Fellow-Redeemed in Christ Jesus,
Micah was a younger contemporary of Isaiah. Together they warned Israel of God’s coming judgment against their idolatry, and foretold God’s forgiveness through the coming Savior. Micah identified this Savior’s birthplace as Bethlehem though it was small among the clans of Judah.
The LORD had reviewed all the wonderful things he had done for Israel that deserved more from them than he was getting. What did the people believe God wanted? What did the LORD actually expect from his people?
Those questions are the key to our theme: The Only Way to Approach the LORD, the Exalted God. Not with arms loaded down with sacrifices for sin but with a remembrance of the LORD’s deliverance that acts.
Two possible approaches to the LORD, the exalted God have different sources; natural man, and God. In the first part of our text, natural man considers his approach. He wonders and questions if the way to God doesn’t have to be arms loaded down with sacrifices for sin. What does the LORD expect me to bring him to make him satisfied with me? My sinful nature asks, “With what shall I come before the LORD?”
Those in Israel who clung to outward formalism thought the LORD wanted burnt offerings of yearling calves. They hoped thousands of rams and thousands of rivers of olive oil would satisfy God’s justice and anger. If not that, they could sacrifice their firstborn children, something they had witnessed in their heathen neighbors. Implied in their consideration is the thought that God is overly demanding of us.
My natural man believes wrongly that what the LORD wants from me for satisfaction is something I do or I bring. My offering could be my obedience to his commandments though not perfect. My offering could be hours of work for him, acts of charity to my neighbor, big checks for the work of the gospel. God certainly expects a lot. God must be willing to accept my prayers and my outward sacrifices, muses natural man.
The only way to approach the LORD, the exalted God is not arms loaded down with sacrifices for sin. Outward formalism to the law and sacrifice without love and faith is no offering to the LORD at all. We do not have to give sacrifice for sins. Jesus Christ already is the one time satisfaction for sin by which we approach the LORD, the exalted God. We approach him with a remembrance of the LORD’s deliverance that acts.
God reveals the right approach to him. In the verses just before our text, the LORD outlined again his deliverance of Israel from slavery and his protection from the curses of false prophets. He reminded them of his protection and provision on their journey. He had treated them with divine justice, loved them with divine mercy, and had taught them humility.
Micah wrote, “He has showed you, O man, what is good.” Then the prophet asks, “And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly before your God.”
What the LORD, the exalted God desires is we approach him in remembrance of his deliverance of us from the guilt of our sins, and from death the punishment for our sin. He wants us to approach him not in the pride of our sacrifices but in the humility of Jesus’ sacrifice by which he gave himself even to death on the cross for us.
Justice was missing in Israel before the Assyrians led the ten northern tribes into oblivion. God treats us without partiality on the basis of truth. The only approach to him is with a heart that establishes such impartiality and truth in our dealing with one another.
Mercy is to care about the hurts and needs of others like the Good Samaritan. The heart that loves mercy because it has received mercy may approach the LORD fearlessly. Humility means nothing in my hands I bring simply to Christ’s cross I cling. Humility has no notion of outward sacrifice that earns something. Humility is that broken and contrite heart the exalted God never will despise. In that justice, mercy and humility we walk with God.
The approach to God is closed to those who want to come to him with arms loaded down with outward sacrifices and faithless hearts no matter how great or plenteous. The just heart, the merciful heart, the humble heart – the repentant and believing heart- is the only way to approach the LORD, the exalted God.
This is the thought behind the theme for our upcoming stewardship emphasis. We are basing our stewardship emphasis theme on a different Word of God we will look at next week, God willing. The thought is present here as well. Stewardship, one aspect of walking with God, is about the heart and Building Devoted Hearts for Jesus. That is what the LORD does through his Word especially through the Word of Christ. Amen. <SDG>