Daily Devotions
Micah
"I will uncover her foundations"
Text: Micah 1:6d
THE SETTING UP OF THE CAPITAL CITY
The capital city of a nation was always a carefully thought out plan. Omri was the king who made Samaria the capital of the nation of Israel, the northern kingdom (1 Kings 16:23-24).
1. Shechem as the capital, was associated with King Jeroboam and his successor, Nadab (1 Kings 12-15).
2. Tirzah as the capital, was associated with King Baasha and his son Elah (1 Kings 16:8).
3. Omri, the new king wanted to found a new capital.
a) He bought land from a man called Shemer for two talents of silver (1 Kings 16:24).
b) He built it to become the new capital of the kingdom of Israel.
c) Samaria was named after the original Shemer. It was called Samaria.
THE HOUSE OF OMRI
Omri was succeeded by the infamous King Ahab. After Ahab’s death, his son Ahaziah reigned over the land. All three kings were idolatrous and were wicked too. The Lord sent Elijah and Elisha as His prophets to address the problems created by these wicked kings, especially with the problem of idolatry.
THE DESTRUCTION OF SAMARIA
The messages of the prophets fell on deaf ears. The warnings of judgment must in time give way to fulfilment.
“Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the field,
Places for planting a vineyard;
I will pour down her stones into the valley;
And I will uncover her foundations.”
Micah 1:6
1. “Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the field”
a) Great effort had been made to make the capital a strong and powerful city.
b) But God would destroy the capital Samaria into “a heap of ruins”.
2. Samaria had luscious vineyards
a) But they would be no more when the city is destroyed.
b) The ruination would be so bad, few things can be planted.
3. “I will pour down her stones into the valley”
a) Israel had many altars made of hewn stones erected for idolatrous worship.
b) These places of worship were in the high places.
c) God would throw these stones into the valleys when destruction comes to the nation.
4. “And I will uncover her foundations”
a) God will destroy Samaria’s very foundations.
b) To “uncover” has the idea of “uprooting”.
The destruction of Samaria would be thorough and complete!