Overview

We live in a world gone awry. Social injustice pervades our societies, the poor are disdained, despotic leaders and nations seem to control world events, and racism and hatred abound. Yet, while it might appear that evil reigns, the sovereign God is in control. Such is the message of the book of Micah, a text that underscores God's presence in the world, righting wrongs, delivering the marginalized, and restoring the intended order of creation. In this careful explication of the minor prophet, Dr Semwayo challenges those who would question the text's unity, revealing Micah as a powerful theological reflection on the reestablishment of Yahweh's sovereignty on earth. Connecting the Zion/Davidic traditions to the Abrahamic covenant, Semwayo articulates a vision of hope that is as relevant for us in the twenty-first century as it was for Micah's original audience.

Full Product Details

9781783687688

Table of Contents

Reviews

Interpreters have struggled to discern literary-theological unity in the Book of Micah, leading some to deny it exists. Semwayo rightly challenges such scepticism. He argues that the central theological theme of Micah is the re-establishment of Yahweh's sovereignty in the face of the covenant community's rebellion. Yahweh accomplishes this through the restoration of Zion and the Davidic dynasty. In the process Yahweh fulfills his promises to Abraham. Semwayo's most valuable contribution to our understanding of Micah is showing how the Zion-Davidic and Abrahamic promises intersect. Robert B. Chisholm, Jr, ThD Chair and Senior Professor of Old Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas, USA In this scholarly exegesis of the book of Micah, the reader is guided step by step through a careful analysis to the conclusion. There is a sense of honesty in the use of the evidence which gives the reader a glimpse of scholarship at its best, and there is much here which will be of value to both the layperson and academic in their studies of the minor prophets. William Domeris, PhD Senior Academic in Biblical Studies, South African Theological Seminary, Bryanston, South Africa Biblical theology is a well-worn subject area, and the study of the theology of Micah is no exception in this regard. But Dr Semwayo brings a fresh voice to the conversation. Methodologically, he applies relevance theory, a linguistic model of communication that has been underutilized in biblical studies. This validates his search for intertextual allusions that are necessary to link various motifs in Micah and unify the theme of divine sovereignty with the Zion traditions and the Abrahamic covenant. Semwayo's discussion of covenants is also refreshing, being informed by recent developments in our understanding of ancient Near Eastern covenants and the Old Testament. On the whole, this is biblical theology at its best. John W. Hilber, PhD Professor of Old Testament, Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA This biblical-theological study examines the thematic coherence of the book of Micah in relation to the theme of divine sovereignty, specifically with regard to the Lord's action on and for Mt Zion in fulfilment of the Abrahamic promise. The level of scholarship is high and the dissertation successfully challenges previous studies which regard Micah's oracles as only superficially connected and/or reject the authenticity of Micah 6-7. The author's examination of divine sovereignty as expressed in the Zion traditions cogently demonstrate the conceptual coherence and structure of the book of Micah. Eric Ortland, PhD Lecturer in Old Testament and Biblical Hebrew, Oak Hill College, Chase Side, London, UK

Author Information

Tab Content 6

Countries Available