Mic 6:1-7:6 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Mic 6:1-16: 6:1-16 The Lord presented, argued, and decided the case against his rebellious people, Israel. This section is formally presented as a legal court case (cp. Isa 1:2-4 ; Jer 2:4-9 ; Hos 4 ). Using the scenario of the courtroom, the Lord challenged his people to state their case against him, for he had a case against them (Mic 6:1-5 )—they had not fulfilled his requirements (6:6-8 ), so they were guilty (6:9-12 ). The guilty verdict is followed by Israel’s sentencing (6:13-16 ). Summary for Mic 6:1-2: 6:1-2 mountains and hills: All creation is called as a witness (cp. Josh 24:27 ); in other ancient Near Eastern treaties, the gods of the respective countries were called as witnesses.

Summary for Mic 6:1-16: 6:1-16 ^a The Lord presented, argued, and decided the case against his rebellious people, Israel. This section is formally presented as a legal court case (cp. Isa 1:2-4 ^b; Jer 2:4-9 ^c; Hos 4 ^d). Using the scenario of the courtroom, the Lord challenged his people to state their case against him, for he had a case against them (Mic 6:1-5 ^e)—they had not fulfilled his requirements (6:6-8 ^f), so they were guilty (6:9-12 ^g). The guilty verdict is followed by Israel’s sentencing (6:13-16 ^h).
Summary for Mic 6:1-2: 6:1-2 ⁱ mountains and hills: All creation is called as a witness (cp. Josh 24:27 ^j); in other ancient Near Eastern treaties, the gods of the respective countries were called as witnesses.
6:3 ^k tired of me: The Lord asks rhetorically if he has done something to turn Israel away from him. But their contempt for God arose from their own ingratitude (6:4-5 ^l).
Summary for Mic 6:4-5: 6:4-5 ^m The Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt and had preserved them and blessed them throughout their journey to the Promised Land. God encouraged and warned Israel always to remember what he had done for them from Sinai onward (Exod 3:15 ⁿ; Deut 5:15 ^o; Pss 77:11 ^p; 111:4 ^q; see also Pss 78 ^r, 136 ^s).

• Balak ... Balaam: (see Num 22–24 ^t).

• Acacia Grove, located on the east of the Jordan River, was Israel’s base camp before entering the Promised Land (see Num 25:1 ^u; Josh 2:1 ^v; 3:1 ^w). The trip from there to Gilgal (west of the Jordan River) bears witness to God’s covenant faithfulness. God’s saving acts brought the Israelites into the Promised Land.
Summary for Mic 6:6-7: 6:6-7 ^x Israel’s case was hopeless, but they queried the Lord as to how they could placate or please him. The proffered items are listed in a crescendo of significance, from calves to rams and olive oil to firstborn children. None of this was sufficient or acceptable to God, who judges the heart (1 Sam 15:22 ^y; 16:7 ^z; Jer 17:9 ^aa).
6:8 ^ab Good means what is right in God’s eyes; God is the source of all goodness (Gen 1 ^ac; Exod 33:19 ^ad; 34:6-7 ^ae; Deut 12:28 ^af).

• what is right (Hebrew mishpat, often translated “justice”): God’s order in the world requires treatment of others in fair, non-manipulative, non-oppressive ways.

• mercy (Hebrew khesed): This passionate, undeserved loyalty is the defining quality in God’s holy character (see Ps 136 ^ag). Those who know God will act in the same way toward others (see Gen 21:22-24 ^ah; Josh 2:12-14 ^ai; Matt 5:43-48 ^aj).

• walk humbly: Humility must characterize God’s people. They must not live in a spirit of arrogance or special privilege. They must be humble and reverently fear God. Mishpat and khesed are incompatible with human arrogance. God desires us to be in an ongoing intimate relationship with him (a “walk”; cp. Deut 28:9 ^ak; Josh 22:5 ^al) that transforms the way we relate to other people.
Summary for Mic 6:9-16: 6:9-16 ^am People in Jerusalem were here invited to learn the lesson from Samaria: If you oppress others in order to have an abundance for yourself (6:10-12 ^an), you will never have enough however much you get (6:13-15 ^ao), and eventually you will lose even that (6:16 ^ap). It is fitting for such people to become an object of scorn, not to receive honor and adulation (6:16 ^aq). 6:9 ^ar Those who are wise fear the Lord; God’s voice calls to everyone in Jerusalem to learn wisdom (cp. Prov 1:7 ^as, 20 ^at, 28 ^au).

