Micah 6:1-8

Davon Huss tells the story about a man who once conned his way into the orchestra of the emperor of China although he could not play a note.

Whenever the group practiced or performed, he would hold his flute against his lips, pretending to play but not making a sound. He received a modest salary and enjoyed a comfortable living. Then one day the emperor requested a solo from each musician.

The flutist got nervous. There wasn’t enough time to learn the instrument. He pretended to be sick, but the royal physician wasn’t fooled. On the day of his solo performance, the impostor took poison and killed himself.

The explanation of his suicide, according to Huss, led to a phrase that found its way into the English language: “He refused to face the music.”

While this story may be apocryphal what is factual is the condition of ancient Israel during the days of Micah. They were guilty of hiding behind a facade of rote worship and external religious activity, yet their hearts were not right with God. To confront their pretense, God sent the prophet Micah around 750 B.C. to proclaim His impending judgment on them.

In his Commentary on the Minor Prophets, Homer Hailey likens the scene in Micah 6 to a courtroom with God calling the witnesses. They are told to prepare and plead their case. But first God opens the proceedings by reminding them how He had cared for them, provided for them, and protected them. From Egyptian slavery, through the wilderness wanderings, until He brought them into the promised land, God had endured their complaints, constant grumbling, and periods of unbelief.

God is weary of the veneer of their religiosity. Their pretense. Their hypocrisy. He seeks their whole heart. True allegiance. And personal moral conduct.

What does God want? The prophet states it succinctly in Micah 6:8.

“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?”

In principle God’s desire for His people has not changed. It is possible to weekly attend worship services, offer sanctimonious prayers, give large sums of money, and engage in the public work of the church, yet lack inner devotion and an intimate relationship with the Lord.

What does God require of us?

(1) To do justly. Surely that must begin by receiving God’s justification. The Bible says, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Rom. 5:1-2)

In a world where so much seems to be unjust and unfair, Christians are called to live honesty and honorably. To be fair. Equitable. Just. In our business dealings. In our promises. In our respect for and obedience to the laws of the land.

(2) To love mercy. Some translations render this word “kindness.” It is used 247 times in the Old Testament and speaks to God’s “loving kindness.” His goodness. And His mercy.

Vine says the word speaks to the “mutual and reciprocal rights and obligations between the parties of a relationship.” While this begins with our relationship with God and His loving kindness toward us, it must issue itself in our interactions with our fellow man.

“Blessed are the merciful,” Jesus pronounced, “for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt 5:7). God’s mercy toward us is dependent on our love, kindness and merciful treatment of others.

(3) To walk humbly with God. The world is not impressed with humility. It’s in awe of power, position and prestige. In a culture that proudly proclaims “image is everything,” the Lord seeks those who will submit to Him, deny ones self, and humbly obey His Word.

It may not be cool to be unpretentious and self-effacing, but it is an attitude of humility that causes us to be more like Jesus and pleasing to God. In a culture that arrogantly struts before others, God says, “walk humbly.”

I heard of a rather pompous acting deacon trying to impress upon his Bible class the importance of living the Christian life. “Why do people call me a Christian?” the man asked.

After a moment’s pause, one youngster innocently retorted, “Maybe it’s because they don’t know you.

Be assured. God knows you.

What does He see?

Are you willing to face the music?

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman