“The Verdict is In”

Series: God Speaks

Text: Micah 6:1-16

Introduction: (What?)

When I would ask the same question or make the same statement several times, my dad would often say, “I heard you when you first drove up.” In a way that is what God said through Micah in the beginning of this passage. The people had already been told the case that God had against them, and yet they still didn’t get it. More likely they didn’t want to get it. Then God, the plaintiff, became God, the attorney, and finally God the judge and jury.

Examination: (Why?)

1. Understanding true worship (vv 1-8)

Mic 6:1-8 1.“Now listen to what the Lord is saying: Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your complaint. 2. 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. 3. My people, what have I done to you, or how have I wearied you? Testify against me! 4. 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. 5. My people, remember what King Balak 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. 6. 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? 7. 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 offspring of my body for my own sin? 8. Mankind, He has told each of 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.”

“If I’ve told you once I’ve told you a thousand times!” Does that sound familiar to you? Maybe you’ve even heard it coming out of your own mouth when you were exasperated with your kids for either doing or not doing something you had told them over and over about. That seems to be the LORD’s demeanor as He speaks, once again, through Micah to the people of Israel. He reminded them of several things He had done for them and several ways He had warned them. He had brought them out of Egypt, He had delivered them from the curse that King Balak of Moab had sought from Balaam and He had led them across the Jordan River into the Promised Land…and still they complained.

Today when we complain God would answer by reminding us that He sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins even when we had not repented. God does not have to do one more thing to prove His love for us. Ro 5:8 “But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Often though our response is “But what have You done for me LATELY?”

In his summation of God’ charges Micah reminded the Israelites, and us, of His requirements for us in Mic 6:8 “Mankind, he has told each of 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.” These actions can only be done by those who have genuinely repented of self and sin. The same message in different words appears in Hos 6:6 “For I desire faithful love (chesed; “steadfast love; faithfulness; loyalty; mercy and kindness) and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” and Am 5:15 “Hate evil and love good; establish justice at the city gate. Perhaps the Lord, the God of Armies, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.” Very rarely does God say something only once to His people. Repetition adds emphasis to the importance of His message. Only those who have truly repented can fulfill God’s requirements.

2. Understanding incomplete repentance (vv 9-12)

Mic 6:9-12 9.“The voice of the Lord calls out to the city (and it is wise to fear your name): “Pay attention to the rod and the one who ordained it. 10. Are there still the treasures of wickedness and the accursed short measure in the house of the wicked? 11. Can I excuse wicked scales or bags of deceptive weights? 12. For the wealthy of the city are full of violence, and its residents speak lies; the tongues in their mouths are deceitful.”

Most people seem to prefer a “one and done” approach to repentance. They want to repent of their Godlessness when they surrender to Christ and never have to repent again. That would be well and good if they never sinned again. Unfortunately, even the most pious of us will sin. In v 9 God warned them to “pay attention!” That means not only to listen, but to heed. Even those who had once repented often separated their church life from their daily lives, and we do the same today. The Disciple's Study Bible puts it this way, “Sin is not limited to church matters. God pays attention to our business practices. Cheating our customers is sin. Forgetting truth and honesty to get rich never pays in the long run. Missing God’s mark in our business life brings ultimate destruction.” With our propensity to sin in mind, the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” When John used the word “we” he was including himself, the “disciple whom Jesus loved”. God will never overlook sin even in the lives of the most committed church member. One and done repentance is incomplete. Miss Bertha Smith, missionary in China during the Shantung Revival, said, “keep a short sin account.” Confession and repentance must be at least a daily practice, and for many of us it must be several times a day. When we walk closely with the LORD, the HOLY SPIRIT makes us aware of trespasses (wandering across the line), sins (missing the mark), and iniquity (wickedness; deliberate sins). We must cultivate a habit of immediate confession and repentance when He makes us aware.

To show how quickly we can move from extreme piety to sin, look at Peter in Matt 16:16-17 “Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven.” That had to make Peter feel pretty good. But look ahead to Matt 16:22-23 “Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “Oh no, Lord! This will never happen to you!” Jesus turned and told Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.”” In just seven verses of scripture Peter went from God speaking through Him to Satan speaking through him. You and I can just as easily fall into sin. Our repentance, to be complete must be continuous.

3. The Verdict (vv 13-16)

Mic 6:13-16 13.“As a result, I have begun to strike you severely, bringing desolation because of your sins. 14. You will eat but not be satisfied, for there will be hunger within you. What you acquire, you cannot save, and what you do save, I will give to the sword. 15. You will sow but not reap; you will press olives but not anoint yourself with oil; and you will tread grapes but not drink the wine. 16. The statutes of Omri and all the practices of Ahab’s house have been observed; you have followed their policies. Therefore, I will make you a desolate place and the city’s residents an object of contempt; you will bear the scorn of my people.”

The verdict is in and the judgment begins. Just as with the Israelites, any “desolation” we experience is because of our unconfessed sins from which we have not repented. Consequently we will rarely be satisfied and will have difficulty saving anything. What we do save will be eaten up by medical expenses, damage to home or automobiles and/or other unplanned expenses. (the sword) Our crops and our work will not be productive and we will not reap the reward for our efforts. Any idols we worship will be torn down and we will become obnoxious and contemptuous to other people. It is obvious that this judgment is taking place in America today.

Application: (How does this apply to me?)

Pray Psalm 139:23-24 and repent of any sin God reveals.

Renew your surrender to Jesus without any provisions.

Walk in obedience to the Word of God.

Make daily personal worship a part of your life.