Micah 6:1-16 - Faithless People; Faithful God

Introduction

Thanks for being here

A time of prayer

Update on Tony; my aunt Jenny; other prayer needs

Last week was a great, encouraging and challenging message. Jonathan helped us to see that the biggest problem for Judah was not their external enemies, rather their greatest problem was their own sin. We will see that reemphasized in our passage tonight as well.

Historical Context

Last week, Jonathan helped us get a better picture of what was going on historically when Micah was prophesying.

This week, before we jump into the study, I want us to consider this question: Who were the prophets? What role did they play within the history of Israel and Judah?

They were primarily God’s spokesmen who served to call God’s people back to faithfulness to the Covenant that they agreed to in the Pentateuch.

Although prophets are often considered primarily foretellers of the future, we should actually think of them as forth-tellers, who simply spoke forth the Word of God.

Let’s actually look together at Deuteronomy 26:16-19 and see where the people of Israel agree to the covenant with Yahweh.

We see here that God’s people agreed to walk in His ways, keep His statutes, and obey His voice. But throughout Israel’s history, we see them failing to live up to the commitment that they had made!

Enter the prophets: they serve, as one writer called them, as the LORD’s prosecuting attorneys. (1) They indict Israel on the charge of covenant unfaithfulness, they offer evidence for the indictment, and they call the people to repentance.

(2) If the people fail to repent, the prophets tell them that the curses for disobedience that were mentioned in the covenant will come upon them.

(3) And finally, the prophets offer a hope-filled message of restoration beyond the judgment for their unfaithfulness.

This is the role that Micah is serving. He is coming to God’s people to call them back to faithfulness to Yahweh.

Micah 6:1-16

With that context in mind, let’s dive into Micah 6 tonight. I’m reading from the ESV.

Micah 6:1-8

What does the language of these first two verses sound like?

Lawsuit. The LORD, through Micah, is bringing a charge against His people.

Micah here tells the people to plead their case before the mountains, hills, and enduring foundations of the earth. This was also done in Deuteronomy and in Joshua by Moses and Joshua. They called upon elements of God’s creation to serve as witnesses to the covenant that God had made.

Unlike people, the mountains and foundations of the earth were enduring and would be there long after the death of the original recipients of the covenant.

So here, Micah calls on these elements of God’s creation to be witnesses in the LORD’s indictment against His people.

So, vs. 1-2 calls upon God’s people to plead their case because the LORD has an indictment against them. So what would you expect to read in vs. 3?

We would expect to read of God’s people making a case or the evidence against the people. Why do we read neither of those things here?

God has already made His case earlier in the book. Remember, we have seen in chapter 1 a focus on empty religious rituals, in chapter 2 a focus on social sins, in chapter 3 a focus on the wickedness from the top leadership down. The evidence against God’s people has already been laid out.

What does the LORD offer His people in vs. 3?

An opportunity to plead their case against Him. He allows them their “day in court” to demonstrate that they have only been unfaithful because of some unfaithfulness on the part of God!

He gives them an opportunity to respond with accusation, and what we hear from them?

NOTHING.

It is implied that the people have nothing to say in response to God’s question.

So, God fills the silence. Throughout the book of Micah, we have seen clear evidence of the unfaithfulness of Israel, but now we are going to hear of the faithfulness of Yahweh.

Where does God point His people in order for them to clearly see His faithfulness?

He points them to His past actions on their behalf. Let’s take a moment to look at them in order:

First, God says “For I have brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.”

This is clearly speaking of the Exodus. There’s actually a neat wordplay here that Micah uses with the word that is translated “wearied ” in vs. 3 and the word that is translated “brought up” in vs. 4. He is offering a clear contrast that He has not weighed the people down, on the contrary He lifted them up.

One commentator described the Exodus in this way: “The whole exodus event is often cited in the Old Testament as the supreme demonstration of the Great King’s grace, love, power, and care for his people. Therefore they should respond with grateful love, faith, faithfulness, and obedience to the stipulations of their…covenant.”

God’s first piece of evidence for His faithfulness is His miraculous delivery of His people from slavery in Egypt.

Why does he mention Moses, Aaron, and Miriam?

They were the leaders whom God raised up to act as deliverers on behalf of the people.

After delivering the people from slavery, God did not just leave them to figure it out from there. He sent before them leaders through whom He would graciously guide the people to the land of promise.

Second, God says “O my people, remember what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him.”

What is the significance of this reference in the history of Israel?

Back in Numbers 22-24, we see Balak, the King of Moab, summon this well-known prophet Balaam to curse the people of Israel because he had seen what Israel did to other nations and was afraid of them.

Skipping past many of the interesting details of the narrative, we see that Balaam is unable to speak any curse upon the people of Israel. In fact, he ends up speaking prophetic blessings over the people despite the wishes of the Moabite King.

What is God’s point for His people here in Micah?

Even when pagan nations wanted to curse and destroy you, I sustained and protected you!

