Peter Barnes | Micah 6:1-7
SERMON NOTES
WE HAVE NO DEFENCE
Micah 6:1-7
– this is an indictment.
1. God calls us to account.
– 6:1-2. God is speaking to Micah as His prosecutor. See Deut. 4:26; 30:19; 32:1; Psalm 50:4-6; Isa.1:2-3. Even the mountains and hills can see that Israel is guilty. Luke 19:37-40 is not dissimilar.
God will judge us – Heb.4:13. And the hills and the mountains will declare us guilty.
2. We have sinned against God’s goodness.
– We would expect the indictment like Hosea 4:1-2.
– Mic.6:3-5. God tells of His goodness to Israel in the past.
– If a policeman tells you to move on, and you want to argue the point, that is wrong; but if your grandmother lovingly knits you a jumper and you throw it in the dustbin in front of her eyes, that is doubly wrong.
3. We cannot offer God anything.
– 5:6-7. Micah is speaking here with a rather mocking tone. What can we offer God? The Old Testament ceremonial law was always intended to point to something greater: 1 Sam.15:22-23; 2 Chronicles 30:17-20; Psalm 40:6-8 [one aspect of the law is said to continue in Hebrews 10:5-10 while another aspect does not]; Psalm 50:7-15; 51:17; Isa. 1:11-17; 66:3; Jer.6:20; 7:21-23; Hosea 6:6 [cited in Matt.9:13; 12:7]; Amos 5:21-27; Micah 6:6-8.
– ‘Nothing in my hands I bring’. Not even my firstborn! See 2 Kings 16:2-3; Jer.32:31-35.