Micah and Jeremiah

Micah denounced his own nation for its corruption, and foretold the fall of Jerusalem, a prophecy which was remembered in the time of Jeremiah. When Jeremiah was brought before the leaders and placed on trial for making a prophecy against Jerusalem, certain of the elders of the land spoke out and reminded the assembled group what Micah had prophesied in the days of Hezekiah. Micah had said: “Thus says the LORD of hosts, Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.” Micah must have made quite an impression that more than 100 years after his prophecy the elders of the land could use his prophecy as a defense in the trial of Jeremiah. The appeal of Jeremiah's supporters to the prophecy of Micah confirms his connection with Hezekiah.

There is a recent story on the internet, mentioned by many biblioboggers, indicating that scholars have again linked biblical and Assyrian records. This statement prepared by Laura Sexton nicely summarized the finding. “Austrian Assyriologist Michael Jursa recently discovered the financial record of a donation made a Babylonian chief official, Nebo-Sarsekim. This archaeological find may lend new credibility to the Book of Jeremiah, which cites Nebo-Sarsekim as a participant in the siege of Jerusalem in 587 B.C.” The Babylonian ruler ordered Nebo-Sarsekim to look after Jeremiah in these words recorded in the 26^th chapter of Jeremiah: “Take him, look after him well and do him no harm, but deal with him as he tells you.” Jeremiah must have made quite an impression upon the Babylonian King if he would direct one of his officials to take personal charge of Jeremiah.

Recorded history saves memorable impressions of prophetic religious leaders speaking to the centers of power against the king's excesses and religious practices that had gone awry. These events were worth recording. The Babylonian King made a point of seeing Jeremiah much like Herod Antipas made a point of seeing Jesus. There must be a fascination about men like Micah, Jeremiah and Jesus speaking to the centers of power that attract men to them like the Hezekiah, Sennacherib and Herod Antipas.

Copyrighted 2007

Religion

Christianity

Gospel of Luke