Advent Week 4 Part 1: The One of Peace

Micah 5:2a-5a   But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
   who are one of the little clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel,
whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.

Therefore he shall give them up until the time
   when she who is in labour has brought forth;
then the rest of his kindred shall return to the people 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 live secure, for now he shall be great
   to the ends of the earth; and he shall be the one of peace.

If the Assyrians come into our land and tread upon our soil,
we will raise against them seven shepherds
and eight installed as rulers.     

This week we are going to engage in a bible study method called See/Act/Judge in two parts.   This method is an action/reflection process which emerges from liberation theological thinking in the Latino/Hispanic community.  I think of Micah as a Social Justice Prophet.  The See/Act/Judge method of study helps us to look at the biblical text in our quest to learn how to work for justice and peace in our community.  You may want to use a journal to aid you in your study. 

Context: In the first verse of Micah, he tells us he is from "Moresheth" which was a small village south of Jerusalem.  He was a country prophet "in the years when Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were kings of Judah.  The visions he saw concerned both Samaria and Jerusalem."  This locates the prophet of social justice called Micah in the 8th century during the time of the divided kingdom.  Israel was the northern kingdom (Samaria) and Judah (Jerusalem) was the southern kingdom.  The people of Israel were suffering under the assault of the Assyrians and he witnessed their fall in 722 BCE.  He feared the same would happen to the people of Judah.  We know Judah eventually fell to the Babylonians.  Micah was right.

Micah was a contemporary of Isaiah who was a city prophet in the courts of Jerusalem.  With Micah we go back to a time before our earlier Advent prophets: Jeremiah, Malachi, and Zephaniah.  Micah was especially sensitive to the suffering of the poor and powerless.  He denounced oppression, pride, and corruption and announced judgment for unrighteous behavior.  Yet Micah wanted the people to know that God's love never fails and that restoration is possible.   

See (Examine the Text:)  Take the time to reread the text slowly, as if you have never read it before.  Listen as if you were one of the suffering people in the community threatened by the Assyrians.  Hear the text through their ears.  Use these questions to guide your examination of the text:  Who is Micah addressing in the biblical text?  What seems to be the human condition Micah is addressing?  Where does the hope emerge for the community?  What is God’s response to the suffering of the people?  What images can you visualize from reading the biblical text?  What emotions lay beneath the text?  How does Micah describe God?  How is the image of God that is emerging creating hope in the people?  What do you think Micah wants the people to know about God?

Judge (Look at your Life:) Keeping the context of the passage and your examination of the text in mind, meditate on these questions:  Who does Micah speak to our community today?  How does the text speak to the community today?  What is the bad news?  What is the good news?   Where do we find our peace?   What analysis of my community do I need to make in light of the biblical text?  What is God’s purpose for us in light of what we have heard from Micah?  In response to what I hear God saying to me through the prophet Micah, do I need to make any changes: in my behavior, in my perspectives, in my way of thinking, in my praying?  Does my congregation need to reconsider any corporate decisions or ways of being in our world?  Are we (or how can we) make a difference in the lives of people in our church, our community, our nation, and our world?  What challenges do we hear Micah speaking to us in our dialogues with one another?

Act (Take action in Light of your Faith:)  We are called to work so that the reign of God  can be realized in the world today.  As we work with creativity and compassion, we follow the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  Meditate on these questions with the expectation that God will show you how to take action:  What steps do I/we need to take in order to be responsive to the invitation we hear in Micah’s oracles?  Who do we need to involve in our discussion?  How can we implement changes in our lives and in our church?   How will our changes impact our family, our congregation, and our community? How can we make this world a better place for the whole human race?  How are we building the reign of God in our midst?  What is one change you can/will make in response to what you hear Micah saying to you?

Reflective Prayer:  If you have access to a magazine or a few ... Find at least one image (but as many as you desire) that represents what your study has taught you about the connection between the biblical text and your life.   Create a pure collage, with only images, or create a blended collage, using one image and building a "story" around it.  Name your collage and contemplate it through silent prayer, breathing deeply and allowing God to let it give you the strength it will take for you to ACT!