Third, God mentions “what happened from Shittim to Gilgal.”

This was the last portion of the journey for Israel into the promised land. This is where the people are encamped when the spies are sent into Jericho. And the first place that they encamp after crossing the Jordan river is Gilgal. (You can see that in Joshua 2:1 and 4:19). So Shittim was the last of the people’s encampments east of the Jordan river and Gilgal the first of their encampments west of the Jordan river.

What’s the significance of mentioning these two locations?

They point to the enduring faithfulness of God. He got them all the way to the promised land!

However, the mention of Shittim specifically is interesting because of Numbers 25:1 immediately following the incident with Balak and Balaam where it says “While Israel lived in Shittim, the people began to whore with the daughters of Moab.”

Not only was God faithful to bring the people all the way to the promised land, but He did so despite their sinfulness against Him.

What was the purpose of these acts of God’s faithfulness according to vs. 5?

“That you may know the righteous acts of the LORD.”

God is not to be blamed for the people’s failure to keep the Covenant. His acts have been righteous. God is not guilty of wrongdoing or covenant unfaithfulness.

God’s people’s complaint against Him is baseless.

In vs. 6, we see a shift to a new speaker. Who seems to be speaking in vs. 6-7?

It sounds like a representative is speaking on behalf of God’s people.

God’s people want to know what they should bring when they come and bow themselves before God on high.

Does the request of vs. 6 sound genuine?

It does sound that way to me.

The posture seems to be one of humility and the burnt offering and year old calf were sacrifices prescribed in the Law.

However, look at vs. 7.

What do the people do with their request in vs. 7?

They add hyperbole! If we will add audacious quantities to our sacrificial offerings will the Lord be please with us then?

Then they go even further and ask about giving up their firstborn child in sacrifice for their transgression!

This was a detestable practice that was done in Ammon (Leviticus 20:2-5) and then one of the wicked Kings of Judah actually participated in this sacrifice (2 Kings 16:3).

The tone sounds a little bit exasperated, like, “will any sacrifice be good enough for God? Can’t I do anything to please the LORD?”

Whether the request here is genuine or sarcastic, the desire to please God through sacrifice was misguided.

This is the same problem we see with King Saul in 1 Samuel 15 where keeps alive sheep and oxen from a defeated city in order to offer them as a sacrifice to the Lord. The only problem is that God commanded him to kill and destroy everything! So this is what God says to Saul through Samuel: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.”

Micah is showing that the people were willing to give God anything, even that which He explicitly commanded them not to give, except that one thing that He did command:

How does Micah define what God requires from His people in vs. 8?

That which is good is what God requires. Let’s look closely at each element:

Do Justice

This word would have specifically addressed the injustice that Micah has mentioned previously concerning the rich and powerful in Israel abusing that power to the detriment of the poor.

But beyond that, it calls God’s people to live according to His will in every aspect of life. One commentator summarized it this way, “the phrase means to set up every area of Israel’s life in accord with God’s will, and not according to human advantage, comfort, or desire.”

Certainly God’s people at this time were living for themselves, not for the glory of God.

But we must also ask ourselves this question: are we living according to God’s will primarily, or are we living for our own “advantage, comfort, or desire?”

Love Kindness

the word translated kindness is at other times translated as lovingkindness. It is the idea of God’s covenant love for His people.

God’s showed His lovingkindness to the people of Israel not for what He could gain from them, but only in order to give of His abundant grace to them.

If we are to love mercy and kindness, then it will be displayed as we love the least of these.

A good New Testament contrast between those who love mercy/lovingkindness and those who don’t would be the Pharisees and Jesus Himself.

Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners, He healed lepers and showed mercy to Gentiles and a Samaritan woman. The Pharisees on the other hand avoided these types of people. They followed the letter of the law and tithed dill, mint, and cumin, but they neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Matt. 23:23).

Are our lives more like Jesus or like the Pharisees? Do we love mercy and lovingkindness? Do we love the least of these? The widows and the orphans?

Walk humbly with your God

Here, Micah reminds the people that they are to live in communion with God in a certain way. More than just a walk characterized by humility, the idea here is walking with God in a watchful or attentive way.

One commentator summarized it like this: “Walking humbly with God is living from God’s word and not one’s own, paying attention to God’s will and not following one’s own desires, turning one’s eyes to God as a servant turns his or her eyes to the master (cf. Ps. 123:2) for guidance, approbation, and correction.”

To walk humbly with our God is to walk in such a way that we are clearly acknowledging that He is God, not us. He is Lord, and we are servant. He is the sovereign, and we are the subject.

And so, this was the command to God’s people. He did not want sacrifice. He wanted justice, mercy, and humble obedience. His people have failed. This leads to the second half of the chapter.

Quick review of the first 8 verses:

God opened a covenant lawsuit against His people and instructed them to plead their case before the witnesses of creation. They had no grounds on which to accuse God, who has been only faithful to His people. Then, they ask what they can do to please God, ignoring the reality that He had already told them, and they had simply failed to do it as we will see in the following verses.

