Micah 6:3

In order to start his defence, the *LORD asks two questions. First, he asks, ‘Have I done anything wrong to you?’ He tries to prove that he has not done anything wrong. The second question is ‘How have I made life too hard for you?’ The people in *Israel think that they have a good explanation. They think that God’s actions have not helped them. They have *worshipped him. They have sacrificed (killed) animals to give honour to him. They have thought about what things would satisfy him. And they have done those things. But God has not accepted any efforts that they have made. So they think that they have a good reason to complain. But the truth is that *Israel has done wrong things. So God has the right to complain.

God therefore asks the people in *Israel to accuse him. They should say any wrong deed that he has done. But of course, God never does anything wrong. He has always been loyal to the *covenant. But the people have not been loyal to God. He does not give a list of *Israel’s crimes and *sins. Micah has already spoken about those. God does not record them here.

Instead, God refers to *Israel as ‘my people’. He repeats these words in verse 5. The words mean something more. They show God’s great love for his people. He speaks as a father appeals to his child. God does not read out a long list of crimes. That is not his purpose. He does not say something like, ‘You are always doing these things.’ God makes an appeal that shows his love. He is very sad that his people do not obey him any longer.

In one letter that Paul wrote, he described God’s love. ‘Love does not keep a record of our wrong deeds’ (1 Corinthians 13:5). God does not talk much about his people’s record of wrong deeds. They have acted as his enemies rather than his friends. That is what makes God so sad. But he does not talk about that. Rather, he asks the question in the opposite way. The people have done many bad things to God. But he does not blame them. Rather he asks, ‘Have I done anything wrong to you?’

The next question also shows that God loves the people. ‘How have I made life too hard for you?’ He may also be saying, ‘You do not speak to me. You do not think about me. You have become tired of me.’ Probably they do not answer him. So he shouts at them, ‘Answer me!’

v4 You were slaves in Egypt. But I rescued you. And I sent Moses, Aaron and Miriam. I sent them in front of you to lead you.