Micah 6

Listen to what the LORD says: “Stand up, plead my case before the mountains; let the hills hear what you have to say. Hear, you mountains, the LORD’s accusation; listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth. For the LORD has a case against his people; he is lodging a charge against Israel” Micah 6:1-2

Here we have a court case between the Lord and his people. Meyer states, “The mountains, as the most enduring monuments of nature, are summoned as witnesses in the great trial between Jehovah and his people…” [1] This picture is not an unusual one for we see it reenacted in other scriptures. In places, he even includes the heavens as a witness (Deut. 4:26; 31:28; 32:1; Psa. 50:4; Isa. 1:2). Nature itself is an example of strict obedience to the laws of the Creator and it is called to testify. Even the everlasting foundations of the earth are summoned. From this, we learn that the earth is eternal. This is evident in several scriptures (Psa. 93:1; 96:10; 104:5; Eccl. 1:4).

“My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam” (6:3-4). Has God done evil to his people? Has he failed them? Rather, he has redeemed them from abject slavery in Egypt and led them tenderly on their way to freedom. God sent them Moses, who, outside of Christ, might have been the most holy and outstanding leader in human history. God sent Aaron, who initiated the holy priesthood of Israel, and he sent Miriam, the prophetess, holy dancer and singer (Exo. 15:20-21). What blessed and tender care!

“My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD” (6:5). The episode of King Balak of Moab and Balaam the prophet was one of the most serious challenges to Israel in her journey from Egypt. King Balak of Moab was fearful of the vast numbers of Israelites moving near his territory. He sent to Mesopotamia for the prophet Balaam, promising him a great reward if he would come and curse Israel.

Balaam is one of the Bible’s most interesting and most perplexing characters. We read about this episode in Numbers chapter 22 through chapter 24. Balaam is mentioned in several other places of scripture, even in the New Testament. The Jewish people consider Balaam as the first Gentile prophet. We might also say he was the worst Gentile prophet. He was a serious threat to Israel since he seemed to have a very strong prophetic gifting.

As we look at Balaam in these chapters, we discover several things. God first of all told this prophet not to go to Balak and not to put a curse on Israel (Num. 22:12). Balaam obeyed temporarily, but we observe from the story that his tongue was a mile long with greed. He really wanted Balak’s reward. Finally, God allowed Balaam to go but was very angry with the situation (22:22). The Angel of the Lord sought to stop the mad prophet. Even the donkey he was riding tried to stop him. Balaam, like a madman carried on a miraculous conversation with the donkey as if it were a normal thing to do.

So, Balaam continued his journey to Balak, with the promise of great reward. He tried to curse Israel, but only a blessing of Israel came forth. This happened three times, much to the displeasure of Balak. It is obvious that Balaam was trying to mix sorcery with his prophecy (24:1) but he learned that sorcery would not work against Israel (23:23).

Balaam was a mixture of true prophecy and sorcery. Yet, when he tried to curse Israel only a blessing came forth each time. In fact, one of the best prophecies of the coming Davidic kingdom and perhaps its Messiah is seen in Numbers 24:17-19. Balaam tried and tried to curse Israel, but he could not succeed. His prophetic episode at Moab ended in failure. Israel was saved from what might have been a devastating curse from Balaam. God was taking great care of them.

We do know from the New Testament that Balaam tried another tactic and succeeded wonderfully. In Revelation 2:14, it is said: “…There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.” Balaam was therefore responsible for the awful falling away of Israel at Baal-Peor. Thousands of Israelites were lured into fornication and adultery leading to the false worship of Baal. God’s judgment fell and 24,000 Israelites were slain (Num. 25:9). This was one of the most disastrous events in Israel’s journey. It is interesting that when Israel entered the land one of their first acts was to slay Balaam (Josh. 13:22).

This whole dreadful episode happened at a place called Shittim, as they were on their way to enter Canaan and to finally arrive at Gilgal. In order to complete that journey, God led them through the Jordan River at flood stage just as he had led them through the Red Sea. How amazing, that God still led Israel even after all their unbelief at Shittim.