• The armies of destruction ... sending them: Assyria would carry out the Lord’s plan to destroy Samaria, while Babylon would be the instrument of destruction for Jerusalem (Mic 4:10 ^av).
Summary for Mic 6:10-12: 6:10-12 ^aw The Lord had specific accusations against his people. They had become a community of deceit that was ripe for rejection and destruction. Falsely acquired wealth, unethical business practices, threats, and violence characterized this supposed people of God (see 2 Kgs 6:25 ^ax; Hos 12:7-8 ^ay; Amos 8:5-6 ^az). They could not change, because lying was their way of life (cp. Prov 6:16-19 ^ba). Israel was completely corrupt.
Summary for Mic 6:13-16: 6:13-16 ^bb I will wound you! This phrase introduces all of the curses that God had promised to bring upon the disobedient and rebellious people of Israel (see Deut 28:15-68 ^bc).
6:16 ^bd evil King Omri ... wicked King Ahab: These kings began perhaps the most rebellious dynasty to reign in northern Israel (885–841 BC; 1 Kgs 16:23—2 Kgs 10:17 ^be), and Elijah condemned them to annihilation (2 Kgs 10:17 ^bf). No northern kings of Israel followed the laws of Moses (cp. Mic 1:5-6 ^bg). Omri and his son Ahab were the epitome of evil kings (e.g., 1 Kgs 18:4 ^bh; 21:1-26 ^bi). Omri’s dynasty was destroyed in 841 BC (2 Kgs 9:14–10:17 ^bj), and the people of Israel who followed their evil example would similarly be destroyed.

‏ Micah 7:1-6

Summary for Mic 7:1-20: 7:1-20 ^bk Hopeless deception and corruption permeated God’s people (7:1-6 ^bl); God’s mercy, however, would triumph and Israel would be restored (7:11-13 ^bm). God’s mercy, compassion, and unfailing love would prevail (7:14-20 ^bn). Micah mourned his people’s condition and looked to the Lord for help (7:7-10 ^bo). 7:1 ^bp the fruit picker after the harvest: After the second crop of figs and fruit in August–September, no further yield was produced for several months (cp. Isa 16:9 ^bq; Jer 48:32 ^br). No one could be found to satisfy Micah’s hunger for righteousness (Mic 7:2-6 ^bs).
Summary for Mic 7:2-6: 7:2-6 ^bt The people of Israel were without law, justice, or righteousness. Everyone took advantage of others for self-aggrandizement; they had created a society in which all forms of oppression were the norm. 7:2 ^bu not one honest person is left: This complaint is frequent in the prophets (see Isa 59:16 ^bv; Jer 5:1 ^bw; Ezek 22:30 ^bx).

• In the ancient Near East, people fished and hunted by setting traps and using nets (cp. Ps 10:9 ^by; Prov 1:17 ^bz; Isa 51:20 ^ca).

• their own brothers: All fellow Israelites were regarded as brothers.
7:3 ^cb Both their hands: That is, they had perfected the skills for doing evil.

• Officials and judges alike demand bribes: Rulers and judges were forbidden to twist justice (Exod 18:19-22 ^cc; Deut 16:18-20 ^cd). Israel’s judicial system was completely corrupt.
7:4 ^ce your judgment day is coming: The people of Israel would soon be conquered by the Assyrians, the people of Judah would soon face destruction at the hands of the Babylonians, and all the people of the earth will soon face God in judgment.
Summary for Mic 7:5-6: 7:5-6 ^cf Don’t trust anyone: Bitterness, corruption, and treachery had poisoned the community of the Lord’s people (cp. Matt 10:34-36 ^cg; Luke 12:52-53 ^ch).