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Brought up in humble surroundings and isolated from the awful deeds of the rich, Micah was stirred with anger when he saw what was happening. He lashed out against the leaders of the nation, including the rulers (vv.1-4), the false prophets (vv.5-8), and the priests and prophets (vv.9-12).
Reports from the capital city fanned the flame in Micah’s heart. The rulers in Jerusalem were greedy, selfish cannibals. They plucked off the skin and tore the flesh from the bones of the people, then broke the bones and chopped them up like meat for the kettle. Micah’s words burned with fire as his soul became an echo of God’s holy justice (Earle, 57).
Even the prophets had become greedy and grasping. They preached only for hire, then turned with savage fury against those who failed to put food in their mouths. It was all reminiscent of the way of Balaam son of Beor, later to be recalled by Peter (2Pe 2:15-16) as loving the way of wickedness. The nation was really in trouble when those speaking for God became corrupt and were concerned only for themselves.
God’s decision was inevitable. There would be no light, no vision, no answer from him, so the prophets would be ashamed and hide their faces in confusion just as God would hide his face from the rulers (vv.4, 7). Here Micah lays down a principle that separates the false from the true prophet of God: It is not enough to teach and preach nicesounding platitudes, even if they are true. Unless a prophet declares truths the people need to know, condemning the sins of which they are guilty, “he is as much a false prophet as one who declares untruths or that which contradicts truth” (Hailey, 203).
The source of Micah’s ministry was the power of God’s Spirit (v.8), by which he was able to address the priests as well as the princes and prophets. The priests assumed that because they were among God’s chosen people no harm could come to them. Their primary crime against God was the sin of presumption (v.11). God was going to punish Zion. Jerusalem would not escape. Samaria did not. Since Judah was going in the same stubborn path as Israel had gone, the people, too, would come under judgment. The prophet made the announcement over 100 years before it came to pass in 586 b.c. (v.12).