Lesson 154

Micah

Prepare to Learn

Prepare your mind and heart to learn. Remember that studying the gospel prayerfully with a desire to learn will help you to be taught and inspired by the Holy Ghost.

Begin your study with prayer.

The Lord wants us to be the best version of ourselves.

As you watch this video, listen for counsel from various Church leaders that can help you grow, change, and improve.

Micah

Micah was a prophet in the Southern Kingdom of Judah who ministered at the same time as Isaiah. He began his ministry about 20 years before the Assyrian conquest of the Northern Kingdom. Can you find Micah on this diagram?

Micah’s recorded prophecies are the only passages in the Old Testament to name Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah (see Micah 5:2, 4). Micah’s prophecy about the birthplace of the Lord may have helped the Wise Men find the Savior after He was born (see Matthew 2:1–8).

Micah also prophesied that in the last days the Lord’s temple would be built again and that those who were a remnant of Jacob (or the descendants of Israel, the Israelites) would triumph over their oppressors (see also 3 Nephi 21:12–21).

Others’ Goodness toward Us

Think of a time when someone did something kind for you.

When you experience others’ goodness toward you, how do you generally want to respond?

Through His prophet Micah, the Lord reminded the people of Judah of His goodness toward them.

Read Micah 6:3–4, looking for what the Lord reminded the people He had done for them.

Micah’s Questions

According to Micah 6:4, the Lord reminded His people of His great mercy in delivering the children of Israel from Egypt.

Micah then asked the people several questions. Read verses 6–7, looking for what Micah asked the people.

Quiz 1

1. Which of the following is essentially the same question as the first one Micah asked as recorded in Micah 6:6?

   1. How should I come before the Lord and worship Him?

   2. Who is my neighbor, and how do I love him or her as myself?

   3. Which commandment is the most important?

2. Which of these questions is asking essentially the same thing as Micah’s first question in Micah 6:7?

   1. Will the Lord forgive my sins if my righteous acts are more numerous than my sins?

   2. Does it matter to the Lord where I pray and how I pray?

   3. If my outward acts of worship are numerous or great in value, will they be enough to please the Lord?

Something More

According to Micah 6:8, Micah taught that our outward acts of worship alone do not please God. Rather, God requires something more before our outward worship becomes meaningful and pleasing to Him.

Read verse 8, looking for what the Lord requires of us in our worship of Him.

The Lord’s Requirements

Micah 6:8 mentions three requirements the Lord expects of us as we worship Him:

To “do justly” means to do what is right.

To “love mercy” means to be kind and merciful to others.

To “walk humbly with thy God” means to be humble, obedient, and teachable in our relationship with God (see also D&C 11:12).

To better understand Micah 6:6–8 and identify a principle Micah taught the children of Israel, read Deuteronomy 10:12–13, looking for what Moses said the Lord requires of those who worship and serve Him.

What does the Lord require of us if we desire to come unto Him and worship Him?

Acts of Worship

One way to state a principle we can learn from Micah 6:6–8 and Deuteronomy 10:12–13 is that if we desire to come unto the Lord and worship Him, then we must love and serve Him with all our hearts and keep His commandments.

1. List at least three ways you can come unto the Lord and worship Him. Then answer one of the following questions:

• How can you do one of these acts of worship with all your heart?

• What difference has it made in your life when you have offered the Lord your time, obedience, and worship out of love for Him?

Your Efforts

2. Review the list you just wrote of ways you can worship the Lord or show love for Him and His commandments. Then do the following:

• Choose one of the activities on your list that you are doing well, and explain how doing this activity helps you love and serve the Lord with all your heart and helps you keep His commandments.

• Identify an activity on your list at which you feel you could improve. Write a related goal about how you will improve your worship in this area. Remember to not share anything too sacred or personal in your response.

The Lord’s Delight

In Micah 6:10–7:17, we read that Micah continued to lament the wickedness of the Israelites and the destruction that was coming because of their sins. However, Micah also prophesied that Israel would eventually turn to righteousness and rise again with the Lord’s help. Other nations would be amazed at what the Lord had done for Israel (see Micah 7:16–17).

Read Micah 7:18–20, looking for Micah’s description of the Lord.

Quiz 2

1. According to verses 18–19, what did Micah say the Lord delights in?

   1. Righteousness

   2. Mercy

   3. His creations

2. As recorded in verses 18–19, what will the Lord do with our iniquities if we repent? Select all that are correct.

   1. Pardon them

   2. Cast them into the sea

   3. List them in the book of life

Forgiveness

From Micah 7:18–20, we can learn that as we repent of our sins, we will be forgiven because the Lord delights in mercy.

Sometimes people think that the Lord’s mercy is an excuse to sin now and repent later (see 2 Nephi 28:7–9). This idea is false, and sinning now because we feel we can easily repent later leads to unnecessary suffering.

What can we learn from the fact that the Lord shows us mercy even when we may have been rebellious?

The Lord’s Mercy

If there are any unresolved sins in your life, come unto the Lord. You will experience His mercy as you repent. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said the following about God’s mercy:

“Surely the thing God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, especially to those who don’t expect it and often feel they don’t deserve it” (Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Laborers in the Vineyard,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 33).

Act on any thoughts and impressions you have had as you have studied Micah’s teachings.

Answer Key

Quiz 1: (1) a; (2) c

Quiz 2: (1) b; (2) a, b