When we have a problem with someone, some issue that is bothering us, the best thing to do is bring it out in the open, discuss it, and try to work the problem out. Sometimes, if the other person is stubborn or doesn’t want to listen, we may need to plead our case with them, sometimes even enlisting the help of witnesses, if possible. In our Scripture today, the Prophet Micah, speaking the Lord’s Word, brought God’s case against the people of Judah. Let’s see what the Lord had to say.
As chapter 6 begins, the Lord addresses His people, and He calls the mountains and hills throughout the country to be His witnesses (vs. 1-2). He invites the people to bring their case against Him, too. God wanted to know what the people could possibly have against Him. Why were they tired of Him? Hadn’t He brought them up out of slavery in Egypt, redeeming them from bondage? Didn’t He provide them with protection from every neighboring enemy nation, as Balaam could witness? (vs. 3-5). God had only ever done good to them, and had faithfully kept all of His promises to them.
Despite all of God’s blessings to them, both the nations of Judah and Israel had so often turned aside from faithfully following Him, and instead went after the pagan idols that the surrounding nations worshiped. The mountains would serve as excellent witnesses, for it was in the high places that the people had built their pagan altars, and had sacrificed to the false gods (I Kings 14:23; Jeremiah 17:2-3). The pagan people had frequently built their altars to their pagan deities on hills, and also in groves, and these were also often places for religious prostitution to take place. Many of the Hebrew people resorted to worshiping idols there, as well.
What has God done to us that we so quickly forget about Him, or even turn against Him? Hasn’t He brought to us every blessing possible, providing for all of our needs? And most importantly, hasn’t the Lord brought us forgiveness of our sins and salvation through the Blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ? Yet we are so quick to turn away from Him, and make our own version of pagan gods to worship. The Lord asks us the same question He asked the people of Judah - what have I done to you and how have I wearied you? It is all too easy to start taking God’s blessings for granted, or even to forget them. We need to regularly remember God’s goodness and thank Him.
Though many of the people were worshiping and sacrificing to pagan deities in the high places on hills, mountains, and groves, they still continued to bring sacrifices to the Temple in Jerusalem (vs. 6-7). They were being outwardly religious, but inwardly they remained sinful. Jesus condemned such hypocrisy in the Pharisees. Though the Pharisees didn’t worship pagan gods, they made a great show of religiosity, following all sorts of man-made religious laws, but inwardly they were filled with all sorts of sins (Mark 7:20-23).
The Lord then brings His argument and pleading against His people to a climax, which we see in verse 8. God is not satisfied with an outward show of religiosity if our hearts are not right with Him. God had very openly shown this truth when He condemned King Saul for thinking he could make up for his flagrant disobedience of God with some animal sacrifices (I Samuel 15:22-23). Spiritual blindness had led the people to offer everything except the one thing God wanted - a spiritual commitment of the heart, which would bring right behavior.
Some people do not like this verse, as they think it portrays a “works salvation”. Others say that this shows that salvation through Jesus isn’t necessary, as long as we are “good people”. This verse does not show the way of salvation, but instead it shows the results of true salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9).
God wants His people to be just, merciful, and to walk humbly with Him. Mercy is very important to God, as He so readily shows that to us. He withholds the just punishment that our sins deserve, choosing instead to give us His love and blessings. Because He has done that for us, God says He wants us to show the same mercy to others. As Jesus told us, if we are merciful, we will receive His mercy (Matthew 5:7). We need all the mercy we can get, so if we want mercy, we need to be a dispenser of mercy to others. To live the Christian life is to allow Jesus to live His life in and through us. We need to be humble, merciful, and to act justly, just such behaviors as Jesus would exhibit.
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