Justice, Mercy and some humility

Who is God?

When you pray - do you hold some sort of image in your mind as to who you are praying to?

Perhaps you don’t assign him an image as such - but perhaps there is some sort of dominant idea about how God receives your prayers.

Perhaps you see him in that sort of soft, compassionate figure that is keen to hear your prayers and bless you. Or maybe you see him as a much harder figure. Someone you need to impress . Maybe some of you might even see even harder still. A bit cruel and callous even.

I wonder to what extent your view of God is influenced by your own father?

Whether it is or isn’t, we do tend to hold a dominant picture of God. On one hand, we find a vengeful God - on the other, a loving a compassionate God.

Or quite likely, as many people do, you have separated God into an Old Testament God and a New Testament God. The Old Testament God being the vengeful God. The New Testament God being the God of love and compassion.

It’s almost as if somewhere between the conclusion of the Old Testament, God thought - I need a change in image - let’s re-style myself in this softer frame so people will like me more - you know, in the way that you’ll often see politicians try and do when their ratings start to drop.

There’s a big problem of course. The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament, and despite the perception of many, there was no change.

This is actually something we’re going to find as we open up the book of Micah today - but the problem is, because this misrepresentation of God is so strong in our minds, we have a tough time shaking it.

And the problem is, because we’ve separated God into these two different modes - depending on what dominates your thinking, the way we interact with the world and with God will also be affected.

Okay, so let’s take a look at Micah, because we’re going to find a much better picture of God, and in the process, we’re going to see how this should impact how we interact with the world.

Micah context

So we’ll start as I normally do, with a bit of context.

So up on the screen, we’ll see the time line that I’ve been using throughout this series.

This time we’re going to find ourselves in a time not too far after Hosea and Amos. Actually, there is perhaps about a generation between Amos and Micah. But whereas Hosea and Amos focussed most of their attention on the Northern Kingdom, what we’ll find with is that Micah’s attention is directed to the South.

The first verse tells us that he ministered during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. But I’m going to suggest that much of the content considers an event during the time of Hezekiah, something I’ll explain in just a moment.

Now if you remember, Hosea and Amos we’re telling the Northern kingdom that judgment is coming because they had fallen away from God. They were worshipping other gods… and generally living lives were the powerful were exploiting the weak.

Well, there time did come - in fact, not long after those words spoken by those prophets.

But Judah - otherwise known as the Southern Kingdom - remained. Not that they were under threat. In fact there are some fascinating accounts of how they avoided the same fate of the North.

But this was not because they were morally superior. Perhaps a good case could be made for the fact that they had not fallen as far - at least not yet, but it is clear that the very same problem of the North, such as pagan worship, and immoral behaviour, was well and truly entrenched in their way of life.

And Micah has something to say about it.

The crisis

Okay, well this leads me to the main event that we’re going to find during this time.

It’s an event that features in the book of Isaiah - in fact Isaiah is a contemporary of Micah.

Hezekiah is now king.

The northern kingdom has now fallen.

We’re really close to the turn of the century. It’s almost 700BC. Roughly two decades after the north has fallen.

The very same problems that have plagued the Northern Kingdom have come south. And by the same problems - I’m referring both to the same external forces, but also the same internal spiritual corruption.

Assyria poise for a new attack.

They’ve got pretty good at it by now. They’ve been pretty systemic about taking many of the surrounding nations out.

But Jerusalem is now in sight - in part, because the previous cooperation they had shown has gone.

Okay - so if you look at Micah 1, starting at verse 10 - you start to see a whole number of place names being listed.

Now what we miss in the English here, is that Micah is actually using a whole bunch of puns. The NIV explains the puns for us, but we lose the cleverness of it. Actually, this is one of those situation where if you actually read the Message translation you can better see how the puns work.

But I’m getting side-tracked, because what we need to recognise is that these place names are the surrounding cities that are getting wiped out as Assyria narrows in on Jerusalem.

Admittedly, these cities aren’t anywhere near as fortified as Jerusalem, but imagine how it must feel being one of the Israelites. Knowing that this approaching army has already destroyed your Northern brothers. And now has run roughshod over the surrounding cities and towns. And are getting close to your border.

This is the crisis.

Now the good thing about a crisis, is that it can sometimes put things into perspective. In a crisis, superficialities go out the window. In a crisis, you can see what is really true. In a crisis, you find out what you really believe.

For King Hezekiah - his moment is about to come.

You see, we don’t get this part in Micah’s book, but we get a much bigger picture of what happens in the book of Isaiah.

