Micah 4-7
He has told you, O man, what is good;
Micah 6:8
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
Simple. Not easy, mind you, but simple nonetheless.
This verse encapsulates a theme that runs through the Scriptures. It stands as an answer to the rhetorical questions of Micah 6:6-7, asking what kinds of sacrifices we are to make to satisfy the LORD (including, horrifically, even child sacrifice). Here Micah echoes Amos 5:21-24 (June 5), Isaiah 1:11-17, Hosea 6:6, I Samuel 15:22 (March 25), Proverbs 21:3 (July 23, 2022), and Psalm 50, which we just read in church on Sunday — and the list goes on. We see again, that God is far more interested in how we care for one another, and how we actually relate to Him, than in sacrifice or ritual.
So take some time today and consider:
- What does it mean to do justice?
- What does it mean to love kindness?
- What does it mean to walk humbly with your God?
While the answers to those questions might well be simple, let’s not settle for simplistic. For example, it might seem like “justice” is all about the court system, but is it? It might seem like “kindness” would argue against spanking a disobedient child, but does it? Ask the Lord and think it through and take a step or two in humility, walking with our God.
One more thing…
With so much to consider, let’s not miss Micah’s most obvious reference to Christ:
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Micah 5:2 (cited in Matthew 2:6)
who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for Me
One who is to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose coming forth is from of old,
from ancient days.
Glory!