Miquéias 6
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
Miquéias 6
Wiersbe - To make Micah 6:8 a salvation text is to misunderstand what the prophet was saying to God’s disobedient covenant people. None of us can do what God requires until first we come to God as broken sinners who need to be saved. Unsaved people who think they are doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God are only fooling themselves, no matter how moral their lives may be. “Not by works righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5). Sidlow Baxter - Finally, we revert to Micah's august declaration as to the true essence of religion. A great scholar has said of Mic 6:1-8: "These few verses in which Micah sets forth the true essence of religion may raise a well-founded title to be counted as the most important in the prophetic literature." Underline that eighth verse. Note that God "REQUIRES," for He is God. And God also REVEALS, for "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good..." (a reference to the Law of Moses Deut 10:12). Yet even this is not enough. If we would know the full chord in the music we must turn on to the New Testament, and learn there that God REDEEMS. He "requires" because He is God. He "reveals" because He is good. He "redeems" because He is love. The Christ of God has been already to redeem. He will come again to restore. Meanwhile let us view all our life in the light of the Divine purposes and the future reappearance of the great "RULER" whose goings forth have been "from of old, even from everlasting." (Baxter's Explore the Book) Kaiser - Jesus referred to this passage (Micah 6:8) in Matthew 23:23 as representing the “weightier matters of the law.” In other words, since justice, mercy, and humility are based on the character and nature of God, it pointed to that aspect of the Mosaic Law that would never go out of vogue! OBEDIENCE BETTER THAN SACRIFICE He has told you, O man - This truth is not a secret! God has not stuttered nor vacillated. As discussed below the verb nagad emphasizes that God made it abundantly clear the quality of life He desired in His people (then and now). In Deuteronomy we read... And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 [and] to keep the LORD’s commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? (Deut 10:12-13, cp "to obey is better than sacrifice" 1Sa 15:22!) S Lewis
Miquéias 6
Wiersbe - Of course, we can’t “do justly” unless we’ve been justified by faith and are right with God (Ps 32:1–2; Ro 4:1–8). And how can we “love mercy” if we’ve not personally experienced God’s mercy? (Eph 2:4; Titus 3:5). If we want to “walk humbly with [our] God,” we must first bow humbly before Him, confess our sins, and claim His promise of forgiveness (Luke 14:11; James 4:10). Our Lord’s parable about the Pharisee and publican in the temple (Luke 18:9–14) illustrates all three points. The publican was justified by faith, not by doing the kind of good works that the Pharisee boasted about. Since the publican depended on God’s mercy to save him, he humbled himself before the Lord. The Pharisee, on the other hand, informed God (and whoever was listening in the temple) how good he was and therefore how much he deserved eternal life. Kaiser - “To do justly” is to act with equity, fairness and deference to those who are in a weaker social position—the opposite of the violence, oppression, fraud, lying and injustice described in Micah 6:10–12. Thus “justice” is a comprehensive term for a way of life that finds its expression in the covenant of God. Justice (04941)(mishpat) is a "key word" in Micah (Mic 3:1, 8, 9, 6:8, 7:9 with "injustice" in Mic 3:10) and conveys the primary sense of exercising the processes of government. The word includes a judgment, a legal decision rendered, justice as a state or condition of fairness in disputes. Justice "refers to the entire process of the administration of justice, including hearing the case, rendering a decision, pronouncing a verdict, and implementing the sentence." (Patterson) In Micah 3:8 the prophet spoke justice because he was filled with the Spirit. The Lxx translates mishpat in Micah 6:8 with krima which describes a judicial sentence from a magistrate (his pronouncement). It describes one deciding a question of legal right or wrong, and thus determining the innocence or guilt of the accused and assigning appropriate punishment. Vine adds that mishpat "has two main senses; the first deals with the act of sitting as a judge, hearing a case, and rendering a proper verdict. Eccl 12:14 is one such occurrence: “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Mishpat can also refer to the “rights” belonging to someone (Ex 23:6). This second sense carries several nuances: the sphere in which things are in proper relationship to one’s claims (Ge 18:19—the first occurrence); a judicial verdict (Dt. 17:9); the statement of the case for the accused (Num. 27:5); and an established ordinance (Ex. 21:1). Kaiser - “To love mercy” adds the spirit of generosity, loyalty and graciousness to all acts of justice and assistance. S Lewis