Without going into all the details - what we actually find is that King Hezekiah, unlike many of the previous kings - actually does put his trust in God.

You see, there is this powerful passage in Isaiah 37. Hezekiah has a letter outlining the threats of Assyria. In Isaiah 37:14, he goes up to the temple, spreads out the letter before the Lord and gives this genuine and fervent prayer.

Now, I’ll come back to this result of this prayer very soon, but now that we know the context of this crisis, let’s go back to Micah’s prophecy and see what he has to say about it.

Divine justice

Well, have a look at the start of chapter 2, and what we’re going to see is that destruction of Jerusalem would actually be the just outcome. Why?

Well, verse 1 pictures them as plotting evil on their beds. When they wake up, they go and carry out their plans.

Verse 2 gives us an insight into what those plans are. Basically it boils down to theft. But of course, this is not your thief that jumps the fence and steals your bike like what happened to me recently. This is a more sophisticated stealing. The type of stealing - which, because of that careful plotting, doesn’t even look like stealing.

Because when the rich and powerful change the goal posts, and those poor and oppressed then end up with less and less while the rich get more and more.

Is it stealing? Well, if done shrewdly, not by our modern laws.

But here’s the thing - God’s saying: I see this, and the principles of justice mean that they deserve punishment.

And so chapter 2 verse 3 has the Lord saying: “I am planning disaster against this people, from which you cannot save yourselves”.

Now, you’re perhaps going to anticipate the mercy that is about to come - and you’d be right, but I want to stay here for just a moment because it might make us feel uncomfortable, but this is the sort of uncomfortable that we sometimes need to feel.

It is so important that we recognise that God is a holy God and when people act contrary to the good ways that God has designed - there needs to be consequences.

While we have convinced ourselves that we are the good guys. Actually we’re not. It’s actually quite convenient living in a system where we benefit for the poor conditions of the oppressed people of this world - particularly if we try not to think about it too much.

False prophets

What we need, is just enough voices telling us that what we’re doing is okay, then we can rest easy at night.

And that’s exactly what Micah had to battle against. You see, turns out that this role of prophet can be quite a good gig for some. You see, all you need to do is speak the words people want to hear - and then everyone can be happy.

Micah calls out these false prophets. These false prophets are not only allowing this predatory behaviour, they’re contributing towards it.

We get to Micah’s very biting remark in chapter 2 verse 11 when he says: “If a liar and deceiver comes and says, ‘ I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ that would be just the prophet for this people!”

Mercy

But then we come to the very next verse and the tone changes.

What started with a call for justice… well, when this is met with the love of God, it takes a turn. It’s not that justice is forgotten - that most certainly is not the case.

Rather it is God coming in and saying, right, I’m going to help you turn this around. I’m going to gather you like sheep in a sheepfold.

We get our first glimpse of mercy - and it is beautiful.

It’s beautiful, because God is able to hold justice while giving mercy at the same time. Chapter 3 continues the rebuke against injustice - but with the knowledge that God is going to help turn this people around, while it might be a stinging rebuke, but in knowing that there’s a shepherd ready to turn things around - this makes a difference.

But let me jump down to chapter 5 - and here we’ll find a section that you are perhaps familiar with. We’re familiar with it because its quoted in the New Testament as a prophecy of Jesus.

But chapter 5 starts with the reminder of the crisis they are in.

It says: “Marshal your troops now, city of troops, for a siege is laid against us. They will strike Israel’s ruler on the cheek with a rod”.

But, though things are in crisis - deliverance is coming.

But there is something strange about this deliverance. What’s strange is that it comes from one of the small clans. Little old Bethlehem in the region of Ephrathah. We might be familiar with it - but for the people reading Micah’s prophecy, I’m sure they’re thinking - really?? Bethlehem???

But the fact that this saviour is coming from such a unexpected place is important - and I’m going to get back to it soon.

Future or present

Now before I go on, let me just make a quick comment - you see, you might wonder - if this is a prophecy about Jesus (which we know it is), then what’s it doing here when the context is an immediate crisis for Hezekiah?

Well, the simple answer is that this is how prophecies often work. The prophet will project a much bigger picture, but in such a way that will speak into their present trouble.

So in this case, while this is ultimately pointing us to Jesus, it tells the current hearers that a saviour is coming - but one they are not expecting.

Saving

So on that note, let’s go back Hezekiah who has laid the letters before the Lord and fervently prays.

Well, the most amazing thing happens. God rescues them! And he does so in the most unexpected way.

