The Book of Micah confronts idolatry, superstition, confusion, alienation, inhumane acts against one's neighbors, and desolation of one's being at the most profound personal and societal level. When preaching through this prophetic book, John Calvin had no more difficulty applying Micah's prophecies to his sixteenth-century countrymen than do preachers today. Calvin's twenty-eight sermons on Micah were preached in no political or theological vacuum. They were powerful Christian directives, meant both to instruct and edify Geneva's citizens, writes Benjamin Wirt Farley. Many of these are mirrored in his sermons and are either alluded to indirectly or occasionally referred to openly from the pulpit. These sermons make clear that, for Calvin, the Word of God is clearly the immutable, incontrovertible, and irrefutable truth of God, Farley continues. It is a verite certaine that supercedes all other forms of truth, the sole authoritative basis for faith and life. Any departure from it, or reliance on any other foundation, leads to the very sins denounced by Micah.

Major parts of the book of Micah were probably composed in the context of a book containing a number of prophetic writings - even as many as twelve. They can therefore only be understood and interpreted adequately within that context. That process of interpretation sheds light on an essential segment of the history of Old Testament theology: it was not primarily a matter of the statements of lone individual prophetic figures but of a common testimony to YHWH's speaking and acting in the history of his people. Zapff shows this by reflecting diachronically on the results of his synchronic exegesis and so tracing the process by which the Micah document and its theological statement were formed.

Feminist biblical interpretation has reached a level of maturity that now makes possible a commentary series on every book of the Bible. It is our hope that Wisdom Commentary, by making the best of current feminist biblical scholarship available in an accessible format ... will aid readers in their advancement toward God's vision of dignity, equality, and justice for all. - Book jacket.

In this important book, Shaw deploys a rigorous and systematic rhetorical analysis in the service of a reconstruction of the historical setting of each of the discourses in Micah. Unlike Muilenburg's 'rhetorical criticism', this approach focuses on the persuasiveness of the discourses, the means by which the author achieves his goal. Among Shaw's tools is the concept of the 'rhetorical situation'. It involves not only the question of the identity of the narratees, but also 'objective' factors like events, conditions and attitudes to which the discourse responds and 'subjective' factors like the speaker's own view of the situation. For each discourse the author analyses its goals and strategy, determining the structure of the speeches, the function of each part in the persuasiveness of the speech, the kinds of proof and the style utilized in order to achieve the author's goals.

The Books of Obadiah, Jonah and Micah are richly juxtaposed. From Micah’s call to challenge brutal political and religious leaders at home, to Jonah and Obadiah both addressing audiences beyond the boundaries of geo-political Israel, we see these three prophets speaking into their contexts with rhetorical force and passion. As well as wrestling with theological conundrums, through Obadiah, Jonah and Micah we hear the living Words of God – powerful words, intended to warn, cajole and console, and words which still have much to say to God’s people today. Offering cogent analysis on these often-overlooked books as well as exploring the practical implications for modern Christian life, this is a scholarly Bible commentary on Obadiah, Jonah and Micah that will benefit all preachers and serious students of the Bible. Part of the Apollos Old Testament commentary series, Obadiah, Jonah and Micah follows a clear, helpful structure that provides a thorough exploration of the Biblical texts – beginning with translation and notes, examining form and structure, offering insightful commentary and ending with a full exposition of the theological message within the framework of biblical theology. It will leave you with a deeper knowledge of the divine and human aspects of Scripture, as well as a broader understanding of what these prophets mean for Christians in the twenty-first century. The Apollos Old Testament Commentaries are scholarly bible commentaries ideal for those preaching from the Old Testament and looking to explore its riches in depth within their sermons. They will also help lay people and scholars studying the Bible on a higher level. Comprehensive and compelling, Elaine Phillips’ commentary on Obadiah, Jonah and Micah is a thorough study that will give you an appreciation of the struggles these prophets faced as they answered God’s call to speak into difficult geo-political contexts, and the lessons that they can teach Christians today.

Scratch beneath the surface of today�s culture and you�ll find we�re not so different from ancient Israel. True, our sophistication, mobility, and technology eclipse anything the Israelites could have imagined. Our worship is far different, to say nothing of our language and customs. Yet if the prophets Hosea, Amos, and Micah were to visit us today, we might be shocked to see how little their messages would differ from the ones they delivered 2,800 years ago. For human hearts are still the same--and so is God. Injustice, oppression, and political corruption anger him as much as ever. Apostasy still grieves him. His judgment of sin remains as fierce as his love is strong. And the hope God extends to those who turn toward him is as brilliant now as at any time in history. Revealing the links between Israel eight centuries B.C. and our own times, Gary V. Smith shows how the prophetic writings of Hosea, Amos, and Micah speak to us today with relevance and conviction.