Psalm of Praise (Opening)
Psalm 84:1-4 (NKJV)
1 To the Chief Musician. On an instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. How lovely is Your tabernacle, O LORD of hosts!
2 My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home, And the swallow a nest for herself, Where she may lay her young -- Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts, My King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; They will still be praising You. Selah
-- Praising God for His Creation and Amazing Presence --
Message
Background: Conduct of Judah during the time of Micah
Notes about the Kings of the Time
(1) Jotham – Good king – Uzziah’s son who helped reign while Uzziah had leprosy; Political & militaristic victories, but no religious reforms mentioned
(2) Ahaz – One of the worst; tried to seek help from Assyria against its other military foes. He also offered one of his sons as a pagan sacrifice.
(At the same time…) - Hoshea (Israel) – Also tried to make allies with terrible nations – sought help from Egypt against the Assyrians. Oops. Israel (the Northern Kingdom) is completely carried into exile.
(3) Hezekiah – One of the best; restored worship of YHVH; the Assyrians were removed from Judah, and the people were not taken into exile.
Note that at the purification of the nation by Hezekiah, the Southern Kingdom was spared from Assyrian exile!
The Northern Kingdom of Israel was carried off into exile by the Assyrian Empire in 722 BC. Micah's ministry surrounded this time, ~740-~700 BC.
*Lowlights of Micah*
The Sins of the People
(1) Idolatry (1:7)
(2) Premeditated iniquity (2:1)
(3) Covetousness (2:2)
(4) Injustice (3:1-2) – people hate good and love evil
Romans 12:9 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.
Proverbs 8:13 13 To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.
Amos 5:15 15 Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts. Perhaps the LORD God Almighty will have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.
(5) Corrupt prophets (3:5) – they are bribable!
(6) Corrupt leaders and priests (3:9-11)
(7) Theft & deceit (6:10-12)
*Highlights of Micah*
Micah 5: Predicts that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Who was born 740 years later? (Jesus)
Cause and Effect
(1) Micah 2:7-8 7 Should it be said, O house of Jacob: "Is the Spirit of the LORD angry? Does he do such things?" "Do not my words do good to him whose ways are upright? 8 Lately my people have risen up like an enemy. You strip off the rich robe from those who pass by without a care, like men returning from battle.
Upright ways -> the LORD blesses
(2) Micah 3:4 4 Then they will cry out to the LORD, but he will not answer them. At that time he will hide his face from them because of the evil they have done.
Evil done -> the LORD is hard to find
(3) Micah 7:9 9 Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the LORD's wrath, until he pleads my case and establishes my right. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.
Sin -> the LORD’s wrath…
(e.g. what are we “saved from”?)
Romans 5:9-10
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!
10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
(Note use of ‘Therefore’ in various passages – these are often causal clauses – ‘because you did this…’)
Text: Micah 6:1-8
1 Hear now what the LORD says: "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, And let the hills hear your voice.
2 Hear, O you mountains, the LORD's complaint, And you strong foundations of the earth; For the LORD has a complaint against His people, And He will contend with Israel.
3 "O My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against Me.
4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of bondage; And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5 O My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab counseled, And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, From Acacia Grove to Gilgal, That you may know the righteousness of the LORD."
6 With what shall I come before the LORD, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old?
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?
Opening Prayer
We see the LORD pleading with His people to get right with Him!
Courtroom terminology -- a 'striving' or 'case' against the wayward people of Judah.
(2) From high to low, LISTEN to what the LORD is saying!
(3) God's call to His people: How have I wearied you?
(4-5) Call to remembrance
We tend to forget. We need to be reminded of various things.
Illustration: If a husband told his wife he loved her on the day of their engagement, yet never said it again, the wife would likely feel neglected! On the other hand, if the husband consistently told his wife that he loved her, yet she covers her ears whenever he speaks, then she definitely won't remember.
God consistently tells us that He loves us, yet do we listen?
God reminds His people that He brought them out of Egyptian slavery, gave them leaders, and consistently protected them from the attack of enemies seeking to curse them or destroy them (v. 5). Remember Balaam? He could not curse the people of God -- he spoke blessing on them (see Numbers 22-24)!
State & Direction of your relationship with God is important!
(Drawing)
(6-7) How can the people be restored?
Is it by ritual?
No.
Is it by self-sacrifice?
(8) Right conduct from a right heart.
Nuance: Is this saying that good works can save you?
These were already God's people, yet their conduct was horrible. They knew God, yet weren't showing it through their actions.
Works are important (cf. James 2 -- faith without works is dead). But the work has already been done for us that can bring us to new life in Jesus.
Remember in verse 7, it is mentioned that we aren't supposed to sacrifice our own firstborn to gain favor with God. He would provide His only Son for us to provide a bridge back to Him!
(Bridge Illustration)
We can only reach the Father by Jesus.
We talked about this some last week --
John 14:6
Acts 4:12
Jesus is the way that God has provided!
We have a God who has always had a heart to restore us to Him. We disobey Him, yet He is willing to forgive. Will we respond in repentance?
Micah 7:18-20 – The God who pardons sin and forgives transgression.
The LORD delights in mercy & compassion.
Poignant Picture: throwing iniquities into the depths of the sea.
Leave here knowing where you will go for eternity. Do you know? Have you followed Jesus? Before we close in prayer, I want to show a video of what Jesus has done for us --
(Closing Video)
Closing Prayer & Invitation
Benediction
Ephesians 2:13-14a
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace,
