Micah 06
Micah 06:1 Listen to what the Lord says: “Get up! Defend yourself before the mountains! Present your case before the hills!”
Israel is being called to court. The mountains are gathered together to judge the case.
2 Hear the Lord’s accusation, you mountains, you enduring foundations of the earth! For the Lord has a case against his people; he has a dispute with Israel!
God is the plaintiff. Israel is the defendant. Since the mountains are enduring, they will be the witnesses. They were present when the Mosaic Law was given to Israel at Mount Sinai (Deu 4:26).
3 “My people, how have I wronged you? How have I wearied you? Answer me!
In this divine court of law, Jehovah challenges Israel to testify as to how God has wronged them.
4 In fact, I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I delivered you from that place of slavery. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you.
In this divine court, Jehovah reminds Israel of three things. First, He brought them out of the land of Egypt. Second, He delivered them from slavery. Third, He gave them strong spiritual leaders, such as Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5 My people, recall how King Balak of Moab planned to harm you, how Balaam son of Beor responded to him. Recall how you journeyed from Shittim to Gilgal, so you might acknowledge that the Lord has treated you fairly.”
In this divine court, Jehovah reminded Israel of three more acts of His benevolence. First, Jehovah protected Israel from King Balak, Second, He turned the four curses of Balaam into four blessings. Third, He protected Israel from the Canaanites at Gilgal after their circumcision.
6 With what should I enter the Lord’s presence? With what should I bow before the sovereign God? Should I enter his presence with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?
In this divine court of law, the people responded to the challenges of Jehovah. They wanted to know what they had to do to enter Jehovah’s presence. What sacrifices should they bring? Were they not entering with the proper sacrifices? Basically, Israel was saying that they were keeping the Law, because they were bringing the proper sacrifices.
7 Will the Lord accept a thousand rams, or ten thousand streams of olive oil? Should I give him my firstborn child as payment for my rebellion, my offspring—my own flesh and blood—for my sin?
For a man to be considered just by God, how many rams did an individual need to bring to God? How many streams of olive oil did an individual need to bring to God? Should an individual give their first born to God?
Israel possessed bad theology Their human theology was that man needed to bring numerous sacrifices to God. They had to give up their firstborn child to God. This was not what God wanted from Israel.
To be just before God, Israel thought that they needed to offer quantity to God. However, God does not want quality. He owns everything in the universe. God wants quality worship. Quality worship means that an individual must study the entire counsel of the Word of God and apply what they learns.
8 He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God.
God answered Israel. He wanted Israel to promote internal righteousness. He wanted there to be justice in the courts. He wanted Israel to believe in the promises of God. God wanted Israel to live obediently to the Mosaic Law.
9 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!
Jehovah asked Israel to listen carefully to what he was about to say. He was making a special call to Jerusalem. He reminded them that it was wise to respect the authority of the Lord. At this time in history, the authority of the Lord came from the written Word of God and from the authority of the true prophets. In the modern church age, the authority of the Lord comes only from the written Scriptures.
10 “I will not overlook, O sinful house, the dishonest gain you have hoarded away, or the smaller-than-standard measure I hate so much.
Jehovah will not overlook the sins of the house of Judah. They were using dishonest business practices in order to make profit.
11 I do not condone the use of rigged scales, or a bag of deceptive weights.
They were using imbalanced scales in order to cheat the people.
12 The city’s rich men think nothing of resorting to violence; her inhabitants lie, their tongues speak deceptive words.
The wealthy men of the city used their wealth to promote violence in order to get what they wanted. They lied to others in order to make more profit. They spoke deceptive words in their business dealings.
13 I will strike you brutally and destroy you because of your sin.
Since Judah failed to show kindness and social justice, God will strike them down.
14 You will eat, but not be satisfied. Even if you have the strength to overtake some prey, you will not be able to carry it away; if you do happen to carry away something, I will deliver it over to the sword.
Since the wealthy of Judah were taking advantage of the poor, God will bring starvation upon them.
15 You will plant crops, but will not harvest them; you will squeeze oil from the olives, but you will have no oil to rub on your bodies; you will squeeze juice from the grapes, but you will have no wine to drink.
Since the wealthy were oppressing the poor, their crops will be unproductive.
16 You implement the regulations of Omri, and all the practices of Ahab’s dynasty; you follow their policies. Therefore I will make you an appalling sight, the city’s inhabitants will be taunted derisively, and nations will mock all of you.”
King Omri continued the golden calf worship in Israel. The golden calf worship was a corruption of Jehovah worship. His son was King Ahab. King Ahab married the Phoenician Queen Jezebel. They brought Baalism into Israel, which was a replacement of Jehovah worship. Therefore, God raised up Assyria to destroy Israel and remove the demonic altars out of the land.