Dave Burnette's Commentary

Micah Chapter 6

Written By: God through Inspiration
Penned By: Micah
Date Penned: BC 742-687
Overview: To Warn God's People of Judgement and to Repent (c 1-7)
Theme: The Trial of the People (c 6-7)
Message: God has a Complaint Against His People (v 1-16)

Micah: Chapter 6 Commentary
     

(6:1) Here Micah pictures a courtroom, God, the Judge, tells his people what he requires of them and recites all the ways wronged both him and others. Chapter 4-5 are full of hope while chapters 6-7 proclaim judgement and appeal to the people to repent.


(6:2) God called the mountains to confirm the peoples guilt. The mountains would serve as excellent witnesses, for it was in the "high places" that the people had built pagan altars and sacrificed to false gods (1 Kings 14, Jeremiah 17, Ezekiel 20)

(6:3) The people would never be able to answer this question because God had done nothing wrong. In fact, he had been exceedingly patient with them, had always lovingly guided them, and had given them every opportunity to return to him, If God asked you this question, how would you respond?

(6:5) The story of Balak and Balaam is found in Numbers 22, Shittim (Acadia) was the Israelites campsite east of the Jordan River just before they entered the Promised Land (Joshua 2) There the people received many of God's Instruction about how to live. Gilgal, their first campsite after crossing the Jordan (Joshua 4) was where the people renewed their covenant with God (Joshua 5) These 2 places represent God's loving care for his people, his willingness both protect them and to warn them about potential troubles. In Micah's day the people had forgotten this covenant and its benefits and had turned away from God.

(6:5) God continued to be kind to his forgetful people but their short memory and lack of thankfulness condemned them, When people refused to see how fortunate they are and begin to take God's gifts for granted, they become self-centered. Regularly remember God's goodness and thank him. Remembering God's past protection will help you see his present provision. 

(6:6-7) Israel responded to God's request by trying to appease hem with sacrifices, hoping he would then leave them alone. But sacrifices and other religious rituals aren't enough. God wants change lives. He wants his people to be fair, just, merciful, and humble. God wants us to become living sacrifices (Romans 12) not just doing religious deeds, but living right (Jeremiah 4) Hebrews 9) It is impossible to follow God consistently without his transforming love in our hearts.

(6:8) People have tried all kinds of ways to please God but God has made his intentions clear, He wants his people to treat others as themselves with mercy and grace forgiving one another as Christ has forgiven us through salvation.

(6:16) Omri reigned over Israel and led the people into idol worship (1 Kings 16) Ahab, his son, was Israel's most wicked king (1 Kings 16) Their following this leadership left Israel in bad shape as a nation. We need to follow the Lord and not the rulers of the day. 


Dave Burnette's Life Application


Living Sacrifices of Obedience

 Each day we walk through the Bible chapter by chapter making an application of our text to help us grow in the Lord. Many applications can be made from each day's text. Today we continue with the book of Micah with Chapter 6. In our text today we see that God had a complaint with the people of Israel and in their response to people tried to appease the Lord with sacrifices when He wanted them to present themselves as living sacrifices of obedience. In making application the Lord wants the same of us today. Once saved He wants us to present our bodies as living sacrifices that allow the Spirit of God to live in us and through us. How about you? Are you presenting yourself as a living sacrifice to the Lord? Let us learn from our text today and the rrelationshipbetween Israel and the Lord to see that He wants us to be saved, then, to present ourselves to be living sacrifices of obedience to the Lord. 

 

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Micah 6

Micah 6

 1Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

 2Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.

 3O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.

 4For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

 5O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.

 6Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?

 7Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

 8He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

 9The LORD's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

 10Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?

 11Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?

 12For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

 13Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.

 14Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.

 15Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.

 16For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.