Miquéias 6
Wiersbe - Now the people replied to God (Micah 6:6–7). Instead of confessing their sins or standing mute because their mouths had been shut by their sense of guilt (Ro 3:19), they asked what they could do to get rid of their sins. Their request shows how shallow their spiritual life really was and that they were ignorant of the enormity of their sin and the high cost of forgiveness. They were like the rich young ruler who didn’t really see himself as a condemned sinner before God (Mark 10:17–27), but they were not like the people at Pentecost who were cut to the heart and cried out, “What shall we do?” (Acts 2:37) More literally the text reads - "With what do I come before Jehovah?" The NET has "With what should I enter the LORD's presence?" The idea is what can (should) I bring that I might please Him and worship Him? Note how their answers focus solely on ritual activities and not upon their heart attitude! That is always the danger of doing something "religious" mechanically, be it reciting the Lord's prayer (or any "standard" prayer for that matter, e.g. see Mt 6:7-note) or even taking communion (because that is what we're supposed to do), and forgetting to examine our heart. James says "If anyone (that means ANYONE! Pastor, priest or parishioner! No exclusions) thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his [own] heart, this man’s religion is worthless. This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of [our] God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, [and] to keep oneself unstained by the world." (James 1:26-27-note) James' "definition" of "real religion" sounds a lot like Micah's (Jehovah's) "definition" in Micah 6:8. Neither OT nor NT religion can be practiced without a new ("circumcised") heart which gives us the indwelling gift (and power) of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33, Ro 5:5-note, 1Cor 6:19-20-note) Who enables us to do the acts described by James and Micah (see Ezek 36:26,27-note, Php 2:13-note). Come before (06923)(qadam - קָדַם - verb related to qedem = front, before, earlier, east) means to come or to be in front, to meet, to confront. It refers to an act resulting in being in front of something, either spatially or temporally (Ps 119:147). Qadam is often used in the negative sense of confronting (e.g., Ps 18:5, 18; 2Ki 19:32; Amos 9:10; Job 30:27). It carries the sense of getting in someone’s face, confronting him or her (Ps. 17:13; Amos 9:10). Qadam can describe God bringing blessings to someone (Ps 21:3; 59:10; 79:8). Finally, qadam is also used of prayer and worship, as here in Micah 6:6 (also Ps 88:13; 95:2). In Jonah 4:2 it means to say or do something earlier or before. The Psalmist writes "My eyes anticipate the night watches, that I may meditate on Thy word." (Ps 119:148) Swanson - 1. (piel) come to meet, i.e., approach and come near to the point of engaging another person (Dt 23:5; Ne 13:2; Job 3:12; Ps 21:4; 79:8; Isa 21:14), note: the encounter following the meeting can be friendly or hostile; 2. (piel) happen, formally, confront, i.e., have an event happen, with an implication of an antagonistic encounter (2Sa 22:6; Job 30:27; Ps 18:6); 3. (piel) confront, i.e., have a hostile encounter with an opponent (2Sa 22:19; Ps 17:13; Ps 18:19); 4. (piel) come in front, i.e., come to and be in a spatial position which is the front of an object perceived to have a front and back area (2Ki 19:32; Ps 59:11; 68:26; 88:14; 89:15; 95:2; Isa 37:33; Mic 6:6); 5. (piel) do early, i.e., do something in the very early morning, likely before the sun rises, as an extension of looking to the east where the sun rises (Ps 119:147,148; Jonah 4:2); 6. (hif) have a claim against, formally, come before, i.e., have a legal claim for another party to make payment, as an extension of making a presentation to a person (Job 41:3); 7. (hif) happen, formally, meet, i.e., have an event happen as a figurative extension of coming near or approaching a person in linear movement (Am 9:10) Qadam is translated (NAS) - anticipate(1), before(2), come(2), come to meet(1), come before(3), comes before(1), confront(3), confronted(4), forestall(1), given(1), go(1), meet(5), receive(1), rise(1), went(1). Qadam - 27v - Dt 23:4 (meet); 2Sa 22:6, 19 (confronted), 2Kgs 19:32; Neh 13:2; Job 3:12; 30:27; 41:11; Ps 17:13; 18:5, 18; 21:3; 59:10; 68:25; 79:8; 88:13; 89:14; 95:2, 6; 96:6; 119:147-148; Isa 21:14; 37:33; Amos 9:10; Jonah 4:2; Mic 6:6. God on high - Literally "God of the Height" a reference to His heavenly dwelling place (2Sa 22:17, Job 16:19, Ps 92:8, 93:4, 102:19, Isa 33:5, 16, Isa 57:15, Jer 17:12) How can such a God be reached? How can He be worshiped? Bow (03721)(kapap) means to assume a posture which in the religious sense symbolizes a humbling of oneself (cp Isa 58:5). Outward pious actions do not