The indictment of the Lord and response of Micah

All right. There's a section today that I think is something that could take off and really have a lesson under itself. And that's the whole Balak and Dior kind of part of this. And we're not going to go there. We're going to cover that. But we're not going to spend a lot of time there. And those are complicated people in scripture.

So that's again, you know, almost a class under itself for a few weeks. So let's review really what was covered last week by Miles. Let me get in the right place here. OK, so I'm going to kind of summarize last week. Miles didn't have a handout and I actually called him about that. Well, we were on the thought about Alyssa. But anyway. He said, well, I don't have a handout.

So anyway, so what I did is I turned to a source called Bible Sense, which is online, which is kind of interesting. And I thought it did a good job kind of refreshing our minds about the scripture, but also uses the scripture to describe itself. So let's look at kind of the take home messages from last week, Micah 5, 10 through 15, the purification of Zion. The last task of the Messiah ruler, during the Messianic kingdom will be to purify Israel of their reliance on earthly things for their existence and peace. Boy, is that not a prayer for us here today? It really is.

The second point is he will remove the people's trust in military might. Israel's always had a strong army as it does today. So that will be removed as time goes forward. He will tear down all their fortifications or fortified cities. because they were places of refuge in times of danger. So no refuge for them to go to. He will remove every trace of the practice of false religion from their midst. And he will also destroy the symbols of pagan worship in the land.

And finally, he will execute vengeance and anger and wrath on the nations which have not obeyed his guidance and rule. So that kind of summarizes, Israel's going to be abandoned from all the things they're used to, but also the Lord will reach out and execute vengeance and anger and wrath on the nations which have not obeyed his command. So that summarizes the purification of Zion as it reflects the end times.

Can you imagine that? I mean, I'm just sitting here thinking, All of a sudden, you lose everything that you hosted in all your defenses. And all of a sudden, I mean, you're bare. And then, but then, the Hulk comes in and he just takes everybody out who's against you. And you're just, you're just wide open. And he, you know, But all you can do is trust him. Yeah. He does it. All that is done away with, but it's replaced by Christ's rule. Right. That will be kingdom age rule for sure. All right.

So we're turning now to the title of today's lesson that Roger has given us, the Lord's indictment and Micah's response. So this week, We're going to talk about the indictment and then next week Mike is his boss. So I've combined verses one and two. 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. So why is Micah, do you think, stating that the Lord is directing the nation to contend before the mountains and let the hills hear thy voice? What's going on in the mountains and the hills here? Is there any speculation here by everyone about that? Don't we have to decide what the mountains are about?

That's pretty important. What's that? The mountains. Is that possibly referring to something different than its literal meaning? Could it be something? I'm just saying the mountains Are the mountains distinct from the hills? No, no, no. I'm saying they refer to something else. Oh, do they refer to something else?

That's right. I'm sure I'm going to go there. All right. That's taking us in that direction. In a sense, you know, could this in some ways be in preparation for kind of like a jury trial with the Lord kind of being the prosecuting attorney? I mean, it's kind of interesting if you think about putting this section of scripture into the mindset of a courtroom. I've been there. You've all been there to some extent. Or you watch it on television. We watch a lot of Perry Mason and a lot of courtroom stuff there. By the way, those are fun, fun things to watch. He always wins, too. He's always right. He always wins. And Berger gets really frustrated. And the, what, the lieutenant, he gets frustrated, too. But anyway, let's leave that out here.

OK, so another thing to think about is the mountains and hills refer to the heavens often. and or they could be witnesses to Israel's shortcomings. So let's look at those two possibilities. I'm going to quote Isaiah 1, 2, So in other words, You know, when you go to the hills and the mountains, you're ultimately going up there someplace. And so there could be some relevance to the hills and the mountains reflecting the heavenly perspective. And then Isaiah 43, 26, but put me in remembrance. Let us contend together and state your case that you may be acquitted. So, I mean, there's kind of a text in Isaiah. By the way, keep in mind, Isaiah was living at the same time.

So this idea of a courtroom kind of scenario really is an interesting kind of metaphor of what this scripture could really be about. Thoughts about that? Isn't that kind of interesting? And the Lord himself is the prosecuting attorney. against the nation of Israel, and they're falling short. And he has a big case. Yeah, and he picks his own jury too. The angels in heavenly place.

Anyway, no. Okay, so verse 3 then, O my people, what have I done unto thee? And wherein have I worried thee? Testify against me. Your thoughts about that verse. Can any of us relate to that verse? Oh my people, how outreaching is that? How pleading? In a sense, how regretful? I mean, the Lord's reaching out and I think He has no emotion, but maybe He does. It's really, what's going on? I'm so concerned about you. I'm reaching out, pleading to you, and I'm regretting the course that you've taken. That's an interesting way to think about it. And here's what I was trying to get at with the class here a little bit.

Isn't this kind of a mistaken interpretation of trials and tribulations from our earthly position? I mean, how many people have blamed God for the things? I mean, I'll share that personally. My father died at age 35. And my mother, to my knowledge, never was saved, although she was a church organist for 35 or 40 years after that, not that much,

35. But she was so bitter. Look what God has done to me in taking my husband at a very young age. And I was 10 months of age. She showed a baby to raise at that point in time.

So, I mean, I've seen it personally, and although she would never have admitted that, I don't think it's clear that she went through all the gymnastics of playing for a Presbyterian church and being the organist, but yet there was no no warmth about God. And she carried a bit of anger about that whole thing. But just think about this, how commonplace this is in the way that people look at the Lord. Look at the deaths of 67 people over the Potomac. I mean, look what God caused or did.

No? Welcome to the earthly circumstances which exist around all of us. And we all, I think, maybe I don't want to force this on anybody, but we've all at times said, God, why did you do this? I mean, so, oh, my people, what have I done unto thee? And where have I worried thee? Testify against me. In other words, you guys are blaming me for everything that's going south here.

Yeah, Tim. You know, I think about Job. You know, the guy was a righteous man. And yet he, in his pain and anguish, is just gently accusing God of unjust, this unjust punishment of himself. He didn't understand. He did everything he could to be righteous before God, and yet God was seen to be punishing him. But the great thing about Job, he had great friends, didn't he? We're all surrounded by that. I think this really, I think, reflects the worldview.

How could God do this? If God's really real, why do babies die? Why is abortion allowed? I mean, you could go on and on and on, blaming God. If there's really a God, how could these things... Isn't it true that God is responsible for a lot of these things, but the way the world takes it in a negative way is completely different than the way we as believers take it in a positive way. Because all of God's trials and tribulations are ultimately for blessing.

Right, Bob. You know, I think my view of this is God allows these things, right? I mean, causation I mean, maybe he is actively doing some of these, but I suspect that he's allowing the world system to progress, and for the life of the believer, every trial is to his glory and benefit, and our own individual lives. But don't you think in Job's case, because it was written, and we have the account from the inspiration of God, that God did Make these things happen for Job's benefit.

Well it almost sounds too like from what these scriptures say these things are going to happen in Israel or to Israel or about Israel. And I think they wouldn't be prophesied if the Lord not only was going to allow them but in fact set up things so they're going to happen. Let's go ahead then.

Lord, why have you made my life so miserable? That's kind of the view of what Israel is going for at this time. Again, I think this is a courtroom-like drama and how rhetorical. I mean, is this something new? No, I mean, the Lord has been, you know, challenging Israel in terms of their lack of belief and falling short for some time now.

And this is just, I think, a dramatization of the way Micah expresses God's desire. So Isaiah 5-4, what could have been done more to my vineyard that I have not done in it? Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? Anyway, just a reminder, and Jeremiah says something very similar.

In other words, God's saying, I mean, I'm being very, you know, kind of colloquial. God, I didn't do anything wrong. What's the matter with you guys? I mean, this idea of them really placing blame on the Lord for the circumstances that are here prophetically being declared. They may be doing that right now. Who? Israel. With what all it has to do. I mean, you know, they're not over. Well, thinking about the Jewish community, I'm thinking they're the Jews that I know well take the holidays and that's about it. And then there's the Jews who are really for the land.

And I think probably the Orthodox Jew is the only one that's dealt their lives on the Pentateuch. But they're still all short of the glory of God in terms of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, Paul said clearly to the Jew, Christ is a stumbling block. He's not the Messiah.

All right. Micah 6, 4. For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of servants. And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, Miriam. Interesting choice of people here. Okay. So how should we interpret the house of servants? I have slavery in ASB. House of slavery. Okay. And how should we interpret that? Well, they were slaves in Egypt. The House of Servants really was, you know, reflected in many... That's what they did. They were servants. Yeah. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and that the Lord, your God, redeemed you. Therefore, I command you to this thing today. So that it seems like the House of Servants is really used to have a context in the verse. But yet, in fact, this has to be to what it refers.

Why not only Moses, but why are Aaron and Miriam? How about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? I'm surprised he didn't do it. Yeah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. Why not those guys? But look how many times the Lord reminds us about taking Israel out of Egypt. There it is. I couldn't get rid of the underlines. The Lord has reminded the nation so many times about his love for them and their deliverance. out of the tyranny of being slaves in the Egyptian nation.

