The LORD gave this message to Micah of Moresheth during the years when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah. The visions he saw concerned both Samaria and Jerusalem. Attention! Let all the people of the world listen! Let the earth and everything in it hear. The Sovereign LORD is making accusations against you; the Lord speaks from his holy Temple. Look! The LORD is coming! He leaves his throne in heaven and tramples the heights of the earth. The mountains melt beneath his feet and flow into the valleys like wax in a fire, like water pouring down a hill. And why is this happening? Because of the rebellion of Israel—yes, the sins of the whole nation. Who is to blame for Israel’s rebellion? Samaria, its capital city! Where is the center of idolatry in Judah? In Jerusalem, its capital! [Micah 1.1-5]
Micah called out both Israel and Judah on idolatry. He did this in the reigns of Judah's kings Jotham, his son Ahaz, and Ahaz's son, Hezekiah.
The interesting thing about Micah's words leveled against Judah in particular is the last question in the passage above: Where is the center of idolatry in Judah? In Jerusalem, its capital!
We should consider what the Scriptures say about each of the kings of Judah in whose time Micah wrote.
Jotham son of Uzziah began to rule over Judah in the second year of King Pekah’s reign in Israel. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. His mother was Jerusha, the daughter of Zadok. Jotham did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight. He did everything his father, Uzziah, had done. But he did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there. He rebuilt the upper gate of the Temple of the LORD. [2 Kings 15.32-35]
Ahaz son of Jotham began to rule over Judah in the seventeenth year of King Pekah’s reign in Israel. Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem sixteen years. He did not do what was pleasing in the sight of the LORD his God, as his ancestor David had done. Instead, he followed the example of the kings of Israel, even sacrificing his own son in the fire. In this way, he followed the detestable practices of the pagan nations the LORD had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites. He offered sacrifices and burned incense at the pagan shrines and on the hills and under every green tree. [2 Kings 16.1-4]
Hezekiah son of Ahaz began to rule over Judah in the third year of King Hoshea’s reign in Israel. He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother was Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah. He did what was pleasing in the LORD’s sight, just as his ancestor David had done. He removed the pagan shrines, smashed the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke up the bronze serpent that Moses had made, because the people of Israel had been offering sacrifices to it. The bronze serpent was called Nehushtan. Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time. He remained faithful to the LORD in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the LORD had given Moses. So the LORD was with him, and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did. He revolted against the king of Assyria and refused to pay him tribute. He also conquered the Philistines as far distant as Gaza and its territory, from their smallest outpost to their largest walled city. [2 Kings 18.1-8]
I cannot help but believe that's Micah's prophecy came very early in Hezekiah's reign as king of Judah. In fact, Micah's prophecy could easily have been the driving force behind Hezekiah's notable reforms.
Jotham was a good man, but failed to lead Judah (including his own family) out of idolatry. Ahaz (Jotham's son) was an idolatrous and corrupt man and led Judah further into idolatry. Hezekiah was a good man and led Judah to actively reject idolatry and pursue the LORD.
Micah's prophecy highlights the importance of political leadership not only following God, but leading the people in that same pursuit.
Micah's prophecy also confirms that idolatry was the "problem" in his time just as it had been centuries before his time and would be centuries after.
In the Bible's message of God's redemption, idolatry is the timeless, antithetical, underlying, and universal problem of mankind.
Speaking of Samaria, Israel's capital, Micah implicates Israel as the primary driver of the idolatry that reached Judah.
All her carved images will be smashed. All her sacred treasures will be burned. These things were bought with the money earned by her prostitution, and they will now be carried away to pay prostitutes elsewhere.” Therefore, I will mourn and lament. I will walk around barefoot and naked. I will howl like a jackal and moan like an owl. For my people’s wound is too deep to heal. It has reached into Judah, even to the gates of Jerusalem. [Micah 1.7-9]
The role of money should not be overlooked in comparison of Israel's (and Judah's) idolatry to prostitution. This role of money should not be ignored in today's idolatry that this author insists is cloaked in today's industries of debt, insurance, medicine and technology.
Ahaz's leadership needs no explanation. Jotham's leadership was non-existent (even though he was a Godly man). Hezekiah's leadership gave action to his Godliness that righteously affected the people.
Hezekiah had a relationship with God and his relationship with God righteously affected what he had control over as king, the people of Judah. To be clear, under Hezekiah's rule problems still arose, but his leadership of trusting in God alone led to Judah's victory.
Righteous political leadership is essential for a nation to enjoy God's blessings and protection. It always has been and it always will be. The Biblical defining characteristic of righteous political leadership is the recognition and eradication of idolatry in the pursuit of God. One must look no further than man's ingenuity to find his idols. The way of man, independent of, and rebellious against God, is idolatry.
In timeless wording, Jesus addressed this universal problem with no uncertain demand that it be addressed head-on:
If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. [Matthew 16.24 (also, Mark 8.34 & Luke 9.23)]
Father, may the eyes of Your people and their leaders be opened to the universal problem of idolatry and Your universal solution of Jesus Christ. May Your leaders and Your people be identified today by giving up their own way, taking up their cross, and following Jesus. So be it.