Micah 6:9-16

And now, in vs. 9-16, God is going to offer further evidence of the people’s unfaithfulness and tell of the judgment that will come upon them.

Again, the speaker changes: Who speaks here?

The LORD. Micah introduces His voice in the first half of vs. 9.

What does Micah offer as a side comment there in the beginning of vs. 9?

It is sound wisdom to fear your name.

Remember, the people have been surrounding themselves with false prophets and not listening to the message of impending judgment. Micah is again going to speak the truth that God is going to judge His people for their sins, and he adds that only a fool would disregard what the LORD has to say.

After Micah’s comment, the LORD begins his charge against His people.

In vs. 9b, God introduces judgment with the image of a rod that is going to strike the people. This image was also used by Isaiah to describe Assyria in Isaiah 10:5. Here is an easy Sunday school question: Who appointed the judgment of Israel? God did. We must not miss that fact.

What kind of questions does God ask in vs. 10-11? They are rhetorical. What is the purpose of a rhetorical question?

To get the listener to give the obvious answer. It is a way to emphasize the point as being obvious.

So, what should be obvious to God’s people?

He is not going to forget the injustice and wickedness of His people who have been gathering their wealth and riches by wickedness and deceit. They have lied and manipulated their way into personal gain.

And they have done so at the expense of the needy as we saw earlier in chapter 2.

In the ancient world, trading had to be done on an honor system since the establishment of standardized measures was difficult at the time. God’s people were breaking the honor system and using dishonest weights and scales in order to acquire gain for themselves.

They were not doing justice, loving mercy, or walking humbly with their God. They were living only for themselves.

So what is God’s response to the people’s sins according to vs. 13-15?

God is going to strike them in judgment and the things that they cheated and lied for are going to leave them empty and unsatisfied. They will save thinking that what they put away will give them security, but it will be consumed by their enemies.

Does this sound familiar?

Deuteronomy 28:38-44 - the covenant curses for disobedience

This is exactly what God said would come to pass.

Finally, vs. 16 functions as a summary to the chapter and the court case against God’s people.

Who were Omri and Ahab?

They were two wicked kings of the Northern Kingdom

1 Kings 16:25 and 1 Kings 16:30

Rather than walking in the counsel of the LORD, the people have walked in the counsel of two of the most wicked Kings in the history of the nation.

What is the result?

Desolation, inhabitants a hissing, and bear the scorn of my people.

Application - How Should We Respond?

First, God is always faithful and can never be blamed for our unfaithfulness. I don’t know about you, but I have at times blamed God for my sins. Or if I haven’t explicitly blamed God for them, I have at least tried to excuse myself in some way. Is this not what Adam did in the garden? (This woman that YOU GAVE ME). This is a tendency of human nature to blame God, but our charges will never stick to the ever faithful One!

Beyond explicitly blaming God in our hearts, how can we blame God in more subtle ways for our sinful thoughts, attitudes, or actions?

If my situation at work weren’t so difficult, I wouldn’t have so many angry outbursts. If my spouse were more loving or didn’t do those aggravating things, I would be more patient. When we blame external forces or other people, we are actually blaming the God who is sovereign over the circumstances in our lives.

When we are tempted to blame God or accuse Him of wrongdoing, how can we combat that?

We look to the past faithfulness of God. He told the Israelites of the Exodus, of the leaders, of his blessing in Moab, and of the fulfillment of His promises despite their sins at Shittim. He pointed them back to what He has done. We have the cross to which we should often look to remember God’s faithfulness to us.

We can realize that we don’t have to place the blame on anyone or anything else because we don’t have to acquit ourselves. The glorious news of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that God already knows your sin and if you have trusted Christ for salvation, your sin has been forgiven by the shedding of His blood. The gospel delivers us from the fears that tempt us to blame God in order to acquit ourselves.

So, the next time we face temptation to excuse our sin by blaming God, we can instead confess our sin and believe the glorious news that it has been forgiven in Christ.

I’d like to close with the words from a song titled: “Now Why This Fear?”

Now why this fear and unbelief? Has not the Father put to grief His spotless Son for us? And will the righteous Judge of men Condemn me for that debt of sin Now canceled at the cross?

Jesus, all my trust is in Your blood Jesus, You've rescued us Through Your great love

Complete atonement You have made And by Your death have fully paid The debt Your people owed No wrath remains for us to face We're sheltered by Your saving grace And sprinkled with Your blood

Jesus, all my trust is in Your blood Jesus, You've rescued us Through Your great love

How sweet the sound of saving grace How sweet the sound of saving grace Christ died for me

How sweet the sound of saving grace How sweet the sound of saving grace Christ died for me

Be still my soul and know this peace The merits of your great high priest Have bought your liberty Rely then on His precious blood Don't fear your banishment from God Since Jesus sets you free

Jesus, all my trust is in Your blood Jesus, You've rescued us Through Your great love