How To Properly Worship God

With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Micah 6:6

After their disastrous experience, it seems that Israel is asking God just how they should worship him. They begin by doing a quick and very limited review of the sacrificial system. Coffman, quoting Rolland Wolfe, says: “This passage is one of the greatest in the Bible on the futility of ritualistic worship.” [2] Under the Old Covenant God was looking for obedience. He was also looking for their ethical behavior. But even this was not sufficient.

The simple answer to their question was given and explained centuries later in Hebrews 10:4. It was answered for all time: “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”

God would finally take away sins by their belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. The old sacrificial system was one of types and shadows, always looking forward to the final forgiveness. The people’s job was to be obedient to the types by faithfully making their prescribed offerings. The final forgiveness for all their sins would be made with the shedding of Jesus’ blood centuries later. Someone has said that the whole sacrificial system was only an IOU until the death of Jesus.

Paul deals with this mystery in Romans 3:25. He says, “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood – to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished…”

“Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” (6:7). Coffman remarks: “Some of Israel’s kings, especially, had offered the most outlandish numbers of beasts as sacrifices. Solomon offered 1,000 burnt offerings (1 Kings 3:4), 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep 1 Kings 8:63; 2 Chronicles 30:24; 2 Chronicles 35:7). Solomon must have supposed that cleared him of the blame for having 700 wives and 300 concubines!” [3]

Guzik says: “We can almost hear Israel shouting at God from the witness stand. “You ask too much, God. Nothing will satisfy You. If we brought thousands of rams or rivers of oil or even our own firstborn it would not be enough to please You. You are unreasonable.” [4]

They even ask if God desires that they sacrifice their own children for their sins. This of course was totally forbidden under God’s law. On some rare occasions, it was actually done. Evil kings Ahaz (2 Ki. 16:3) and Manasseh (2 Ki. 21:6) did such things. Nevertheless, child sacrifice was a pagan practice and demanded the death sentence for Israelites who practiced it (Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5; Deu. 12:31 and 18:10).

What did God really want? He really wanted the blood of Jesus to cover the sins of humankind. That of course would take a lot of time to work out. Until that time, God’s people would have to be content with the types and shadows of animal sacrifices.

“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” (6:8). This verse may qualify as being the most well-known saying of Micah. Some have called it the greatest saying of the Old Testament. [5] Feinberg concludes: “Liberals who love to make a religion out of this verse fail to realize that these requirements of the Law are impossible of fulfillment by the unregenerate man.” [6]

Centuries later Jesus himself would answer this urgent question: “Then they asked him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent’” (Jn. 6:28-29).

Israel’s Guilt And Punishment

Listen! The LORD is calling to the city – and to fear your name is wisdom – “Heed the rod and the One who appointed it.” Micah 6:9

The meaning of the Hebrew text is a little unclear in this verse. Perhaps the NET translation would make more sense in saying: “Listen! The LORD is calling to the city! It is wise to respect your authority, O LORD! Listen, O nation, and those assembled in the city!” (Mic. 6:9 NET).

The Lord says: “Am I still to forget your ill-gotten treasures, you wicked house, and the short ephah, which is accursed?” (6:10). Wiersbe says that “businessmen were exploiting and abusing the poor and needy in the land for whom God has a special concern (Amos 8:4-10… also see Micah 2:2; 3:1-3).” [7]

The ephah was a standard dry measurement for grain and other items. It was approximately the equivalent of five gallons (US) or about 20 liters. Crooked merchants could work with a short ephah, maybe not short enough for people to notice. This practice hurt poor people most of all since they were dependent on every ounce of their purchases of grain, flour and other food items for their very livelihood.

“Shall I acquit someone with dishonest scales, with a bag of false weights?” (6:11). The Bible has quite a bit to say about dishonest scales. In the law of God it is written: “’Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt” (Lev. 19:35-36). In the Book of Proverbs, we have some practical wisdom about this very thing: “The LORD detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with him” (Prov. 11:1). “Honest scales and balances belong to the LORD; all the weights in the bag are of his making” (Prov. 16:11). When I was a child, I remember that some of the merchants would slip their finger on to the scales when they were selling some food items.

