What Does God Want?

I. Introduction

a. Who is Micah?

i. Micah preached during the eighth century BC.

ii. He preached to the Common people of Judah.

iii. His name means “who is like Yahweh?”

b. The People of Micah’s time were in a formal religion.

i. Assyria to the North – Strong Military had already taken Israel

ii. Egypt to the South

c. Micah begins Chapter six with Yahweh Bringing Israel to Court (1-2)

i. What Does God want from his people?

II. Realize God’s Righteous Acts (3-5)

a. Brought them Out of Egypt. (4)

b. Gave Israel Great Leaders (4)

c. God had turned a curse into a blessing (5)

i. Numbers 23&24 – Balak of Moab wanted to curse and destroy Israel, but his curse turned to a blessing for Balaam

d. Brought his people to the promised land (5)

i. Shittim – Last encampment before they entered the promise land.

ii. Gilgal was the first camp on the west of the Jordan.

iii. Between the two God had brought the miracle of the Crossing of the Jordan.

e. God has Done Righteous Acts in our life

III. Realize Man’s Ridiculous Attempts (6-7)

a. The Israelites give a defense for themselves.

b. They have been sacrificing all that the Law required and more.

i. They even attempt to sarcastically suggest Human sacrifice to please the Lord.

c. The People had been busy with “busy” ritual religion they left out the heart of religion.

d. We do the same things.

IV. Realize God’s Required Attitude (8)

a. God only wants obedience.

b. The Hebrew word for require is dorosh It is a participle.

i. This means that it never starts nor ends. “What is God requiring of you. Continual.

ii. God had not changed the rules.

c. God wants us to practice

i. Justice

1. Setting right that which is worng

2. Doing Justly means doing what is right between man.

3. Micah could have been referring to the social injustice that was going on in his time.

ii. Loving Kindness

1. The Hebrew chessed means we are to practice undeserved love.

2. covenant love.

3. God’s people are to love one another with the love that he has for his children.

iii. Walk Humbly

1. There has been much debate over what is meant here.

a. literally means to walk skillfully.

2. Micah was most likely tying the two previous points together.

a. When the first two are done, then one is right with God.

3. To walk humbly with God is to accept dependence on God.

4. Enoch walked with God and he was taken by God.

a. Gen 5:24 – And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

V. Conclusion

a. What does God Want

b. He wants us to

i. Realize his righteous Acts

ii. Realize Our Ridiculous attempts

iii. Realize his Required Attitude