Monday, July 27, 2015

Do Justly, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly with Your God Micah 6:8


As the people of Israel began to respond to the LORD's provision and protection for them, they wondered what sacrifice they could offer that would satisfy Him. They questioned whether “burnt offerings, calves of a year old, thousands of rams, ten thousand rivers of oil, or their firstborn for their transgression, the fruit of their body for the sin of their souls” would be sufficient to fulfill all that the LORD required. In chapter six and verse eight of Micah's prophesy, we see the apex of Micah's words as he declared how the people should respond to the LORD where we read:

He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what the LORD requires of you, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

The verse begins, “He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what the LORD requires of you,...” Micah began by making a historical reference, “He has showed” which means “made known, told, announced, declared, informed, published, reported and announced” “you, O man” which is the Hebrew word “adam” and refers to “mankind or human beings” “what is good” which means “pleasant, agreeable, excellent rich and appropriate”. Micah added, “and what the LORD” which refers to “Yehovah or Jehovah” “requires of you” or “resorts to, seeks, seeks with care, or enquires from you”. We might imagine the people waiting at this point to hear what exactly what they must do to satisfy their need to reestablish a relationship with the LORD.

The verse continues, “but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah included three “good” requirements from the LORD as he informed the people. The first was, “but to do justly” which means “having justice, right, rectitude, proper behavior, what is fitting, of full measure, doing what is fit and correct”. The second was, “and to love mercy” which is “goodness, kindness and faithfulness”. The third requirement was, “and to walk humbly” which means “come and go, enter and depart in a modest and lowly manner” “with your God” which refers to the “Divine One and the One and Only True God”. Rather than offer multitudes of sacrifices or meaningful gestures to somehow acquire the acceptance of the LORD, the people of Israel were questioned as to whether they remember the LORD directing them in “justice, mercy and humility”.

As we meditate upon Micah's words, we should examine our own lives for these three “good” traits. Do we act “justly” in this world or are we unjust? Do we “love mercy” or are we rather inclined toward revenge? Are we walking “humbly” with our God or has pride become a prevalent trait? As we think through these “good” behaviors, rather than attempting to satisfy our relationship with the Lord through huge sacrifices, let us simply hear Him as He directs us in the way we should live. May the Lord help us to heed His “good” ways.

Next time Micah writes about the LORD's voice crying in the street, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at http://www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.




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