Micah 6:1-8
1 Hear now what the LORD says:
"Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
And let the hills hear your voice.
2 Hear, O you mountains, the LORD's complaint,
And you strong foundations of the earth;
For the LORD has a complaint against His people,
And He will contend with Israel.
3 "O My people, what have I done to you?
And how have I wearied you?
Testify against Me.
4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
I redeemed you from the house of bondage;
And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5 O My people, remember now
What Balak king of Moab counseled,
And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him,
From Acacia Grove to Gilgal,
That you may know the righteousness of the LORD."
6 With what shall I come before the LORD,
And bow myself before the High God?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
Ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
The LORD contended with His people for their complaints against Him. He told them to speak up for all to hear, even the very mountains they inhabited. God then let the same hear Him contending with His people Israel down to the foundation of the earth on which they stood by His work and grace. He challenged them to say what they believed He had done wrong to them to make them tired of following His word after all He had done for their good as if testifying in court of the supposed offense. The LORD reminded them it was He who brought them out of the bondage to sin pictured in Egypt. He reminded them that they were given redemption through the ministers of His right hand, namely Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. He reminded them of their deliverance by His hand from bad counsel from Balak through the mouth of a lowly donkey when Balaam could not see or hear God (Joshua 24:9-10, Numbers 22:33). These things put God’s righteous on display for them to clearly see and understand His hand of goodness and deliverance for themselves. It was not the rote rituals of sacrifice which God asked from them, not their firstborn or possessions offered up to appease Him, but their hearts and minds. God had told and demonstrated that what He really desired was for them to do justly with each other instead of deceiving for personal gain. He desired that they would learn to love showing mercy instead of vengeance to exact retribution from each other. He desired that they would live with humility instead of pride in their own supposed accomplishments or good works which always fall short (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 64:6). These pointed to the coming Christ of which Paul said in Philippians 3:8-9 that all his own righteousness was rubbish compared to that of Christ acquired by faith and not able to be earned no matter how hard he tried to obtain it by his best efforts. May we then take heed and walk with Him in fairness and overflowing mercy of forgiveness to others by showing grace and all humility before Him as examples to others (John 13:15, Philippians 3:17, 1 Peter 5:3, 5-6), pleasing God with our hearts lived out according to this word. We are to do what is right in place of sinning, love to show mercy when offended, and so walk in humility before God and men. That is being a living sacrifice that pleases God in Christ (Romans 12:1). Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment