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Study #6- Micah 6:8

Submitted by Cory Howell on Tue, 06/08/2010 - 11:46
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"He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord really wants from you:  He wants you to promote  justice, to be faithful,  and to live obediently before your God."  Micah 6:8

This passage is one of those things one sees quoted often (I actually saw a truncated version scribbled as graffiti in a bathroom recently), but I'm not certain I see it being lived as much as it should.  When it comes to Christian ethics, it seems that modern Christians favor some hot-button issues that don't really have a whole lot to do with the simple, terse commands quoted above. 

  • How do we promote justice?
  • How do we live faithfully?
  • How do we live obediently before our God?

These are questions each of us should be asking himself every day...every moment of every day.  The answers to these questions may determine the quality of life on this planet for every human being, regardless of whether they are Christian, Jew or Muslim.  And certainly, the first one, the one about justice, has a bearing on those who are not theists of any kind.  Promoting justice has an impact on every person, regardless of whether that person believes in God or not.

Let's get a discussion started about this key Old Testament passage.  I would certainly be interested in hearing how others inerpret it.

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A few more thoughts on Micah 6:8

Submitted by Cory Howell on Thu, 06/10/2010 - 13:08.
  •  "To promote justice..."  Being just would entail, treating others with equality and fairness. I find it interesting that there is so much in the Old Testament about using fair scales, respecting property lines, recompense for offenses, taking care of widows, etc.  There is in the Law a distinct emphasis on the worth of property and people, and correct dealings between people.  A lot of it seems a bit strange to our modern minds, but much of it still makes sense.  God emphasizes his own justice, and clearly expects us to reflect that same justice in our own lives.
  • "To live faithfully..."  So often, I think, we consider faith something that we have , rather than a way we live.  "I have faith" or "my faith is very important to me."  Faith as a noun, rather than an adverb.  Not that the noun meaning is wrong, but the adverb meaning has a different emphasis.  It describes all of our actions, rather than something we possess inside ourselves.  And perhaps the one informs the other, and vice versa.
  • "To live obediently..." I recently posted a blog about divorce, in which I said I believe our happiness is less important to God than our obedience.  I do think that's true, reading the Scriptures.  We are so concerned about happiness in this modern world, even though we often find it so elusive.  And if you watch some of the more popular TV preachers, such as Joel Osteen, you hear them talk about happiness quite a bit.  I don't think this jives with Scripture.  God didn't say to Adam and Eve, "Have fun in the garden...do whatever makes you happy."  He gave them a command, and told them to obey it.  The interesting thing that happens, of course, is that, if we follow those commands, we will often find a deeper and more abiding joy than if we don't.

Cory Howell
Nashville, TN

calebtucci's picture

Micah 6:8

Submitted by calebtucci on Fri, 11/18/2011 - 01:13.

You are so right when you say that happiness is less important to God than our obedience. I think many times we try to make up for our disobedience through good works like Saul did in 1 Samuel 15 when he claimed he had saved the best animals for sacrafices instead of killing every man, woman, child and animal as commanded. The Lord rejected his "good works" as a means of atonement.  In  1 Samuel 15: 22 Samuel makes this abundantley clear when he tells Saul that obedience is better than sacrafice. Great insight on Micah 6:8 Corey! Obedience is a daily challenge...