May 27, 2023
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Micah? Here’s today’s reading:
Micah 6 (NIV)
TheLord’s Case Against Israel
1 Listen to what the Lord says:
“Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;
let the hills hear what you have to say.
2“Hear, you mountains, the Lord’s accusation;
listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.
For the Lord has a case against his people;
Micah 6:6-8 Micah asks how shall people approach God? Offerings of calves, rams, rivers of oil? Can a man give his first born son as payment for sin?
God is not interested in such things.
Be just.
Love mercy.
Walk humbly before God.
Thinking of some verses….
The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him. Nahum 1:7
Behold, his soul that is lifted up is not right in him, but the just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:4
“I will have mercy, and not sacrifice….” Matthew 9:13
-gordy
God has a complaint against Israel for He keeps showing them mercy , and patience but they keep rebelling against Him. But He is a Holy God and will have to judge their sins. But in all this He again teaches them to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. [ Micah 6;8.]
Micah 5
Micah 6
God gives Israel a history lesson to show them all the ways that He has been faithful to them and how He has provided for them. And yet what is a fitting response to a God who has been so good? Sacrifices and burnt offerings? No, God is more concerned about the heart and our actually treatment of people than the gifts we may bring. And what a succinct way for God to express what He is looking for…to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with Him. It is a good reference for our behavior as well. And yet Israel has done the opposite. So how can God bless and protect when they are being unjust with dishonesty and unmerciful with selfishness and the poor treatment of people. And so the jig is up. All they have sought to gain will come to naught. They will still pursue and work hard but not gain a return. And just in case they wondered why….because they followed the practices of their most evil kings….
8 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.
Such great and simple instruction from God in Micah 6 and yet we like the Israelites despite all He has done and continues to do find it such a challenge to walk this way.
What has the Lord done to cause his people to turn away from him? He had faithfully protected, provided, and cared for them. All he asked them to do was act fairly, forgive others, and walk with the Lord without pride. Unfortunately, it is within our human nature to be sinful. We need to connect with God on a consistent basis so we don’t succumb to the evil ways of this world.