Title Why? (Micah 6:1-8)
Contents
★Introductory words
The book of Micah is one of the 12 minor prophets and was written by the prophet Micah. was active in the 8th century B.C. together with the prophets Isaiah and Amos. During this period, both Israel in the north and Judah in the south were enjoying economic prosperity. But spiritually, it was a time of deep sleep. At that time, the king of northern Israel was King, and the king of southern Judah.
It was a period of great economic prosperity and development that lasted for a short time. Externally, Israel and Judah were emerging as powerful powers. But internal corruption was slowly leading the country down the road to destruction. The rich exploited the poor and became richer and richer. Judges took bribes to make unjust judgments, and merchants deceived the scales. Religion, in the midst of fleshly abundance, forsakes God and chooses to worship the idol of pleasure.
Those who said they were serving God were rather polluting the temple with formal sacrifices and worship. Although he was caught up in strange thoughts in his heart, he was holding an offering to God in his hand.
- Isaiah 1:1-3, "The vision that Isaiah the son of Amos saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens. Hear, O earth. Give ear, O earth, saith the LORD. I have brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. An ox knows its owner, and a donkey its owner's manger, but Israel does not know, and my people do not understand." What good is your countless sacrifices to me? I am satisfied with the burnt offering of rams and with the fat of fattened animals, and I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls or lambs or goats. You are only trampling on my courts. Do not bring back vain sacrifices. Incense is an abomination to me, as it is with new moons, sabbaths, and gatherings. I cannot bear to do evil with holy assemblies. My heart is with you. I hate the new moon and the appointed feasts, which are a heavy burden to me, and I am weary to bear them."
Seeing this, God diligently sent prophets to persuade and warn them to return. Nevertheless, they were still buried in sin.
- Jeremiah 35:15, "I also sent my servants all the prophets to you, and sent them diligently, saying, 'Now, every one of you, turn from your evil way and change your ways, and do not follow other gods and serve him. You will live in the land I gave to you,' but you did not listen, nor did you listen to me."
Finally, God brought charges against Israel, that is, the saints. God became the judge, and the prophet Micah became the plaintiff on God's behalf. Israel (saints) was summoned to the defendant's seat. And the 'mountains and the strong fields of the earth' were adopted as witnesses. This is the content of the text. What is God trying to tell us?
First, it is God's question about the attitude of the saints in life.
God requested a trial against the chosen people of Israel in front of the witnesses. The actual charges are not stated, but are implied. The content is that "Israel (saints) gradually turned away from God and went their own way." Isaiah chapter 1.
God questioned the attitude of the saints in life. In verse 3, God asks the believers, “Why?” "Why do you keep away from me?" Then he asks, "Have I tormented you?"
“Job,” who grumbled, “suffering for no reason,” the “Israeli people” who grumbled in the barren life in the wilderness, and “Jonah” who protested in disobedience against God’s will to save the Gentiles who were afflicting God’s people , Habakkuk, who protested whether it was right for the righteous living saints to be oppressed by the unrighteous, but God accepted everything. And he offered answers so that we could understand their attitude. God never requires of the saints to do things that are contrary to the principles he has ordained or are beyond their control.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13, "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, and with the temptation will also make the way of escape, so that you may be able to bear it. you do"
However, this time the saints are far from God. God asks what is the reason for the distance. God argues in verses 4-5 of the text. God has provided historical evidence. He freed Israel from slavery in Egypt. When they did not have a leader, he raised up leaders such as Moses, Aaron, Miriam, and Joshua. And when they were threatened by King Balak in the land of Moab, God saved them. Even when they crossed the Jordan River on the road in the wilderness, God was with them, protecting and guiding them.
The reason why he said this is that Israel never has any condition to blame God. In other words, there is no reason for Israel to turn away from God or blame God for the failure of their lives.
Won't God say this to the saints in this age as well? What has God done to keep people in this age away from God? People say, "God hasn't done anything for me." It's like he's done everything himself. Even in the hearts of the saints, there is no place for God to dwell. Lacking a sincere heart and filling it with formal service and worship, they think they have done everything to God.
- Isaiah 1, Matthew 19:20, "The young man said, "I have kept all these things. What do you still lack?"
But what about the defendant? In a world where a virgin has something to say!
2. It is the saint's protest against God's accusation
See verses 6-7 of the text. Israel made no sense of its own sin or of the evidence God had presented. It's just, "What must I do to be forgiven?" I just asked It seems humble and sincere. But the defendant's statement was like, "Are you offering less? Do you want me to give you more? Or maybe even my eldest son?" seems to be protesting.
They are shouting as if they have fulfilled their responsibility and duty. The list of sacrifices recorded in verses 6-7 is the highest offering of the time. Although God did not speak of human sacrifices, the pagan religions of the time made human sacrifices the highest offering. From this, it can be seen that the people of Israel were well aware of the pagan rituals of sacrifice.
- 2 Kings 16:3, "He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made his son pass through the fire, following the abominations of the Gentiles whom the LORD drove out before the children of Israel."
Israel did not fully understand their fault. They thought that they could solve their sins and please God through ritual sacrifices. God does not weigh the amount of material offered to Him. Moreover, he does not demand anything that human beings have. He only wants the heart of a believer who fears and loves God.
- Deuteronomy 10:12-13, "O Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? Fear the LORD your God and walk in all his ways, love him, and serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. , will you not keep the commandments and ordinances of the LORD, which I am giving you today for your happiness?"
Do you fear and love God with a sincere heart? And are you completely obedient to God's law? True service does not assert itself. That is, they do not make excuses for their own safety, their own interests, or themselves. Because only God's will is everything. I want to find peace in God and to be found only in Him.
The Israelites had no interest in God. It was only formal.
3. Declare the heart of God.
In verse 8, God's heart toward the saints is declared. This is not a judgment. God's judgment as judge is in verse 9 and below. Let's take another look at God's heart toward the saints!
1) Do justice
Passionate worship, holy devotional rites, the Word and prayer life, etc. No matter how much you do, if you don't do it, it's useless. As long as the saints are practicing iniquity, all worship and reverence are in vain.
God Himself is always righteous. Such a God is demanding justice from the saints. In other words, it is a message to live according to God's will not only in church life but also in social life, family life, and interpersonal relationships.
2) Love the Son of Man (仁慈)
What is an Insignia? “You do not have to give, but you give; you do not have to do, but you do.” That is, it is a good that is done other than the duty.
- Matthew 5:39-41
It is a message to do kindness with the utmost in your heart.
3) Walk humbly with God
Humility is essential to our relationship with God and is central to our faith. “Walking with God” is to form the Trinity with the practice of justice and the love of the Son of Man. At the same time, it forms the basis of the life of the saints.
What is "living with God"? Simply put, it means "life before God". I think that all my life is walking in the presence of God.
- Colossians 3:23, "Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly, as to the Lord, and not to men."
These three things are God's heart toward the saints.
We call these three things of the Old Testament. This means that it is the word that forms the basis of the Old Testament. The silver of the New Testament is Matthew 7:12. This verse can also be said to be a summary of the Golden Rule of the Old Testament.
The law of life that God's people must follow in all ages is this word of today. If the saints live worthy of God's heart, won't God make the lives of the saints happy?
I pray that the lives of our members will be made to fit into God's heart like this and be filled with God's love as in Zeb 3:17.