It’s recorded for us at the end of Isaiah 37. Remember that the Assyrian forces surround Jerusalem. Well, the angel of the Lord goes out and we’re told he puts to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand.

Without Israel shooting an arrow or swinging a sword - they win the battle.

These people who deserve to be defeated, are actually saved. Not because of any good they did - but because God loves them.

So, does mercy win out over justice?

Well, I don’t think that’s a fair assessment. The reality is we actually start to see justice and mercy come together.

They have come against a very heavy hand - here we find justice. But God brings them through it - here we find mercy.

Application

And so we now need to come back to see what we can make of all of this. You see, in this picture we find something far bigger than the one-dimensional God that often gets depicted. As we start to unpack who God is, we start to make better sense of this world and how we should interact with others.

You see, God is a vengeful God who hates injustice and will come in with a heavy hand against those who oppressed the marginalised.

God is also a loving and compassionate God, who is ready to bring his people through the difficulties and show mercy to people who don’t deserve it.

It’s not one or the other. It must be both.

And so in chapter 6, when we see the Lord getting ready to outline his case against the people of Israel. In verse 3 he’s pleading with them for an answer.

But in verse 4, rather than waiting for an answer, he starts reminding them of his past mercies. That God brought them up out of Egypt. That he brought them into the promised land.

Justice and Mercy

And then we get to perhaps the best known verse of Micah, that is Micah 6:8.

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good”

In other words - look God has demonstrated what he wants. His character is what we should be doing.

“And what does the Lord require of you?”

The simple answer might be to act in line with God’s character.

What is that?

To act justly and to love mercy.

To act justly means to act in line with what is right. It means hating injustice.

When things are not in line with the way God intended them to be, we need to care about it and have the desire to do something about it.

But that desire to act with justice, must be matched with mercy.

Jesus

All of this was written before we had Jesus. Reading this after the time of Jesus we have an even bigger picture of what it means to have justice and mercy come together.

You see, these two concepts come perfectly together on the cross.

Remember, the cross is actually a symbol of punishment. It’s the punishment that means that justice is actually done.

When we look at the cross, we should however remember that it is us that deserve to be on the cross… but it’s not us - it’s Jesus. And this is where mercy comes in. Jesus takes the punishment that we deserve.

To understand this idea of acting justly and loving mercy, it is so important that we keep the cross firmly in view, because this is what what makes sense of it all.

Humility

So how do we do it?

It’s easy to say we need to hold justice and mercy together, but it’s another thing to actually do it.

Well let me come back to the start of chapter 5. Remember, we’re reminded of the crisis that Hezekiah was facing, but the saving work was to come out of the small clan of Bethlehem.

The great reminder here, is that we’re not going to do this in our own strength.

If you try to live this way of justice and mercy in your own strength, you will fail.

You will either emphasize justice or mercy at the expense of the other, and even then, you’ll do it very imperfectly.

The answer is to recognise that we actually do it in the strength of the Lord - and to do this, we need humility.

You see, back on Micah 6:8, it ended with the words “…and to walk humbly with your God”.

That last part of that verse is actually so super important. Without understanding it, I’ll go as far to say that the rest is impossible.

God has shown you what to do, but you’re only going to do it if you’re humbly walking with the Lord.

Last week, when we looked at Obadiah, we looked at this idea of pride. And it essentially becomes the enemy again here.

So check your heart for pride. Because it is the poison that will destroy your quest for justice.

You see, sometimes we can become outraged by some wrong that has happened. And quite likely, we were in the right to be outraged. But when the pride kicks in, what started out as righteous indignation, soon turns into a rant to justify why you’re right and they’re wrong.

We must guard against this.

But to walk humbly, also means that we need to recognise that when we get that righteous anger about the injustice others are causing, we also need to see the log in our own eye. We need to recognise that we too are perpetrators of injustice.

With humility, we then can ask for forgiveness, which then brings this back to the cross where justice and mercy meet.

Conclusion

Holding this all together is not easy, and I don’t for a minute want to sound like it is.

But if you venture of a humble walk with the Lord, you will start to see that we can make moves in the right direction.

We can start to see how we can look at the world and to care about the injustice, but to see the mercy that God has offered and know that even in a messed up world, we too can love justice.

When we humbly walk with God, this starts to become possible.

Micah ends his prophecy with the words in Micah 7:18 -

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgiven the transgression of the remnant of his inheritence? You do not stay angry for ever but delight to show mercy.

This is the God we serve, and it should shape who we are.

Let me pray...