The Basics

Intro: not meeting the basic requirements

There is something that is so frustrating about not meeting the basic requirements; especially if you think that they aren’t as important as what you have to offer. I mean, isn’t actual know-how more important than an antiquated degree? Shouldn’t passion outweigh practice? Basic requirements should be the simplest for us to meet, but I am willing to bet that if we were to do a survey of everyone who had ever been turned down for a role or position, or a starting position in a sport, we would find that many of us have paid far less attention to the basics than we should have.

Context of Micah

Micah was a prophet in eighth century before Jesus

chapter 5 of Micah deals with the prophecy of Jesus’ birth

730ish years before Jesus’ birth, Micah accurately prophesied that He would be born in the tiny village of Bethlehem

Micah was a younger contemporary of Hosea, Amos, and Isaiah.

Was from a small rural community called Moresheth-gath.

This was close to a trade rout so it gave Micah easy access to many people.

His contemporaries, the more popular prophets, focused on the sins of the nations

Micah focused primarily on how individuals related to God and to each other

He resonated more with farmers and shepherds than with princes and priests.

Not that he wasn’t concerned with government issues and the nation as a whole, but he was more concerned with landowners mistreating the impoverished.

He preached that revival didn’t begin in capitol cities or with governments, but with individuals and communities deciding to be obedient to God and His word.

In the first 5 verses of , God has accused His people of forgetting Him after all He has done for them.

Micah then begins to ask and answer hypothetical questions about how children of God should respond to His goodness

Read vs. 6

He considered what would be an appropriate, reverent response to what God had done for him. And his first thought was to offer burnt offerings. Micah was a good Jewish boy. He knew that God’s command had been to offer sacrifices since the time of Moses. “Then say to the Israelites: ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb—both a year old and without defect—for a burnt offering,” (NIV) But those offerings were an outward sign of repentance that had already happened internally.

He considered what would be an appropriate, reverent response to what God had done for him. And his first thought was to offer burnt offerings.

Micah was a good Jewish boy. He knew that God’s command had been to offer sacrifices since the time of Moses.

“Then say to the Israelites: ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb—both a year old and without defect—for a burnt offering,” (NIV)

But those offerings were an outward sign of repentance that had already happened internally.

Then he asked, (vs. 7)

He remembered back to when Solomon became king, and how his response to thank and honor the Lord was 1000 sacrifices.

He remembered back to when Solomon became king, and how his response to thank and honor the Lord was 1000 sacrifices. “The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. (NIV).”

“The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. (NIV).”

He wondered if using oil to consecrate himself and make himself ceremonially clean like the priests did before entering the temple would be a proper response to God’s love and forgiveness. Of course, once wouldn’t be enough, but what if he did it 10,000 times? Or maybe he should show his love and devotion like Abraham, and offer his own child as a sacrifice to God.

He wondered if using oil to consecrate himself and make himself ceremonially clean like the priests did before entering the temple would be a proper response to God’s love and forgiveness.

Of course, once wouldn’t be enough, but what if he did it 10,000 times?

Or maybe he should show his love and devotion like Abraham, and offer his own child as a sacrifice to God.

I wonder if Micah added a dramatic pause between verses 7 and 8. I wonder if when he was preaching, he got to the point about offering his first born, and then he just waited there long enough for people to start to wonder, “Wait, is he really telling me to do that?” Can you imagine going with your dad to hear the prophet, and he starts talking about how if you are really sorry for your sins, if you are really a changed person, you would have to offer up your first born, and then he just stares at you and you dad.

Then he would say something like, “of course not!” and everyone would let out a sigh of relief, “God doesn’t care about any of those ceremonial or superficial things, UNLESS you have the basics. What is the BASIC response to the love and mercy and forgiveness that God offers?

Read vs. 8

“Mankind, he has told each of you what is good” this is about you.

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 6

Mankind, he has told each of you what is good

this is about you. This is not about the priests. This is not about the king or the government; not your family, not your nation; this is about you as an individual. God wasn’t anti-sacrifice; He came up with the system. But the sacrifice of one calf was for a whole family for a whole year. The 1,000 sacrifices was a sign for the nation. This is an individual mandate to everyone who has experienced God’s love.

This is not about the priests. This is not about the king or the government; not your family, not your nation; this is about you as an individual.

this is about you. This is not about the priests. This is not about the king or the government; not your family, not your nation; this is about you as an individual. God wasn’t anti-sacrifice; He came up with the system. But the sacrifice of one calf was for a whole family for a whole year. The 1,000 sacrifices was a sign for the nation. This is an individual mandate to everyone who has experienced God’s love.

God wasn’t anti-sacrifice; He came up with the system. But the sacrifice of one calf was for a whole family for a whole year. The 1,000 sacrifices was a sign for the nation.

This is an individual mandate to everyone who has experienced God’s love.

“What does the Lord REQUIRE of you?” This is not an option. If you are a child of God, you don’t get to vote on this or ignore it. This list is the basic requirement.

“To act justly…” Treat people the right way. Do what you say you are going to do. DO the right thing, even when no one can see. Play by the rules. Don’t do to somebody else what you wouldn’t want him or her to do to you.

“To love mercy…” This is the hardest part for me. Justice and mercy seem to contradict each other. Justice is making sure things are fair. Mercy is when someone get’s let off the hook; when they get away with acting unjustly. We are supposed to LOVE it when someone isn’t punished for his or her injustice? So as children of God we are supposed to hold ourselves to a higher standard than others? That’s tough, especially since we typically reverse that. We want to be shown mercy for every hiccup, fumble, or outright lie we tell, and yet we want to be treated with honesty and integrity by everyone else. It kind of feels like we will be walked all over if we act justly and love mercy at the same time. Which is why we must…

“To love faithfulness/mercy…” This is the hardest part for me. Justice and mercy seem to contradict each other. Justice is making sure things are fair. Mercy is when someone get’s let off the hook; when they get away with acting unjustly. We are supposed to LOVE it when someone isn’t punished for his or her injustice? So as children of God we are supposed to hold ourselves to a higher standard than others? That’s tough, especially since we typically reverse that. We want to be shown mercy for every hiccup, fumble, or outright lie we tell, and yet we want to be treated with honesty and integrity by everyone else. It kind of feels like we will be walked all over if we act justly and love mercy at the same time. Which is why we must…

“Walk humbly with God”

Are you treating people well? Are you doing what you say you will do when you say you will do it? Are you excited for others when they are given a second, third, or tenth chance? Are you giving people the kind of breaks that you wish you could get? Do you acknowledge what God has done and is doing for you? Are you depending on your strength and abilities, or are you trusting in His? Are you walking humbly with your God?

I know that we all fall short in all of these basic requirements day in and day out. But, if you are a follower of Jesus, you don’t have an option, these are requirements. We are called by God to exhibit these traits so that we can point others towards Jesus. So which one do you need to work on this week?

Do you need to act more justly? What does that look like? Do you need to quit lying, or doing the thing that you know is wrong, but you can get away with it, so you keep doing it? Do you need to repay something that you owe to someone else? Do you need to be home when you say you are going to be home?

Do you need to work on loving mercy? Do you need to congratulate friend who didn’t deserve the “A”, but got it anyway, or embrace your brother or sister who seems to always get away with everything? Do you need to extend forgiveness to someone you know will likely hurt you again?

Do you need to walk humbly with your God? Do you need to be reminded of what God has done for you through Jesus’ death on the cross? Do you need to remember what He has brought you through in the past and can bring you through now? Do you need to remember who is the creator and sustainer of the universe is, and how much He loves you?

These are the basic responses to His love and salvation: act justly, love mercy, walk humbly.