What is it that God wants
Who, Not What
What is it that God wants from me?
For God, from God:
responses ranged from burnt offerings to a beloved child.
Who, Not What (6:6–8)
What God really wants is you!
“come with things, but give yourself.
The answer begins by saying there will be no surprises! “He has showed you … what is good
Who, Not What (6:6–8)
Who, Not What (6:6–8)
“It’s you, not something
“come with things, but give yourself.
Who, Not What (6:6–8)
Who, Not What (6:6–8)
responses ranged from burnt offerings to a beloved child
The answer begins by saying there will be no surprises! “He has showed you … what is good.
Doing, loving, walking
The answer makes clear that what God does want is me! “It’s you, not something
The answer makes clear that what God does want is me! “It’s you, not something
God would have from God’s people a certain way of living, sketched in broad outline in the three statements which follow.
Doing, Loving, Walking
thematic word from the prophet Amos and emphasizes the social dimension: “to do justice
Israel did not act in righteousness, nor did they love mercy, nor did they walk humbly in fellowship with the Lord.
Israel did not act in righteousness, nor did they love mercy, nor did they walk humbly in fellowship with the Lord.
Amos’s comparison of justice to a flowing, churning stream (Amos 5:24)
The powerful oppress the powerless (2:1–2, 8–9; 3:1–3, 9–10), laborers are exploited (3:10), courts are corrupt (3:11). To do justice means to work for the establishment of equity for all, especially for the powerless.
Second, “to love kindness.” Here is the thematic word for Hosea, hesed. This word is especially rich in meaning, as the variety of its translations indicates. When used of human relationships, it means love with a strong element of loyalty, such as that between a husband and wife (Hos. 2:19 “steadfast love”) or between two friends (1 Sam. 20:14, “loyal love”). When used of the human relationship to God, it again means love-loyalty (Hos. 6:4, “love” and 6:6, “steadfast love”; see the commentary on these texts).
Israel did not act in righteousness, nor did they love mercy, nor did they walk humbly in fellowship with the Lord.
“to walk humbly with your God.” This expression stresses the theological dimension of the sort of life God wants
The word translated “humbly” has more the sense of “circumspectly, carefully,” than humility
The important word is “walk,” which is used to describe the whole orientation of one’s life
In Judaism the word for ethics is halacha which means “walking”; the idea is that the task of ethics is to describe how one ought to walk one’s day-by-day life.
One who so walks with God will not be exempt from the dark places of life. That person does have the assurance though that this walk is not taken alone: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me …” (Ps. 23:4).
“How should I respond? What does God want from me?” That is the question. The answer given here describes a step-by-step living with God and living for others, acting as advocate for the powerless and showing care for those who are hurting and who need help.
“is good and most kind.” He is “merciful, compassionate and rich in mercy,”22 which “he prefers to every sacrifice
“is good and most kind.” He is “merciful, compassionate and rich in mercy,”22 which “he prefers to every sacrifice
He is “the Savior of all people, and especially of the faithful.”25 Therefore the children of God must also be “merciful”26 and “peacemakers,”27 “forgiving each other as Christ also forgave us,”28 “not judging, lest we be judged.”29
“Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”31
Yet many such things as these are only said, not done, merely bandied about, unmanning rather than strengthening discipline, flattering God and pandering to themselves
Israel did not act in righteousness, nor did they love mercy, nor did they walk humbly in fellowship with the Lord.
Why not? Because they were uncircumcised in their hearts
khesed [TH2617, ZH2876] (mercy) describes the loyal love
God lives with those whose spirits are “contrite and humble” (Isa 57:15)
Jesus taught that the humble will inherit the earth (Matt 5:5; on humility
“come with things, but give yourself.