Sermon Outline, First After Epiphany

INTRODUCTION Micah continues his indictment of Israel and Israel’s leaders. But in chapter 6, he gives positive instruction. What God demands is what is good - justice, lovingkindness, and humility (v. 8).

THE TEXT “Hear now what the LORD says: ‘Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. Hear, O you mountains, the LORD’s complaint, and you strong foundations of the earth; for the LORD has a complaint against His people, and He will contend with Israel . . . .” (Micah 6:1-16).

CASE AGAINST THE MOUNTAINS Chapter 6 begins with another call to “hear” (cf. 1:2; 3:1), a repetition of the original “shema,” Israel’s call to listen and obey Yahweh her Lord (Deuteronomy 6:4). Micah brings Yahweh’s “case” (vv. 1-2), twice repeating the Hebrew “rib,” which refers to a legal case. Micah is an agent of Yahweh’s court, bringing an indictment against Israel. Like most indictments in Scripture, it begins with a review of Yahweh’s faithfulness to Israel (vv. 1-5), Israel’s current failure (vv. 9-16), and instruction about what Israel must do in response (vv. 6-8). The indictment is directed against the “mountains” (vv. 1, 2), the “high” and mighty in Israel, Israel’s rulers. In verse 3, the case expands to address the entire nation. Micah reminds Israel of the exodus and of the time when Yahweh made Balak fall into the pit he dug for Israel (vv. 3-5). Yahweh cries out in exasperation in verse 3: What has He failed to do?

WHAT YAHWEH REQUIRES How is Israel to respond? She might think that a bunch of ascension offerings will fix things. If Israel creates a smoking mound of a thousand rams and pours out rivers of oil, then Yahweh will respond (vv. 6-7). Perhaps Yahweh is expecting each Israelite to be an Abraham, offering the fruit of his own body for his sin (v. 7b). Israel has forgotten the message of Amos: So long as justice is not rolling down like waters, Israel’s festivals are abominable and the smoke of rams are a stench (Amos 5:21-24). Micah has the same message. Of course, Israel is supposed to offer sacrifices, but they are supposed to offer these sacrifices as expressions of the sacrifice of obedient life. What Yahweh truly values is true sacrifice, the sacrifice of justice, kindness, and humility. Micah is especially addressing the oppressive kings and nobles of Israel: If they want Yahweh to accept them and their sacrifices, and turn away His anger, they have to pursue justice and covenant loyalty.

ECONOMIC CORRUPTION As he did in chapter 3, Micah again calls attention to unjust uses of wealth. Merchants use “deceptive weights,” cheating their customers by using variable measurements for their goods (v. 10). The wealthy men of Jerusalem are “full of violence,” acting like Ahab, who killed his neighbor Naboth to seize his vineyard (v. 16). Laws have been set up to encourage and protect Ahabs - the statutes of Omri.

CURSE The judgment in the indictment is that Judah will not enjoy the fruits of her labor and land. She will sow, but not reap; tread the grape but not enjoy the wine (v. 15). Nothing will satisfy. Yahweh gives His people over to frustration because of her injustice.