Micah 6:1-8 The Prophet Micah lived at the same time as the Prophet Isaiah, but they served the LORD in different ways. While Isaiah concentrated his preaching in the Southern Kingdom - Judah and its capital city, Jerusalem - Micah preached to both the northern and southern kingdoms. The message of these two prophets was different too. Isaiah spoke cheerful words like, “Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts His people, and will have compassion on His afflicted ones.” But Micah’s prophecies are more ominous. For example, in his prophecy today, the mountains are called upon not to burst into joyful song, but to serve as jury members. You see, the LORD’s patience was quickly running out, especially for the Northern Kingdom. In less than 10 years, they would cease to exist as a nation! Social sins, religious corruption, and spiritual laxity in general, had run rampant among God’s people for too long. So, in our text for today, the LORD brings A Case Against His People. As we investigate this ancient court case, let’s take note especially of the prosecution of the LORD, and the defense of His people. Before we get to the main event, let’s set the scene. As is the case in an impeachment trial - where the members of the United States Senate serve as members of the jury - the LORD had gathered some very prominent jurors for this case too. He designated the hills and mountains to serve in this capacity, probably because of the tremendous experience they had in keeping with their great age. Also, since their peaks reached to the highest places of the earth, and their foundations reached to its very depths, they would have been around, and would actually have been eyewitnesses to the facts which the LORD would place before them. They would have seen for themselves whether or not the LORD’s accusations against Israel were justified. So, the LORD had gathered a stable and reliable jury - and through the earnest preaching of His prophet, Micah, He had also gathered His people into a courtroom. The LORD allowed His people to state their case first. In our text we hear Him say, “Stand up, plead your case before the mountains; let the hills hear what you have to say.” This was a challenge to all who had ever been in the LORD’s service - an opportunity to voice their complaints against Him. Have you ever found the LORD to be a hard Master - one who makes unreasonable demands? But there was nothing spoken - just dead silence. What! You have nothing to say for yourselves - no defense to offer? Aren’t you even going to try and defend your idolatry, and your Baal worship, and the way you steal from the poor and needy with your dishonest scales? You can almost feel the people beginning to squirm in that courtroom. I’m sure we wouldn’t have wanted to be in Israel’s shoes - but in reality, we are. The LORD contends with all sinners, and He lets us know about it through His Word and His prophets. The day is coming when the LORD will call all of us to account for our actions. We too must stand before the judgment seat of Christ, and every sin must be accounted for - every time we talked behind someone’s back, or lied, or stole, or used God’s name in vain, or spoke or even listened to gossip. What are we going to say? There’s no way to defend our sins. And since we are all guilty of sin, we too must remain silent, just as Israel did. Since Israel had nothing to say in their defense, the LORD proceeded to present His case against them. He said, “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled, and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD.” God was reviewing the blessings He had showered upon Israel from the time of their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt, until they entered the Promised Land. How could they complain in view of such blessings? Yet, I’m sure that generation of Israelites who died in the wilderness could have found a way, by twisting the evidence. They might have said, “Lord, did You think sending Moses was a blessing? Let me tell You about Moses. He took us out of Egypt where we had lots of food and protection, and he led us into a wilderness where we nearly died of starvation and thirst. Then he gave us manna and quail to eat until we couldn’t stand it anymore. And Aaron - he was the one who made that golden calf for us, and got us into all kinds of trouble. And as long as You mentioned it, Lord, that situation with Balak and Balaam wasn’t all roses either. Sure, Balak had hired Balaam to curse the nation of Israel, and every time he tried to curse us it came out as a blessing. But don’t forget how Balaam also suggested that the Moabite women might be able to seduce the Israelite men into sinning with them - 24,000 Israelites died because of that! How can You call things like these ‘righteous acts?’” Fortunately, the Israelites in Micah’s day didn’t react as their forefathers might have. God’s patience was already wearing very thin, and He might have struck them dead right on the spot for such rebellion. They realized that God had blessed them by taking them out of bondage, giving them good teachers and leaders, turning curses into blessings, and bringing them safely to the land of rest. So, they wanted to try and please the LORD. However, they had participated in idol worship for so long, that they had actually become spiritually ignorant of what God wanted. In our text they said, “With what shall I come before the LORD, and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” The very suggestion of such things shows just how far the Israelites had strayed from the LORD! They actually began bidding to win the LORD’s favor. They were willing to bid high - and note how the bidding continues to increase. It went something like this: Lord, I’ll give You year-old calves - then will You be pleased with me? The answer was no. Well then, how about if I raise the offer. I’ll be giving up a lot, but what if I give you thousands of rams, or ten thousand rivers of oil? Surely, that would satisfy You. But the LORD’s answer was still no. OK Lord, enough messing around. This is my final offer - would You accept my firstborn child as payment for my sins? Certainly we would all recognize that this was an extremely high price - but their offer of human sacrifice was completely appalling to God - it was the last straw for the LORD. He said, “How can you even suggest such a thing? Get away from Me, you perverse and wicked nation. I have shown you what is good. I have shown you what I want. Weren’t you listening?” Our text concludes with the words, “What does the LORD require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” God didn’t want sacrifices from the Israelites, and He doesn’t want them from us either. He says, “To obey is better than sacrifice.” But the problem was that those Israelites didn’t want to obey the LORD and His commandments. They were willing to give up anything, even their firstborn, if only they would not have to give up their sins! Why couldn’t they see that when God said He wanted them to act justly, He meant not only that He wanted them to keep His law, but also to believe His promises. They had tried to win God’s favor by doing and giving. But the one thing they were not willing to do was to believe. God had said, “Believe Me when I say I will send you a Redeemer from sin - Believe Me when I say I will send you a Comforter against the curse of the law - Believe Me when I tell you there is a Savior who offers righteousness and peace to all. I know you don’t believe Me - because if you did, you would be asking for the mercy and kindness which I have offered to you, instead of trying to offer your children as sacrifices to Me. I know you don’t believe Me - because if you did, you would be walking humbly by My side, instead of trying to please Me with your many deeds. You know that I condemn every sin, and will accept nothing short of perfect holiness. Why don’t you give in? Why must you remain so proud and pompous?” Well, the defense had remained silent, and the prosecution had presented their case.