Micah 6:1-8

Good Morning Church

Explain that it is youth Sunday (Mention the blessing it is to watch students grow).

Dive into Micah

The Lord’s Lawsuit

The Book of Micah is written in the typical style for the prophetic books: poetry. In the book, God is speaking through Micah, pronouncing judgment on the people of Israel and Judah, as well as other nations, including Israel’s oppressors. However in the midst of all this judgment there are glimpses of hope and restoration. It is in this book is where we find the prophecy that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).

This section of Micah, which Declan just read for us, is a really cool set of verses because it is set up like a court hearing.

Micah 6:1–2 HCSB

Now listen to what the Lord is saying: Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. Listen to the Lord’s lawsuit, you mountains and enduring foundations of the earth, because the Lord has a case against His people, and He will argue it against Israel.

God is calling his people, Judah, to court. And who are the witnesses? The mountains? The foundations of the earth? Why does God call these as witnesses? This is actually not uncommon in the Bible. There are multiple instances in which inanimate objects are call as witnesses, or made to witness. In Joshua 24:27 right after Joshua challenges the nation of Israel to put away all idols and worship and serve the Lord alone, which they choose to do, we read, “And Joshua said to all the people, “You see this stone—it will be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words the Lord said to us, and it will be a witness against you, so that you will not deny your God.””

The rock (probably a large stone that stood out; could catch the attention of the next generation) was a reminder of how God gave the people of Israel their land; it was a reminder of the covenant between God and his people; that God promised to be faithful to the Israelites, and they promised to be faithful to him.

God doesn’t call these mountains forward as witnesses because he needs a credible source to back him up; to witness that God had been faithful and Israel had not. He calls the mountains as witnesses to say that even if his people claim to have been faithful, and were accusing him of being unfaithful, that creation, which was there when the covenant was made and has been around to witness everything that happened since, would testify to God’s faithfulness.

Micah 6:3 HCSB

My people, what have I done to you, or how have I wearied you? Testify against Me!

God’s saying, “bring it on! Come at me with accusations! How have I wronged you? How have I burdened you?” Obviously the answer is that God hasn’t done anything worthy of accusation. But think about it from the perspectives of Micah’s audience. This section is directed toward the people of Judah, and likely the people of Israel (the northern kingdom) who escaped the bloodbath that the Assyrians had brought on Israel, and were seeking refuge in Judah. Israel was exiled by the Assyrians, and now the Assyrian army is attacking Judah, and it doesn’t look good. What we can deduce from this is that when God is asking his people what he has done to them, it is likely because the people of Judah are upset that this attack is coming upon them. They very well may have been claiming that God was being unfaithful.

God’s Examples of Faithfulness

Micah 6:4–5 HCSB

Indeed, I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from that place of slavery. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam ahead of you. My people, remember what Balak king of Moab proposed, what Balaam son of Beor answered him, and what happened from the Acacia Grove to Gilgal so that you may acknowledge the Lord’s righteous acts.

God is recounting times where he was faithful and actually did all the heavy lifting for Israel.

The story of the exodus

God sent plagues on Egypt while he kept the Israelites safe.

He parted the sea; all they had to do was walk.

He gave them good godly leaders

The story of Balaam

Balak, king of Moab, sent for Balaam

He was a prophet, and he knew the one true God, but he was not necessarily a prophet of God. Really it appears that he has a reputation as something more like a witch doctor.

Balaam asks God if he can go curse the Israelite. twice! God is not happy with him, but he wanted to go, so God let him.

On the way there’s a whole thing with an angel sent to kill him, and a talking donkey.

Finally, Balaam goes to curse Israel, and God forces him to bless them! 4 time!

From the Acacia grove to Gilgal

This is in reference to God bringing the people into the promised land. The acacia grove (known as Shittim) was their last encampment east of the Jordan River, and Gilgal was their first encampment in the promised land. And what happened in order for them to get there? God stopped up the water in the Jordan River so the Israelites could walk across on dry ground

Why does God bring all of these up? The people in Judah were under threat of attack by the Assyrians, and quite frankly, it would be impossible for them to win. God is giving them this message to remind them of all the other impossible things that God has done for them.

Something has to change

But there is a problem. God’s people have been unfaithful to him. God made it clear in his covenant promises that if his people were unfaithful, he would hand them over into exile, which is what looks like is going to happen with Assyria. But God’s desire is to forgive his children and see them restored. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says

2 Chronicles 7:14 HCSB

and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

At this point in Micah’s prophecy, God’s made his case. The verdict is in; Israel is guilty and they know it. So Micah says what everyone is thinking: “What should we do?”

Micah 6:6–7 HCSB

What should I bring before the Lord when I come to bow before God on high? Should I come before Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? Would the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousand streams of oil? Should I give my firstborn for my transgression, the child of my body for my own sin?

This idea of Child sacrifice was very popular in the pagan culture around Israel, and at times evil Israelite kings would establish it as a way to worship God, but God hated it. But to the people who did it, they thought it was the greatest form of sacrifice! God established the sacrificial system that you can read about in the books of the Law of Moses as a way for the Israelites to be in right relationship with God. We read in Leviticus 17:11 ((“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have appointed it to you to make atonement on the altar for your lives, since it is the lifeblood that makes atonement.”)) that blood make atonement for sins.

But the point of sacrifice was not to appease God so you could keep living in sin. God wanted hearts to change, not continuous slaughter.