Wow. So, why do you think Moses, Aaron, and Miriam? Any ideas there? Well, let's take a look at that. Aaron clearly served them as their first high priest, and Miriam was a prophetess. But why not others? I think as Roger indicated. Why are these mentioned here? Well, I'm not sure I have the answer, but let's look at a little bit of scripture that documents these individuals.

Okay, in Exodus, not good spelling there. Now take Aaron your brother and his sons with him from among the children of Israel that he may minister to me as priest. Later in Exodus, and Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances. And Miriam answered them, sing ye to the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously the horse and his rider had he thrown into the sea. So, anyway, this scripture, you know, reflecting things we know. I mean, Aaron was the first priest. Miriam was his sister and ultimately played a role in leading the women of Israel to the truth of the scriptures. Yet, I think something we forget about a few of these people, and look at this, I thought this was kind of interesting.

In Numbers 12.1, then Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Egyptian woman whom he had married, for he had married An Egyptian woman. Ethiopian, my bad. Ethiopian woman. Yes. Anyway, we're not going to dwell on that. Let's keep moving here. But it's interesting, you know, that's, you know, you don't, you see the, you know, the man and women at their, you know, that's how we are. I mean, we have opinions about people that are, you know, here's an opinion. Well, you married a foreigner, you did this, you did that.

Well, you think back, why again do you think he chose Moses, Aaron, and Miriam? Because it's really the Jewish law, is it not? I mean, Abraham preceded the law, didn't he, in Isaac and Jacob? And although they led to the law, Ultimately, I think the law is really being really substantiated here by the text of Micah in terms of listing these heroes of the Egyptians. Bob, I think maybe Miriam might have helped with the women and children a lot too. Because Moses wouldn't always be able to help in that area, but maybe she was... I'm just saying that... I don't think it was a laughing area. No, but, you know, because...

And that was the issue with Moses about delegating. Remember the whole issue about leading the people through the wilderness and he divides up, you do this. Some have said that wasn't following the Lord there, but he did delegate at some point. Well, we accept scripture as it exists, so those are the three people listed here. Okay, now we're going to get into a section that, again, is a challenging one in terms of biblical history, and again, I'm not going to go into great detail. We're going to try to have some help from some others to comment on this section.

Oh, my people, remember now what Balaam, king of Boaz, consulted, and what Balaam, the son of Beor, answered him from Shittim, unto Gilgal, that you may know the righteousness of the Lord." Now that's a complicated verse. Lots of people, lots of places. Oh my people, again it's repeated here.

I think it just shows the outreach of the Lord and his attitude towards Israel in a regretful and challenging and really purposeful manner. This, again, I think the constant reminder of God's mercy and His judgment. God is both merciful and judgmental in terms of what Israel has done in the days in which Micah is writing this.

So, who is this Balach king of Moab? And who is this Balaam in front of you? Well, I'm going to let Constable tell you more about it than I can, but again, this is a whole study in and of itself. So, bear with me. Yahweh charged the Israelites to remember that Balaam, Cain and Moab, wanted God to curse his people, but Balaam revealed that God would never do that.

There are numbers, three chapters that deal with it. God's intention for his people had consistently been good. The events of their crossing the Jordan River and entering the Promised Land showed the same thing. Shittim was the Israelites' last camping place before they crossed the Jordan, and Gilgal was where they camped first after the crossing. That's represented scripturally. God had always done what was consistent with his covenant obligations to his people, never burdening them, but always protecting, defending, and enabling them. He had lovingly led them from slavery in a hostile foreign land to settlement in their own comfortable country. And again, this is Constable's kind of view trying to put this into context. So, just looking at just one verse out of Numbers that really kind of capsulizes this in a very Sumerian kind of way.

He, meaning Balak, sent messengers, therefore, unto Balaam, the son of Beor, to Ptor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt Behold they cover the face of the earth and they abide over against me. Here's the map, and as you see in the upper right, that we're looking at the Jordan River from north to south, and then we're looking at Chittim here, and crossing the Jordan is into the Promised Land. So this is the geography that relates to this particular section of Scripture.

Again, that's historical. This is not current, but Mike is just reflecting on the period of time where that transition of an abandonation, excuse me, back into the promised land occurred. Now, Jason Fawcett Brown, I'm going to read what they had to say here, from Shittim unto Gilgal.

