GOD HAS SHOWN YOU WHAT IS GOOD
7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my
transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:7-8 (NKJV)
In Micah 6:7, an hypothetical question was being asked by someone who was pleading, who asked if he should give his firstborn for his transgression, the sin committed. Also asked if God would be pleased should he give thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of oil. The answer to it is what we find in verse 8:
“HE [God] HAS SHOWN YOU, O MAN, WHAT IS GOOD; AND WHAT DOES THE LORD REQUIRE OF YOU BUT TO DO JUSTLY, TO LOVE MERCY, AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD?”
This passage of the Bible is applicable to the believers in Christ Jesus today also. God is not asking for any special sacrifice from anyone per se or as such, apart from the sacrifice Christ has
made with His own blood—life.
Living right according to God's precepts or principles is much more important to Him than any sacrifice you may want to offer:
“SO, SAMUEL SAID: “HAS THE LORD AS GREAT DELIGHT IN BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES, AS IN OBEYING THE VOICE OF THE LORD? BEHOLD, TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE, AND TO HEED THAN THE FAT OF RAMS.”
1 Samuel 15:22 (NKJV)
Besides, God does not require any sacrifice again. The pattern of worship in which the sacrifices had to be offered in the old testament could not make the person or people being atoned perfect, thus, it had to be repeated every now and then (Hebrews 10:1,4,11). As a result of this, the pattern was declared
faulty and obsolete (Hebrews 8:7). Obedience to His Word, living by the principles found in the written Word, the Bible, is what God requires now (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3; James 1:25).
The things enumerated or highlighted in our text that God requires:
a. To do justly.
b. To love mercy.
c. To walk humbly with your God.
They all could be summated or paraphrased in the new testament language; a believer should love God and walk in love with his or her fellow humans.
Fellowshipping with God, be in total submission to Him and be
unwaveringly committed to Him:
30 AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' THIS IS THE FIRST
COMMANDMENT.
31 AND THE SECOND, LIKE IT, IS THIS: ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF.’ THERE IS NO OTHER
COMMANDMENT GREATER THAN THESE.” “
Mark 12:30,31 (NKJV)
READ: Matthew 22:37-39; Luke 10:27
Love is the new testament commandment, whoever loves has fulfilled the whole law:
8 OWE NO ONE ANYTHING EXCEPT TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER, FOR HE WHO LOVES ANOTHER HAS FULFILLED THE LAW.
9 FOR THE COMMANDMENTS, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other
commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”
10 LOVE DOES NO HARM TO A NEIGHBOUR; THEREFORE, LOVE IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE LAW."
Romans 13:8-10 (NKJV)
This is what God requires from whoever claims to be His. Therefore, go and practice or express the love of God poured out in your heart by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5).
Peace.