MICAH 6

Chapter Contents

God’s controversy with Israel. (1-5) The duties that God requires. (6-8) The wickedness of Israel. (9-16). This chapter rebukes and threatens. The way to call attention by asking man to demand his plea before all nature, and the inanimate creation to listen to the revelation of Jehovah with his people, is to awaken and sublime. They follow the words of Jehovah, Micah 6: 3-5.

And the mercies of God exposed to his people, one of them is presented, in a beautiful dramatic way, asking what is his duty towards such a kind God, Micah 6: 6, Micah 6: 7.

The answer follows in the words of the prophet, Micah 6: 8; who goes on to rebuke the people in his charge with their injustice and idolatry, to which he attributes lack of success in their legitimate enterprises, and those calamities that are now imminent, Micah 6: 9-15.

Commentary on Micah 6: 1-5

People are called upon to declare why they were tired of worshipping God and prone to idolatry. Sin causes the controversy between God and man. God reasons with us, to teach us to reason with ourselves. Let them remember God’s many favors for them and their parents, and compare with them their unworthy and ungrateful behavior toward him.

Commentary on Micah 6: 9-16

God, after having shown how necessary it was for them to do it with justice, here shows how clear it was that they had done it unjustly. This voice of the Lord says to all:

1. Listen to the rod when it comes, before you see it, and feel it. Listen to the rod when it comes, and be sensitive to the intelligent; listen to what it advises, to what it warns that it speaks. The voice of God must be heard on the rod of God.

2. Those who are dishonest in their dealings will never be regarded as pure, whatever tokens of devotion they may make. What is obtained by fraud and oppression cannot be kept or enjoyed with satisfaction.

3. What we have closest to us, we commonly lose sooner. Sin is a root of bitterness, soon planted, but not soon plucked again.

4. To be God’s people in name and profession, while remaining in his love, was an honor for them; but now, being repeat offenders, their having once been God’s people resorts to their reproach.

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