Not that Balaam accompanied Israel to Gilgal, for he was slain in Midian, and there's the verse to state that. But the clause applies to Balaam. Shittim was the scene of Balaam's wicked counsel taking effect in Israel's sin, whereby Israel merited utter destruction but for God's very mercy to Gilgal, the place of Israel's first encampment and the promised land where God renewed the covenant via circumcision. Now ultimately, without going into detail, this is what I alluded to in my comment earlier, Balaam was a man who possessed obedience to the Lord but grappled with a greedy heart and fell far short. And just an example of that is in the book of Revelation.

I mean, if the Lord brings him up again in Revelation, and this is John writing near the end of his life, Revelation 2.14, But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold thee a doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balaam to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So, I mean, The God is not looking historically at Balaam in a very favorable manner, but yet at times he did the things of the Lord.

So how does that represent some people's lives you know who are saved? We're even reflecting on ourselves sometimes in terms of the contradictory manner of our condition when in fact our position is so beautifully pure and uplifting. All right. And all of this was evidence of God's historic and undeserved kindness to a guilty nation. I think this is reflecting back on the history of Balaam and Balak.

Okay, verse six. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Was this what God required of Micah and of Israel? Do you think? I mean, Is this really what was thought to be necessary? More bird offerings? More sacrifices? And what about calves of the year old? A special offering perhaps that at Passover?

Your lamb shall be without blemish a male of the first year and you shall take it out from the sheep or from the goat. So that was a sacrifice at the time of the Passover and ultimately in Leviticus 9, 1 and 2. And it came to pass on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. And he said unto Aaron, take thee a young calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burn offing. without blemish and offer them before the Lord.

I think the only reference to the special nature of this calf of one year is that at the time of the Passover. Other than that, sacrifices took place with many animals under many different circumstances and we'll not really take time to go back and review that here.

But I suspect that Micah is stating this because it reflects back on the Passover. Of course, he just dealt with the fact they were delivered out of Egypt, right? So I think that's all consistent with why the prophet would use that as an example of a sacrifice to the Lord. Now, will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, for the fruit of my body, for the sin of my soul? How's that for Micah clearly saying this isn't going to meet the need here. Additional sacrifices are not what the Lord is clearly calling for under these circumstances. And was this robust reply, was this really necessary?

Well, obviously, because they still weren't paying attention. Why? Why? They were too proud and he's over it. Well, why would they think that by giving sacrifices of animals now would make things right? Or in the future would make things right? Because that's what God had required of them, but their heart wasn't in it. Exactly. I think it's like being circumcised in the flesh but not the heart, right? Which is New Testament scripture. Alright. I'm sure that Micah did not believe that these sacrifices would please God. I'm sure he didn't.

But used them as examples of ritual worship that he thought Israelites believed might satisfy God. I mean, this is all the history. This is the earthly tradition of the nation of Israel in terms of the sacrifice being the way to reach out to God to show God that they were really responding to his commands. Of interest, the Jews actually did offer human sacrifices to Baal in the valley of Hinnom. And I have one verse, there are several other verses to speak to this.

This is really disastrous, isn't it? In Jeremiah, they have built also high places of Baal to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind. So, can you mention how far short far short they fell, actually give their young children as sacrifices to the Lord. Hard to believe, isn't it? Even looking back at those times, boy. In a sense, it reminds me almost of the abortion tragedy we have today. But that's all for the human benefit of women's reproductive rights, right? Boy, terrible, terrible.

Alright, last verse is turning the table here a little bit. He has showed thee, O man, so Mike is now appealing to what he believes God's message is needed to the nation of Israel to shape up here. What is good and what does the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God. Do you think that that That verse would have impacted the nation of Israel in any way?

Well, it clearly didn't, did it? No, it did not. Why is this posed as a question? It's almost un-rhetorical. He knew it wasn't going to... But he still is saying it. I mean, he knows it's not going to do... Why do you think that this verse was needed?

In other words, was the Israelite to live by doing justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly? Is that in the Ten Commandments or in the Pentateuch anywhere? Would they have had knowledge of this, Jim? Israel believed that all they had to do to appease God was to obey the commandments, you know, do the sacrifices and all that stuff. It wasn't about the heart. They were worshipping other gods and they wanted to appease all the gods so they had all their cards lined up on their side. So they were just doing everything that they thought God required.

So what do you make of this verse then? Well this verse, like Margaret said it, appeals to the heart. And that's what God wants. Not our outer obedience. He wants you to know. You talk about stony hearts many times. Yeah. Okay, but did you think that God transmitted that message clearly to Israel as a nation? Not in the laws. It's not in the laws. But he, I'm sure he said, you know, in the underlying message, and if they would have paid attention, they might have gathered that information.