“Your rich people are violent; your inhabitants are liars and their tongues speak deceitfully” (6:12). The rich person’s wealth is like a fortified city (Prov.10:15). The rich can afford to answer gruffly and use wealth to control and hurt others. The poor person must come meekly and plead for needs to be supplied. The rich lie and deceive others. Deception is a way of leading others to believe a lie. All those who love to lie will eventually find themselves consigned to a lake of burning sulfur at the end-day (Rev. 21:8).

When it comes to the subject of lies versus truth, our society has a very big problem. Already, 72 percent of Americans deny that absolute truth exists, and that includes biblical truth. [8]

The Christian philosopher Nancy Pearcey says, “The very meaning of the word true has been distorted. It no longer means that a statement matches what really exists in the world but only that it matches my inner experience.” [9] The novelist George Orwell says: “In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” [10]

“Therefore, I have begun to destroy you, to ruin you because of your sins” (6:13). Woe unto us when God begins to destroy us because he will surely finish the job. He began to destroy Judah with the Assyrians and he finished the job with the Babylonians. Barnes feels that Micah is referring to the threats of the law as seen in Leviticus 26:16; Deuteronomy 28:30, and Deuteronomy 28:38-41. [11]

“You will eat but not be satisfied; your stomach will still be empty. You will store up but save nothing, because what you save I will give to the sword. You will plant but not harvest; you will press olives but not use the oil, you will crush grapes but not drink the wine” (6:14-15). There is a very close connection between obedience to God and natural blessing. Israel in her long history went through several cycles of blessing and famine, depending upon their obedience to the Lord.

Modern nations have experienced a similar thing. Some years ago, when America was more of a Christian nation, she was the breadbasket of the world. Now neopagan America is beginning to suffer want. Newsweek Magazine reported in 2023:

The U.S. had the highest rate of people struggling to afford enough food to feed themselves and their families of all G7 countries in 2023, according to a recent Gallup survey. One in four (26 percent) Americans surveyed in a new Gallup analysis, titled “U.S.: Leader or Loser in the G7?” said there have been times in the past 12 months when they did not have enough money to buy the food they needed. [12]

“You have observed the statutes of Omri and all the practices of Ahab’s house; you have followed their traditions. Therefore I will give you over to ruin and your people to derision; you will bear the scorn of the nations” (6:16). Israel’s King Omri (reigned 876–869 or c. 884–c. 872 BC), began an exceedingly evil dynasty. He moved the capital from Tirzah to Samaria and outwardly was a strong and respected ruler. Inwardly, he began a time of compromise with the Canaanites (1 Ki. 16). “The statutes of Omri included unbridled wickedness and Baal-worship.” [13] In 1 Kings 16:25 we are told that, “…Omri did evil in the eyes of the LORD and sinned more than all those before him.”

His son Ahab married a Canaanite princess, Jezebel, who became the epitome of evil. Once again, the Canaanite gods were worshipped. The true Israelite prophets went into hiding. Earlier we mentioned how Baal worship seeped into Judah through the city of Lachish. Eventually, Ahab’s corruption entered into Judah’s kingly line as the wicked Athaliah, daughter of Ahab, became Judah’s queen and ruler.

Footnotes

1. Meyer, F.B. Meyer’s ‘Through the Bible’ Commentary, Micah, vs. 6:1-16.

2. Coffman, Commentary on Micah, v. 6:6.

3. Ibid., v. 6:7.

4. Guzik, Enduring Word Bible Commentary, Micah, vs. 6:6-7.

5. Feinberg, The Minor Prophets, p. 179.

6. Ibid., p. 180.

7. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT. p. 1460.

8. David S. Dockery, ed., The Challenge of Postmodernism, an Evangelical engagement (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1995), p. 365.

9. Nancy Pearcey, Saving Leonardo, A Call to Resist the Secular Assault on Mind, Morals, & Meaning (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2010), p. 30.

10. David Kupelian, How Evil Works: Understanding and Overcoming the Destructive Forces That Are Transforming America (New York: Threshold Editions, 2010), p. 254.

11. Barnes, Barnes’ Notes on the Whole Bible, v. 6:15.

12. Newsweek Magazine, https://www.newsweek.com/hunger-stat-shames-america-1892071

13. Guthrie, et. al. The New Bible Commentary: Revised, p. 760.