impress God when our daily conduct is defilement. -John Butler Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings - Young's Literal = "Do I come before Him with burnt-offerings?" (cf Lev 1:3-4) These offerings were sin offerings, and were entirely consumed by fire. But if sin offering were unaccompanied by internal change, they were worthless. Barker makes an interesting comment - The burnt offering was wholly consumed and was intended to express one’s devotion, commitment, and complete surrender to God. Yet such total commitment is the one thing the offerers were still withholding from the Lord. Calves a year old were regarded as the best sacrificial animals at the right age (Lev 9:3). With yearling calves - That is, "year old calves." These could be offered after one week old - Lev 9:3, 22:27 and were considered the best. These words are spoken by Israel, who appeals to offerings and sacrifices to "make up" for her sins in lieu of obedience (cf 1Sa 15:22; Ps 51:16-17-note). Balaam is condemned for his greedy desire to profit as a prophet! (2Pe 2:15-16-note; Jude 1:11, cf Rev 2:14-note). Dr. S Lewis
Miquéias 6
Wiersbe - The second judgment (Micah 6:16) would be sudden and open: the total ruin of the nation by the hand of Babylon. That Micah should point to Babylon as the aggressor (Micah 4:10) is remarkable, because Babylon wasn’t a major power on the international scene at that time...But by the time Babylon was finished with Judah and Jerusalem, the nation would be in ruin and the people in derision. The people’s sins found them out. The Lord tried to use the judgment on the Northern Kingdom to awaken and warn the people of Judah, the Southern Kingdom, but they wouldn’t listen. Their defense was “It can’t happen here. We have the temple!” But they weren’t obeying God’s law or honoring His house. Instead, they were following the godless ways of two kings of Israel, Omri and Ahab, both of whom “did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and did worse than all who were before [them]” I will give...your inhabitants for derision - Or to hissing which was a way of taunting someone! Judah would become an object to be taunted by those who witnessed the devastating effects of God's judgment. Compare the similar phrase in Micah 2:4 where God "will take up against you a taunt (masal = byword spoken in contempt)." Achtemeier - “Such scornful hooting is perhaps that same reaction that the secular world has to the church when the community that is supposed to be the body of Christ fails to live up to its covenant with its Lord or the degeneracy of one of its leaders is exposed.” ( Minor Prophets I, NIBC) OUCH!And you will bear the reproach of My people - This Hebrew phrase is difficult to understand. E.g., to whom does "you" refer? The NET translation gives us the sense of the original Hebrew = "Therefore I will make you an appalling sight, the city's inhabitants will be taunted derisively, and nations will mock all of you." This idea is "“the scorn due My people.” Note that some favor the Septuagint rendering over the Hebrew - "and ye shall bear the reproach of nations." In either case the reproach is on God's people! Doug Goins applies the truths of Micah 6 to the lives of NT believers -- Do Justice, Love Kindness, Walk Humbly With Your God - So what does God do when we, like Judah, begin to mistrust his love and live in ways that contradict his law and his commandments? How does God seek to draw us back into relationship with him when that relationship has been strained, almost to the breaking point? Chapter 6 reveals that God takes this very seriously. When we, like Judah, begin to mistrust his love, he gives us a chance to dialogue with him about it. He is willing to listen to us. Micah 6 is a conversation between God and his people. It begins in a courtroom setting, a place of objectivity, of fairness to both sides. In the first eight verses of chapter 6, God brings a covenant lawsuit against his people. The first five verses focus on God’s accusation concerning his people; specifically, their ingratitude. . .In the beginning of Mic 6:6, the people finally speak to God, but they speak out of hard hearts, still in deliberate rebellion against him. They do raise the sin issue and talk about their own sin against God, but their questions show how shallow their spiritual life really is. They are ignorant of the enormity of their sins and the high cost of forgiveness. Mic 6:6-8 summarize a defensive response from an ungrateful nation. . .Since there has been no justice for others, no deep desire to cultivate loving loyalty in relationships, no concern for walking with God in humility, God pronounces the verdict of his covenant lawsuit against his people. In Mic 6:9-12, God summarizes his accusations against them concerning covenant disloyalty. These things we’ve heard before he summarizes with the word wickedness, expressed in deceit, in violence, injustice. (Do Justice; Love Kindness)