Micah 6:6-7

New International Version

With what shall I come before the Lord
    and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

For Meditation

God called the mountains to witness the charges against His people. It was a critical situation, a moment of divine reckoning, that showed His deep concern about their waywardness and the urgent need for repentance.

He had done everything to show them His love and faithfulness, yet they did not get it right with Him. Despite the shepherding God provided through Moses and his siblings during their sojourn in the wilderness, they failed to understand His love. Instead of the curses Balak intended for the new nation of Israel through Balaam, God pronounced blessings on them in the plains of Moab (Numbers 23-24). The history of His dealings with them through the period of the kings and prophets evidenced His loving kindness to them, yet what did he get from them? Continued rebellion and sinfulness. Their idea of walking right with God was fulfilling just the Temple sacrificial system that God instituted to lead them to a closer walk with Him in obedience and holiness (Micah 6:1-8). But in all of them, God had shown them the right way and what He requires of them – justice, mercy, and righteousness (Micah 6:8) towards their fellow men.

This scripture exposes our situation with the Lord as Christians. God has redeemed us from slavery to sin and brought us from the grave into His kingdom as His children (Colossians 1:13-14). Through the ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit and His word, He has showered His love on us and given us grace to obey Him. We have always disobeyed Him and lived like we never knew his holy covenant with us. We have loved the world, our wealth, positions, and power, and oppressed the weak. Our arrogance has elevated our traditions above His word and paraded ourselves before Him with corrupted sacrifices without shame.

We care about animals more than the people He created in His image, exchanged His glory for our inventions, and degraded our bodies in unnatural ways that challenge His created order (Romans 1:18-21). Yet, we turn around to ask Him how we can please Him. What hypocrisy!

Well, the Lord is speaking to us from the prophet Micah in the same way He spoke to Israel in Micah 6:1-8. He has a charge against us and calls the skyscrapers and monuments to witness against us. For,

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God (8).

What is your response? How do you show the Lord that you see your disobedience, repent, and turn to Him after justice, mercy, and righteousness?

In another message, we will explore how far we have drifted away from His ways. For now, let us remember what God requires of us in this dispensation and seek to satisfy Him and Him alone. The days are evil, and His glory is what we must seek.

God bless you, and may His shalom rest in you through the day in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Pray with Me

Father, thank you for this wake-up call to live as Christ did, to be His witnesses on earth, reflecting His love, mercy, and justice. Amen.