Micah 6:6, commentary and pictures

In a time of unfaithfulness the people wonder how to present themselves before the exalted God and win His approval, imagining that costly animal offerings and careful ritual can take the place of right living. The inquiry even reaches after still greater gifts, as if multitudes of animals, floods of oil, or even a human life given for wrongdoing could satisfy Him. The answer already made clear is that what is good and required is to act with fairness, to cherish kindness, and to live in humble fellowship with Him, rather than to multiply gifts. His favor cannot be bought, for He seeks a teachable, obedient and broken heart that gratefully receives His free gift, while offerings without genuine repentance are offensive to Him. No outward gift can cover sin, excuse cheating or oppression, or make unjust gain acceptable, and the only sufficient provision for guilt is found in the atoning sacrifice by which the transgressor is pardoned, cleansed and welcomed as a child.

Question and Its Setting

In days of apostasy in Judah and Israel the inquiry arose how to come before the Lord and humble oneself before the high God, supposing that animal sacrifices might win favor. It trusted outward ritual rather than right living, while the plain answer already given was to do justly and love mercy and walk humbly with Him. The question asks whether a person can approach God and bow before the Most High and gain His favor through burnt offerings. It names even the prescribed costly offering of year-old calves, and whether such gifts can bring one rightly and acceptably before Him.

In its fuller form the question presses further whether thousands of rams will please Him. It adds ten thousands of rivers of oil, and whether giving the firstborn for transgression and the fruit of the body for the sin of the soul will suffice. Extravagant gifts, however multiplied, are thus set forth as unable to deal with sin.

The question belongs to God's controversy with His people, in which He calls the mountains and hills and strong foundations of the earth to hear. There He asks what He has done and wherein He has wearied them. He reminds them that He brought them up from Egypt and redeemed them from servitude and gave them Moses and Aaron and Miriam, and bids them remember Balak's counsel and Balaam's answer from Shittim to Gilgal so they may know His righteousness. He will not be trifled with, and will surely punish misrepresentation of His character by wickedness and fraud and violent gain and lying and deceitful balances and weights.

The same inquiry is the penitent sinner's question about how to approach the Lord and what offering to bring. It is joined with the question of what must be done to be saved. Conviction over disregard of God's Word leads to heartfelt penitence at the foot of the cross. When people fail to respond gratefully to God's blessings and light, disregard the path He has marked out, and act perversely against His direction, He cannot fulfill His promises to them or continue giving them words of encouragement.

What God Truly Requires

The inquiry how to present oneself before the Lord and bow before the exalted God, even with burnt offerings and year-old calves, has already been met with a plain and positive declaration of what is good. What is required is not offering alone, however costly or abundant, but to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with Him. The fuller form of the same inquiry presses whether thousands of rams, ten thousands of rivers of oil, or the firstborn for transgression and the fruit of the body for sin of the soul will secure favor, and the answer remains the same threefold requirement. Favor with God is not to be purchased by gifts; what is sought is humble service from a contrite heart that gratefully receives His free gift. Sacrifices brought without true repentance are repugnant, while the acceptable response is a teachable and obedient heart marked by justice, mercy, humility, and love toward others.

Outward sacrifice and religious gifts cannot cover sin, compensate for wrongdoing, or stand as a substitute or compromise with God. Money gained by cheating or oppressing a neighbor remains unlawful gain in heaven's record, and giving it to God does not make it acceptable. To know God and to reflect His character matters more than outward religious offerings, and humiliation of spirit is required rather than mere ritual. The question thus exposes the emptiness of religious formality when it is not joined to justice and mercy. Lavish offerings are unacceptable when a person refuses to care for others in need.

These words are a plain and definite, rich and full promise upon conditions, to be held up when tempted to give up all hope. If the conditions are complied with, God will fulfill His word and not one promise will fail. In the light of the atoning sacrifice this requirement is seen in the glorious plan of redemption by which sins are pardoned and the sinner is drawn near to the heart of Infinite Love. There it is shown how God retains all His justice while pardoning the transgressor of His law and retains all His holiness while cleansing from all sin. The sinner is not merely forgiven but accepted in the Beloved, not merely tolerated as a pardoned culprit released from prison but taken back into confidence and love, welcomed as an accepted child and blessed to full satisfaction, with the Father waiting at the very entrance to grant abundant entrance to the mansions of the blest. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ has made ample provision for every repenting believing soul, and sinners are saved because God loves the purchase of the blood of Christ, so that He not only pardons the repenting believing sinner but receives him back.

Christ and Daily Life

The question of what to bring when bowing before the high God, even with burnt offerings and year-old calves, and with thousands of rams, ten thousands of rivers of oil, and the firstborn for transgression and the fruit of the body for the sin of the soul, is answered by Abraham's offering of Isaac. In Abraham's word that God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering, and in God's provision of a sacrifice instead of Isaac, it is declared that no one can make expiation for himself. The pagan system of sacrifice is wholly unacceptable, no father is to offer son or daughter for a sin offering, and the Son of God alone can bear the guilt of the world.

What is required instead of mere offerings is justice, love of mercy, and humble fellowship with God. That requirement is put into practice by freeing the oppressed and easing their burdens, and by a life marked by good deeds, purity, and care for human needs, rooted in trust that God is good. Seeing oneself as saved by God's love leads to pity for sinners rather than jealousy or blame.

The same requirement is applied to those who exploit others for gain, teaching honest dealings, fair wages, and justice and kindness to the poor and the stranger rather than exploiting them. Outward sacrifice cannot replace doing what is right, and outward worship does not excuse unjust conduct. Religious gifts cannot compensate for wrongdoing or serve as a substitute or compromise, for money gained by cheating or oppressing a neighbor remains unlawful gain in heaven's record and giving it to God does not make it acceptable.

The question testifies against unfair dealing, falsehood and robbery in trade, real estate speculation, and institutional management that take money from men and women, make them poor, cause suffering, and ruin souls. Everyone claiming church membership must renounce that kind of business and stand in integrity even at the cost of life. The record book in heaven keeps every transaction, those educated in wrong transactions are sick and need healing by a higher Physician, and they are unfitting themselves to enter the city whose builder and maker is God.