Tag: Micah

Three Laws of Heaven (Micah 6:8)

The Statement

The three Divine requirements of human relationship is shown in Micah 6:8 “What doth the LORD requires of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” In the 8th Century, before Christ, in the heart of idolatry in Israel, Prophet Micah, under the inspiration of God’s Spirit put forth a conception of threefold Divine requirements in human-relationship. Prophet Micah is conspicuous as the Prophet of Mercy. The strong rebuke at the beginning of his (Micah’s) Prophetic Book, of God’s judgement against sin, ends with depth of Mercy at the end of his Prophetic Book. This trinity of truth (“Do Justly,…..Love Mercy,…..Walk Humbly with our God”) sums up the requirements of God in our human-relationship; feeling God’s heart-beat for His people. What God has commanded us in Micah 6:8, He will enable us to do: “Faithful is He who calleth you, who also will enable us to do.” (1Thessalonians 5:24). God requires us to: “Do Justly,” and to “Love Mercy,” “Walk Humbly” before our God (Micah 6:8); these three things God asks us to do, in human relationship; He empowers us to be able to do them, involving:

  • Outer Profession (“Do Justly”).
  • Inner Disposition (“Love-Mercy”).
  • Upper Communion (“Walk humbly with our God”).

Point 1 – Do Justly

Micah 6:8 “What doth the LORD requires of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” Prophet Amos, whose Disciple is Micah, sternly declared that religion can never be substituted for: “Justice, Mercy and Humility” (Micah 6:8); no matter what areas of influence we may have; God demands of us, first of all, an integrity of heart in our relationship with Others:

  • Action – that is, we are to “do justly.”
  • Attitude – In our thoughts, feelings, and actions, as Christians we must be fair and just in our relationship/dealing with people., as the Foundation of God’s Throne is Justice, and God is Just in all His dealings; and God expects us, His children to reflect His Character (Micah 6:8).

We look for others to be honourable, fair, and just as they relate to us, and we must be prepared to treat them according to the same standard, this is God’s requirement (Micah 6:8).  Because we are Divinely Justified, we have Peace with God (Romans 5:1); we must exercise justice; that we carry God’s Presence in our actions, thus, impacting the people around us.

Point 2 – Love Mercy

Micah 6:8 “What doth the LORD requires of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” Justice applied without Mercy could be correct, but cold. God does not want us to be merely Just, but He wants us to show Mercy and Tenderness in our dealings with others, without compulsion, but from generosity of heart. We are to “Love-Mercy.” In God’s Sight (Micah 6:8), Justice cannot be divorced from Mercy – “Doing Justice and Loving Mercy.” If Justice says, “Pay that thou owest,” Mercy listens to the Suppliant’s cry, “Have patience with me,” and forgives him “all that debt.” God delights in Mercy (Micah 6:8), we, His children must reflect His Character. So, although Justice is mentioned first, in Micah 6:8, God’s Word exhorts us to be Merciful in heart and action.

A mere show of Mercy is hypocrisy; if such a virtue is to be effective, it must be governed by God’s Love – “Love (agape) Mercy” (Micah 6:8). Tenderness is an inward disposition which makes possible Mercy in action. Justice without Mercy would crush the person we deal with and also hardened our character. In God, both Justice and Mercy act in unison, and He requires us to preserve the same harmony between them. We must not be hard, harsh, unfeeling, and unbending as we strive “to Do Justly.” Tender Mercy must be combined with integrity – Proverbs 11:17 “The merciful man does good for his own soul, but he who is cruel troubles his own flesh.”  God is Just and Justifier of all who believe, but at the same time, He is “very pitiful and full of tender Mercy.” We, totally dependent upon God’s Mercy, we, in turn, are to show-forth Mercy and Grace – “Be ye therefore merciful as your Father also is Merciful” (Luke 6:36) was the exhortation of our God through whose Mercy we are saved.

Point 3 – Walk Humbly with Our God

Micah 6:8 “What doth the LORD requires of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” Walking Humbly with our God is a true sign of God’s Servanthood in our life. “To Do Justly….to Love Mercy…..to Walk Humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8) could only be possible if we walk in deep fellowship and submission to the Lordship of God’s Spirit – “Can two walk together except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). Walking Humbly with our God leads to the transformation of our attitude and character (2Corinthians 5:18). The secret of “Doing Justly” and “Loving-Mercy,” is our Humble walk with our God, which always results in our walking as He walks. Enoch and Noah walked with God (Genesis 5:24; Genesis 6:8). Humility before God is called: “the Crown of all Virtues” (Saint Augustine); Pride is one of the deadliest of Sins. “Pride always goes before a Fall” (Proverbs 16:18). Pride brought about the Fall of Lucifer (Satan – Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-19). Pride is at the root of every Sin. Christ, our Lord, is associated with Humility and Obedient (Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 5:8). The Sevenfold Benefits of walking humbly with our God:

  1. God’s Grace – 1Peter 5:5b “Be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the Proud, but gives grace to the Humble.’”
    James 4:6 “But He {God} gives more grace. Therefore, He says: ‘God resists the Proud but gives grace to the Humble.”
    Proverbs 3:34 “Surely He {God} scorns the scornful but gives grace to the Humble.”
  2. God’s Exaltation – 1Peter 5:6 “Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.” And Psalm 75:6-7 “For exaltation comes neither from the east nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one and exalts another.”
  3. God’s Attention – Isaiah 66:2b “But on this man will I {God} look: on him who is poor (humble) and of a contrite (broken) spirit, and who tremble at My Word.”
  4. God’s Presence – Isaiah 57:15 “For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite (broken) and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.’”
  5. God’s Nearness – Psalm 34:18 “The LORD is near those who have a broken (contrite) heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit.”
  6. God’s Acceptance – Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken (contrite) spirit, a broken and contrite heart – these, O God, You will not despise.’”
  7. The Key of “Doing Justly” and “Loving-Mercy,” is our humble walk with our God (Micah 6:8). – Humility before God is called: “the Crown of all Virtues” (Saint Augustine).

Summary

Micah 6:8 “What doth the LORD requires of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God.” The threefold Divine Requirements of: “Do Justly,….Love Mercy,…..and Walk Humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8) is not beyond us – and not too idealistic – because we have the Indwelling Holy Spirit, enables us with His Synergistic Works:

  • Philippians 2:12b-13 (NKJV) “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
  • Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
  • Colossians 1:29 (NKJV) “To this end I also labour, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.”
  • Hebrews 13:21 “Make you complete in every good works to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ,….”
  • Psalm 127:1“Unless the LORD builds the house, they labour in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the Watchman stays awake in vain.” God is involved in the building and watching; yet it is obvious the Psalmist envisions the Builders labouring to build God’s House and the Watchmen standing guard over the city. Both the Builders and the Watchmen carried out their responsibility in total dependence on God that is why the Psalmist speaks of God building and God watching.