So Micah asks a rhetorical question. What do we need to sacrifice in order to get God’s help? Should we do what’s written in the law: sacrifice year old caves; atone for our sins? You know, we’ve really messed up this time, maybe we need a couple thousand rams. And while were at it, lets pour out all of the olive oil in the whole land as a sacrifice, then God will know we’re serious. You know what, we are not going to survive without God’s help. Do you think we should go so far as sacrificing the most precious thing among us: our firstborn children? God will really get the idea that we realized we need him.

This is not what God want’s from his people: meaningless sacrifice to try to make him happy. That’s what the pagans do! What then should they do?

Micah answers, Micah 6:8

Micah 6:8 HCSB

Mankind, He has told you what is good and what it is the Lord requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.

Let’s explore what this means, because this is not just for the ancient Israelites, this is important for us. This is the summery of how the Israelites were supposed to act, and it’s how Jesus lived. It’s how we should live.

Justice

Everyone want’s justice right? When we think of justice, what do we typically think of? People getting what they deserve right? I mean, that’s why we have such a fascination with super heros right?

Its sounds pretty good right? Act justly. I can do that. Well let me tell you, this is not the kind of justice that the Lord requires of you. The kind of justice that we’re reading about here in Micah is not dragging those who have exulted themselves down to their rightful place, it’s about lifting up those who are down trodden.

Jesus is the greatest example of this kind of justice. Jesus, talking to his disciples said this, Matthew 20:25-28

Matthew 20:25–28 NLT

But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Sometimes justice does look like the bad guys getting what’s coming to them. But so many people are looking for that kind of justice, which most of they time they can’t do anything about, or shouldn’t do anything about, that they don’t see the ways they can be doing justice.

Are there lowly, disadvantaged people around you Church? The answer is yes. Just like in Judah at the time of Micah. The standard in the world is to take care of me and mine, and if along the way someone else has to live the hard life, well I took care of what I needed to. God called Israel to a higher standard, and he calls his Church to a higher standard too.

I won’t stand here and tell you how to go out and spend your time helping the poor and widowed. If you hear this today, that the Lord requires his people to act with justice, and you say “yes, Lord. If that’s what you require, then help me to be just.” Then you will look for injustice, and you will see it. It will then be a question of if you will choose to act.

Proverbs 21:3 HCSB

Doing what is righteous and just is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

Love Faithfulness

This is an interesting one. Because you may have heard this verse quoted a little differently. The ESV translates “to love kindness”. The NIV says “to love mercy”. This one, the HCSB says “to love faithfulness”? Why can’t these translations agree on one? So there is actually a really cool answer to this.

See, the word love here (to love faithfulness) is translated from the Hebrew word (a-habva) and it means love, as in affection, attraction, to care for some one or some thing.

The word translated as faithfulness, and kindness, and mercy, is the Hebrew word (hhesed) which is most often translated into English as...love.

Now, this word comes up quite often in the Old Testament, usually as an attribute of God. Psalm 136 uses this word 26 times in the whole poem to describe the love of God.

Hhesed is also used when people act in kindness or charity; when someone offers mercy to someone who deserved otherwise.

2 Chronicles 32:32 ESV

Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his good deeds, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

2 Samuel 2:5–6 HCSB

David sent messengers to the men of Jabesh-gilead and said to them, “The Lord bless you, because you have shown this kindness to Saul your lord when you buried him. Now, may the Lord show kindness and faithfulness to you, and I will also show the same goodness to you because you have done this deed.

When it comes to attributes of God, no other phrase is repeated more than this one in the entire Bible Exodus 34:6

Exodus 34:6 ESV

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

This word simply cannot be described with just one word. We have no English word to compare it to. But it is love. Love that is loyal, charitable, merciful, faithful, that does what is good, and right and just.

So how do we love that? Well that first love word (a-habva) means to love in an affectionate way; in an attracted way; a caring way. The same way a man and a woman love one another. Maybe we’re to have this loyal, steadfast, faithful love be a part of us, and to cherish it, to be so enthralled with it that you don’t ever want to be apart from it; to pursue it; to desire it.

Church, do you love mercy, kindness, charity, faithfulness, steadfast, self-giving, servant-hearted love? Do your actions show it.

Walk Humbly

Now, I could spend a whole sermon talking about humility. And I thought I would spend some time talking about it here. But as I did research, I found that this word translated “humble” is not the traditional Hebrew word for humble. In fact, this verse is the only time this word is used in the entire Old Testament, so it was certainly difficult for translators to pin down the exact meaning. What I found some scholars to say is that it does not mean humble in the sense we normally think of it. But more of a careful, or pure.

So God requires his people to be careful to live life in humble purity before him.

Conclusion

This command is not just for Israel and Judah; this is Christs requirement for the Church. To act justly to others, to live by Christs steadfast love, and to be careful to do right in God’s sight.

And if you’re here today thinking, “I don’t meet the requirements! I’m just like the unfaithful Israelites!” If you’re thinking, “What kind of sacrifice do I need to make to get right with God, how do I get God to save me?” It has been done, once for all in Jesus Christ

The recipients of Micah’s message from God continued down a path of sin, and they did end up in exile. But God didn’t leave them there. In the end of the Book of Micah, God promises restoration; a restoration found in Jesus. Look at this ending.

Micah 7:18–19 HCSB

Who is a God like You, removing iniquity and passing over rebellion for the remnant of His inheritance? He does not hold on to His anger forever, because He delights in faithful love. He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.