When the LORD called
together the mountains, the hills and the foundations of the earth to
witness His questions to Israel, Micah the prophet recorded God's
requests, “what have I done unto you? and wherein have I wearied
you?” The LORD gave them
examples of His care for them such as delivering them from Egypt
through Moses, Aaron and Miriam, and directing them to the
righteousness of the LORD through His workings with Balak and Balaam.
When the people began to respond to the LORD's questions, they
wondered how they were to approach Him, and in chapter six and verse
seven of his prophesy Micah recorded more of the questions from the
people who desired to approach God where we read:
Will 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?
The
verse begins, “Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of
rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?” In
an exaggerated manner the people wondered, “Will the
LORD” which refers to “Yehovah
or Jehovah” “be pleased with”
or “be favorable to, accept favorably or be satisfied with”
“thousands of rams” which means “thousands of ram
sacrifices” “or with ten thousands” which refers to an
even larger amount “of rivers” or “torrents, valleys, or
wadis”. Let us use our imaginations to attempt to picture such a
multitude of “rams” or collection of “rivers”. The idea is a
hyperbolic attempt to realize the number of sacrifices which could be
brought to the LORD to satisfy an entrance before Him.
The
verse continues, “shall I give my firstborn for
my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of
my soul?” To further
illustrate their elaborate attempt to win the favor of the LORD, the
people ask, “shall I give”
which means “bestow, grant, permit, ascribe, employ, devote,
consecrate, dedicate, pay wages, sell, exchange, lend, commit,
entrust, give over, deliver up, yield produce, occasion, produce,
requite to, report, mention, utter, stretch out, or extend” “my
firstborn” or “firstborn child” “for my transgression”
which means “rebellion and willful sin against God”. They
continue, “the fruit” or “offspring, children, or
progeny” “of my body” which refers to “the belly, womb
or abdomen” “for the sin” or “guilt and punishment”
“of my soul” which refers to the “mind, desire, passion
and being”. We can almost picture the people wondering to what
extent they must sacrifice to ever receive acceptance and be able to
approach the LORD God Almighty especially after they have rebelled
and forsaken Him. No doubt the measure of sacrifice was daunting to
them.
While we ponder these words
as recorded by Micah the prophet, perhaps we wonder what sacrifices
we could give to ever be able to win the LORD's favor. The book of
Hebrews gives us the answer in chapter four and verses fourteen
through sixteen where we read:
Seeing
then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our
profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched
with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted
like as we are, yet without sin. Let us
therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain
mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Whatever
sacrifice, no matter how dearly loved or the cost, will ever satisfy
and gain the favor of the LORD other than His Son Jesus, and He went
before us to the Heavenly Father to fulfill all the requirements for
sacrifices that would ever be needed. Our belief and trust in Him
gains our access to the Heavenly Father, and where the LORD desired a
relationship with us, Jesus made the way. While the people of Israel
struggled to find a sacrifice large or intimate enough to satisfy
Him, the LORD Jesus provided in advance for all who will trust in,
rely upon and cling to Him. May we realize how great a sacrifice He
made.
Next
time the Lord tells the people “to
do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God”,
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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