Lessons from Micah 6: What’s Required of You?

Lessons from Micah 6: What’s Required of You?

Micah 6:6-8 NASBS
With what shall I come to the LORD And bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves? [7] Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? [8] He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

In Verses 1-7 before this, God demonstrates the work He has done for his people:

* brought His people out of Egypt
* ransomed their freedom
* sent Moses to accomplish His will

Contrast this with the iniquity and sinfulness of Israel, and its ungrateful conduct towards God.

This is similar to modern man today, where God has done wonderful things in each of our lives, yet we grumble and complain regarding the immediate hardships before us. We fail to stop and think about what God has already done to even bring us to this moment.

Verses 6-8 ask the rhetorical question “what shall I do that God requires of me?” Micah spells out the typical “physical” response to bring before God:

1. Burnt offerings and yearling calves – these were typical offerings performed by the Priests, with the yearlings being the best calves without defect.

2. How about thousands of rams or 10 thousand rivers of oil? To the Israelites this was not out of the ordinary. King Solomon sacrificed many thousands of animals at the dedication of the temple.

3. Sacrificing of your firstborn? Outrageous? Remember Abraham and Isaac: Israel had seen this before. Also Mesha king of Moab in 2 Kings 3:27 offers his firstborn son as a sacrifice to appease Israel.

But these are not what God wants from us. These physical, tangible acts are what we think of to please God. He wants our spiritual nature: justice, kindness, humility.