God Builds His Case (Week 3 - Post 1)

Micah 6 - 7 make up the third and final message of this little book.  Micah sets up a court room scene.  God, the plaintiff, brings a case against His people.  We will consider this message in three parts. 

Read Micah 6.  If you read it out loud, you will get a sense of the flow of the material and the drama of the scene.

Today we will consider verses 1 - 8. 

God pleads his case in verses 1 - 5.  He asks His people to explain what He has done to reap such unfaitfulness from them.  What has He done to "weary" them so!  And He then lists a few of the incredible things He has done for them - the deliverance, the protection, the provision.  The cross-references in your Bible will show you where you can read about each of the events and people that are mentioned.  Deliverance ... protection ... provision. 

Do you ever consider the ways of the Lord too hard for you?  Does relationship with God place a "load" on the believer that is too heavy to carry.  Are His righteous requirements too strict?  Are they unreachable?  Do you ever think about just giving up and living like the world around you?  Is living for God too wearisome? 

It is in the times of discouragement that we MUST reflect back on the deliverance God provided for each of us - "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free." (Galatians 5:1)  "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8: 1 - 2)  We MUST reflect back on the protection He offers - "we find refuge in the shadow of your wings" (Psalm 36:7).  We MUST reflect back on the provision that is always available.  "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35)  "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink." (John 7:37)  Reflecting back is exactly what God asks His people to do in the first few verses of Micah 6.  Remember ...

Israel makes her first reply in verses 6 - 7.  It is as if the people reply with:  how in the world can we satisfy this God?  What does He want from us?  Is it the ordinary sacrifice of a calf?  Or perhaps we need to bring thousands and thousands of sacrifices?  Would that do?  Or perhaps we even should offer our eldest children to Him?  Would that satisfy this God? 

Micah answers with the beautiful words of verse 8 - perhaps the only verse from Micah that you already knew.  Before this study, it was the only verse from Micah that I could quote and knew where to find!  Read it aloud for yourself ...

He has showed you, O man, 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.

Act justly ... to live right in relation to one's fellow man in social and political affairs.  Get rid of the "better than" thinking that is so much a part of human nature.  Act justly - even with those who are not of your "group"!

Love mercy ... exhibit the quality of steadfast loving-kindness which is such a part of the nature of God, Himself.  Show mercy to your children ... your spouse ... your friend ... your colleague.  The definition in English is: "a refraining from harming or punishing offenders, enemies, persons in one's power; kindness in excess of what may be expected or demanded by fairness."  Love it!  Quit wanting people to "get theirs!"  Quite delighting in revenge.  Love mercy.

Walk humbly with your God ... there is no place for arrogance among God's people.  Humility before God is the position of your heart.  Bowed down.  Honoring God more than yourself ... or anyone else.  Walk that way.  Live that way.  Every day.  At both work and play.  At home as well as church.  When recognized and when passed over. 

The requirements of our Lord are not unreachable ... they are not "wearisome".  The are beautiful.  They require surrender.  Often they require His life living through us ... but that's OK ... because you who belong to Christ have the very Spirit of God living in you! 

Micah 6:8 ... memorize it.  Make it part of your being so that when circumstances arise in your day tomorrow that challenge you ... justice, mercy and humility will be spill out all over those around you.  And God will be honored ...