had the high places of idol worship torn down and Temple worship restored. Lying priests and prophets had to be silenced and become obedient to God in order for revival to sweep through Judah.
I mention that because lying and false prophets fill Christian churches, denominations, conferences, colleges, and seminaries today. Until those lying, false prophets humble themselves before God, confess their sins, and seek His forgiveness, revivals will either be isolated or non-existent in our time. You can read more about the problem of false preachers and teachers here.
Micah and God’s Promises
Woven into messages about the wrath and judgment of God on Judah and Israel, were messages of God’s hope for God’s forgiveness and future revival. God loves His people and has plans to restore them – to give them life again.
I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together like sheep of the fold, Like a flock in the midst of their pasture; They shall make a loud noise because of so many people. The one who breaks open will come up before them; They will break out, Pass through the gate, And go out by it; Their king will pass before them, With the Lord at their head. Micah 2:12-13
Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the Lord’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And peoples shall flow to it. Many nations shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion the law shall go forth, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, And rebuke strong nations afar off; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore. But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, And no one shall make them afraid; For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. For all people walk each in the name of his god, But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God Forever and ever. Micah 4:1-5
As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt, I will show them wonders.’ The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; They shall put their hand over their mouth; Their ears shall be deaf. They shall lick the dust like a serpent; They shall crawl from their holes like snakes of the earth. They shall be afraid of the Lord our God, And shall fear because of You. Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea. You will give truth to Jacob And mercy to Abraham, Which You have sworn to our fathers From days of old. Micah 7:15-20
Next Time
The Assyrian army conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the prophetic ministries of Micah and Isaiah. What’s left? Judah. We’ll see what we can learn about revival from the remaining days of the Southern Kingdom in the next part of our special series, Revival – To Live Again.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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