A Study In the Word
By Aalie
Pleasing God -2
In our first study concerning "Pleasing God" we talked about walking humbly before God..by having a broken and contrite heart..as He is pleased with that kind of sacrifice before Him. In Micah it goes along similar lines..let's read the verses:
6 With what shall I come before the LORD, And bow myself before the High God?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old?
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?
Where it says "Come before the LORD"..it means "to make an approach in true worship". In Psalms 15 the question is raised to the Lord on who may abide in His tabernacle..or who may dwell in His holy hill..and the answer to the question is given..only those whose walk is upright..and those whose work is righteous..those who speak the truth in their hearts..one who does not backbite with his tongue, nor one who does evil to his neighbor, nor one who takes up a reproach against his friend. A righteous or holy person hates what God hates.
"burnt offerings,.... calves a year old"...These were among the prescribed sacrifices of true biblical worship (see Lev.1:3: 9:3).
The words of verse 7 go far beyond any demand of the Law, and even go against the law in the suggestion that God not be satisfied except by an offering of ones own child. Of course Micah in that verse used deliberate exaggeration to emphasize the necessity of a right attitude in the true worship of God.
"be pleased"..The idea of bringing pleasure to God through sacrifice is found elsewhere in the Bible. God is pleased with those who do as He commands (see Gen. 4:1-8). God was pleased with Abel's sacrifice but not with Cain's sacrifice. For one thing Abel's sacrifice was a blood sacrifice..where Cain's wasn't. It is not so much of their offerings as it was of their attitude..as we find later on in the Bible that grain offerings were also acceptable. Again when we come before God we must offer ourselves humbly and contrition-ally before Him.
In verse 8..it speaks of the underlying attitudes that must accompany all true worship.
what does the LORD require of you.. The thing here is that God seeks certain characteristics of true worship from His people..and that is to do justly...love mercy... walk humbly : These phrases summarise biblical piety in true worship. The majority of the people of Israel had violated each of these standards repeatedly. The rulers did not know justice (see Micah3:1), they had no interest in mercy (Micah3:2,3), and they demonstrated no humility (see Micah 3:11)
with your God... It is the Lord who ultimately gives a person strength, courage, and ability to exercise the virtues of godly living.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, forgive us when we come before you with an attitude that is not pleasing to you, break us, mold us, and make us in the person you want us to be
for your glory and praise. In Jesus Name, Amen
"A Study in the Word" is a short study devotional written by me..Aalie..please forward if you believe these studies may help or bless someone..please leave credits and links intact.
Scripture is from the NKJV some of the comments are from the Nelson Complete Study System..or otherwise noted.
You may read these devotional studies and other inspirational messages at http://aalie.multiply.com/ or at http://oursolidrock.blogspot.com/