The prophets, they were saying this in so many words over and over and over. But they just, the Jews and the Israelites were so focused on the law and that they didn't, they just didn't get it. I think so many people were idol worshippers. They didn't want to. That's reflected in this first talking about human sacrifice. They were worshipping their idols all the way from the time they left Egypt, they were worshipping their idols.

But if we think of the way in which the high priest on a regular basis went to the Lord to justify or ask for forgiveness of the sins of the nation of Israel. That didn't hit home with this message, did it? At least, I don't think we get that flavor out of Scripture. You know, I've heard this before. I guess never really thinking about the question mark.

It's almost like it's a contrast from what it was, but it says, He has showed the old man what is good, like if he made that a statement. And what does the Lord require of me? But to do justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with thy God? I mean, in a questioning... I mean, that question mark just sort of puts it in a different light. It's almost like, are these the ways? You know, it's almost like he's putting it to them.

This isn't just a key verse in the Old Testament. This is a key verse for the whole Bible. For all the way we, for every one of us, how we live. Old Testament and New Testament. It's funny, you listen to J. Robert McGee, he talks, some people have taken this, today's, you know, so I'm going to live by that. I'm going to do that. That'll please God. Wait a minute.

Have you listened to what Paul said? He didn't say... Anyway, you can take, you know, things out of context and apply them to all kinds of different situations. It's not like it's a statement of this is what you should do. No. I mean, that's what I'm almost... I mean, I've always taken it that way. Okay. This is what you should do, but...

Okay, I think, in summary, I think the Old Testament does not reflect that this is the call of God for the behavior of the individual who is part of the nation of Israel. It's stated here and I think it reflects a principle of God that probably was not well understood by the nation. But ultimately here's a nation that ultimately rejected Christ and among all of us put him on the cross one day. So a couple commentators and we'll close after that.

Martin as he concludes from the writings of many minor prophets I'm glad you sent us that whole list of my prophecies. So he says, in view of God's dealings with their great ancestor and the grace extended to him, they are exhorted to turn to the Lord, to keep kindness and justice, including duties to man, and wait for their God, comprising duties to God. The order is that of Micah 6a.

I mean he's basically saying with complicated language is basically this is really what God wanted. And ultimately it ultimately reflected what God's calling was to their true response to his grace. But grace is not a principle that we think of routinely manifested in the Old Testament. The Apostle said this verse contains one of the most succinct and powerful expressions of Yahweh's essential requirements in the Bible and then a series of verses stated there. I mean, this is New Testament stuff for the most part, right? This is church-age stuff.

It's really not things that really reflect the nation of Israel historically. The Matthew account, I think, of course, Matthew's written to the Jew, Jewish community. So that, I didn't bring the verses forward. But I think ultimately we're talking now about really what the book of Hebrews represents. And we're going to close with this.

For the law, having a shadow of good things to come, which Micah really is declaring here, and not the very image of the things, can never, with those sacrifices, which Micah is dealing with here, which they offer year by year, continually make the comers there unto perfect. And remember, the sacrifices of bulls and goats can never take away sin. And Hebrews is written to the extent of showing that in times past God spoke to men through the prophets, but today speaks to us through the Lord Jesus Christ. Carolyn?

I'm just thinking, I mean, you know, a lot of ways it wasn't presented as this is what I want. But on the other hand, I think God always dealt with them kindly and with love. And sometimes he might have thought, don't you get it? Don't you get what's important to me? And maybe, I don't know, maybe that's... And they still have never gotten it.

If you find it interesting, it's 750 years before the cross that Micah states this. I mean, the question is how widespread and how much knowledge did the Jewish leadership and the prophet of Micah's statement here be made known to the Jewish community at that time? You have to wonder, or it was not received and really dealt with as God intended it to. All right, we'll continue next week to finish this section. We'll look at Micah's response to what he's already declared here in the first part of the Bible.

Let's close in prayer. Father, we're grateful for the Scripture. We need to rightly divide the word of truth. And the challenge is sometimes a little bit difficult, but this whole message that Micah reflects in verse 8 really is a challenge for us to understand. how the nation of Israel dealt with this at the time, and they were very legally oriented and really steeped in tradition. But yet today we see the principles of that verse extending to the church age as we walk humbly and dependent on the Spirit of God working through us that you might be glorified. So we're thankful for Scripture. What it teaches us and challenges us to understand about your great desire and will for all of mankind to live by the great grace you give us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.