Micah 6:6 Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? 7 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? 8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
This passage of scripture addresses a very important aspect of Christian living, as it pertains to bringing offerings that are acceptable to God. In the ancient sanctuary system, millions of cattle, lambs, and sheep were sacrificed, to the point where the Hebrews thought after a while, that God actually delighted in these offerings. The sacrificial system was actually designed to be a deterrent to sin, for as the congregation watched as the innocent lambs bled to death, it was the will of God that they would reflect on their own sins which had made the deaths necessary, and that they would then turn from iniquity, thanking God that a substitute had been provided in our stead. That's why the prophet Micah asks the all-important question, of what exactly will God be pleased with.
The answer is given in three parts: (1) To do justly, meaning that God is pleased when we treat others in a fair manner, according to the righteous principles laid out in His word. Let's read:
Romans 13:7 Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. 8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Psalms 15:1 Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.. 5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
(2) To love mercy, meaning that He is pleased when we do not render evil for evil, and when we delight to forgive, just as He does. Let's read:
Luke 6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
(3) To walk humbly, meaning that we are willing to surrender our lives, our ideas, and our very thoughts to Him. Let's read:
Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
As king David pondered the sins which he committed against God, Uriah, and Bathsheba, his heart was full of remorse, and as he searched the depths of his soul for the reasons why he did these evils, he was humbled and was moved to write the following verses. Let's read:
Psalms 51:16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
In our day many of us as Christians may be offering ourselves to God, yet we may be full of pride, harboring an air of superiority over those whom we think are not as spiritual as we are. Or we may be dealing unjustly with God and with our fellowmen, whilst at the same time singing God's praises aloud. Then again we might be harboring bad feelings towards those who may have done us wrong, while asking God to forgive us of our sins. These and other sinful attitudes effectively prevent us from offering an acceptable sacrifice to God, and thus the Lord is calling upon us to be honest and sincere with ourselves, with others, and with Him. The three main areas which cover the entire spectrum of the Christian's experience should be addressed on an ongoing basis, so that our hears and minds may be brought into conformity with God's revealed will.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which highlights the essence of the Christian experience on a personal level, because any offering of ourselves to God, must begin internally. Let's read:
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
May God add His blessings to the study and doing of His word. God bless!