MICAH 6:1 The Lord’s Indictment and Restoration of His People. The Lord’s indictment against his people is delivered (Micah 6:1), and the crisis within the covenantal relationship is described (Micah 6:9). Micah expresses trust that the Lord will defend his people (Micah 7:8). The Lord will shepherd... [ Continue Reading ]
MICAH—NOTE ON MICAH 6:3 MY PEOPLE. The Lord presents his case. He reminds Israel of its covenantal relationship with him. ANSWER ME! challenges the Israelites to prove their charge that the Lord has wronged them. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.leng... [ Continue Reading ]
MICAH—NOTE ON MICAH 6:4 I BROUGHT YOU UP... REDEEMED YOU... SENT BEFORE YOU. The Lord directed the events surrounding the exodus (compare Amos 3:1). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MICAH—NOTE ON MICAH 6:5 The mention of BALAK and BALAAM (Numbers 22:1) reminds Israel that the Lord wants to bless rather than curse them. REMEMBER... THAT YOU MAY KNOW. Faith is strengthened in the present by remembering God’s covenant-keeping deliverances in the past. The people of Israel crossed... [ Continue Reading ]
MICAH—NOTE ON MICAH 6:6 LORD... GOD ON HIGH. The covenantal Lord is also the transcendent God. SHALL I GIVE...? The proposed sacrifices increase in value and absurdity, ending with an outrage (TEN THOUSANDS OF RIVERS OF OIL... MY FIRSTBORN). Micah is exposing an attitude that wrongly sees sacrifice... [ Continue Reading ]
MICAH—NOTE ON MICAH 6:8 The Lord wants his people to respond to his redemptive acts with JUSTICE, KINDNESS, and faithfulness (WALK HUMBLY) (see Matthew 23:23; compare Deuteronomy 10:12; Isaiah 1:11). On the meaning of “justice,” see notes on Isa. 42:1; Jeremiah 22:3;... [ Continue Reading ]
MICAH—NOTE ON MICAH 6:9 The Lord’s “lawsuit” continues. The city and its people are indicted for specific crimes (Micah 6:9); the divine sentence is delivered (Micah 6:13); and the consequences are envisioned (Micah 7:1). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName [ Continue Reading ]
MICAH—NOTE ON MICAH 6:10 TREASURES OF WICKEDNESS... WICKED SCALES. The Lord cannot tolerate his people’s gaining wealth by unfair business practices (compare Proverbs 11:1; Proverbs 20:10). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
MICAH—NOTE ON MICAH 6:13 THEREFORE I STRIKE YOU..., MAKING YOU DESOLATE. This general statement of the Lord’s judgment connects the people’s wickedness (vv. Micah 6:10) with the specific sentence that follows (vv. Micah 6:14). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, l... [ Continue Reading ]
MICAH—NOTE ON MICAH 6:14 YOU SHALL SOW, BUT NOT REAP. Human activity is useless without God’s blessing. This is God’s sentence against his people for their sin (compare Deuteronomy 28:30; Amos 5:11; Zephaniah 1:13). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒... [ Continue Reading ]
MICAH—NOTE ON MICAH 6:16 OMRI... AHAB. These wicked kings of Israel (the northern kingdom) had been a corrupting influence even on the southern kingdom of Judah (see 1 Kings 16:25). WALKED IN THEIR COUNSELS. Replacing the Lord, their true counselor, with the ways of these wicked human kings led to D... [ Continue Reading ]