micah, an exhortation to repentance

05Dec08

Have you read the words of Micah lately? Most people are familiar with the passage(6:8), as an instruction on the way to live life, but have you read the preceding verses? Or just picked out the words as a nice homily to mouth when you are doubtful?

I think this piece of scripture was intended for another use. Here is the passage in full:

Micah 6:6-8
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? Will the LORD be pleased with Thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath showed thee, O man; what is good; and what the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

I see this as instruction not only as an instructional for your life, but also as a path for repentance. Micah begins the book reminding Israel of God’s wrath, then reminding them of their sinfulness, and reminding them of the coming Messiah by listing the prophecies.

After this lengthy reminder, Micah is a faithful prophet, he reprimands Israel and points them to the way of salvation. The popular passage in verse eight, is only the tag on the end of the important part. Micah is saying in verse six and seven that God does not want you to try to make amends for the wrong that you have done – you never could, not even with your first born! Accept the matchless grace of God, free and unmerited, repent of (which means to turn from) your sin and follow the path outlined in verse eight “but to do justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God”.

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Tags: belief, christianity, God, micah, prophet, reading, religion, repentance, scripture