Micah 6:1-8
The LORD's Case Against Israel
1 Listen to what the Lord says:
“Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;
let the hills hear what you have to say.
2 “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.
3 “My people, what have I done to you?
How have I burdened you? Answer me.
4 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.
5 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 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?
7 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?
8 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.
The Prophet Micah tells us that God calls upon the mountains and hills to witness, emphasizing the importance of His words and message to His people...God asks rhetorical questions about what offerings Israel could bring to appease Him...The implication is that material possessions and sacrifices are meaningless without genuine change in our lives...We need the right values and belief system,...
Micah writes 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?...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?...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...
In these verses we see that our LORD wants us to learn that He desires mercy and not sacrifice...Material possessions and sacrifices are not enough...True worship emphasizes ethical living...The important things in life are living a righteous life with the strong beliefs in justice, mercy, love, and to be humble in one's life...The Prophet tells us to live a life that is centered on compassion and service to others, and to walk with God in humility and reverence...