Most of us are familiar with courtroom dramas, whether on TV such as Perry Mason or Boston Legal, or what we might see in the pages of some mystery novels. Perhaps you might watch the live Court TV with real courtroom coverage. One exciting moment in some court cases, whether real or in a drama, is when one side will call in an unexpected witness to testify on their behalf. When they call the surprise witness, and the doors in the back of the courtroom open, everyone turns around in their seats to who it is. Sometimes a gasp rises in the courtroom when they see who it is.
Our Scripture passage today comes from the prophet Micah, and has a courtroom appearance. The Lord has summoned the people of Israel to court as they have failed Him as His children, breaking His Laws, and turning to the false gods of other nations in worship. Now, as our passage opens, the Lord calls a witness that must have been a surprise, even a shock, to the people. As we read in verses 1 and 2, the Lord calls upon the mountains as His witness against the people. The mountains, and truly all of nature, have been present since creation. They have seen all that the Lord has done for His people, not only for Israel, but also for Christians today. They will now stand as God’s witnesses in this courtroom that the Lord has called, as He brings charges against His people, and the mountains witness and testify on His behalf.
As the Lord opens the court, He brings charges against Israel, questioning them, asking them to tell Him (as He’s also the Judge), what He has done against them. What reasons did they have for turning against the Lord, and for turning to false gods? (vs. 3-5). He brought the people of Israel out from bondage in Egypt, lovingly caring for them, and bringing them to the Promised Land, which He gave to them as a heritage. God has faithfully kept every promise He has ever made.
How about us? Could the Lord summon me or you into His courtroom with charges of faithlessness to Him? All of creation can stand as His witness for Him today, just as certainly as they did in the days of Micah. We might respond by saying that we go to church regularly, that we give our tithes and offerings faithfully, that we serve in this or that church position, play an instrument or sing in church, etc. The Jewish people in the Old Testament responded the same way, saying they offered the required sacrifices (vs. 6-7). However, God sees right through all of that. He knows what is in our hearts, whether these are just outward actions while our hearts and other behavior is far from Him. In light of all of God’s faithfulness, why are we hypocritical, by being outwardly religious but inwardly sinful?
We are so quick to forget all the good things that have happened to us. Not only did the Jewish people quickly forget all that God did for them, believers today lose sight of all of God’s blessings. We tend to have a short memory when it comes to remembering God’s blessings. We become forgetful, fail to give Him thanks, take His blessings for granted, and even become ungrateful and self-centered.
As our passage ends, God tells His people what He wants from them (vs. 8). God wants a spiritual commitment from the heart, from which right behavior will follow. God wants us to be just, to be merciful, and to be humble before Him. Are we fair in our dealings with others? Do we show mercy? Do we practice humility? This is the pattern of life that Jesus showed us as He lived on earth. Allow Jesus to live His life in and through us, and we will become the type of believers that God wishes.
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