CONTEXT: The first verse of this book tells us that the word of Yahweh came to Micah "in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah." This was in the eighth century B.C. when Assyria was the reigning superpower. Assyria was located in Mesopotamia, far to the east and north of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and Judah (the Southern Kingdom), but Assyria's power was such that it dominated Syria (directly to the north of Israel) as well as Israel.
Jotham inherited the throne of Judah from his father, Uzziah, about 750 B.C. and reigned for about 20 years. Uzziah had enjoyed a long and peaceful reign, but during Jotham's reign Assyria, under Tiglath-pileser III, became quite powerful and intrusive. Israel (the Northern Kingdom) allied itself with Aram against Assyria, a move that would ultimately spell the downfall of Israel. While 2 Kings notes that Jotham "did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh" (2 Kings 15:34), it also notes that he failed to remove the high places, which were centers of idol worship.
Ahaz succeeded his father, Jotham, about 730 B.C. and reigned over Judah for 16 years (2 Kings 16:2). He is portrayed as one of Judah's worst kings (2 Kings 16:3-4). Ignoring the advice of Isaiah the prophet, who counseled Ahaz to remain neutral, Ahaz sent messengers to Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, saying "I am your servant and your son. Come up, and save me out of the hand of the king of Syria, and out of the hand of the king of Israel, who rise up against me" (2 Kings 16:7). As a result, he became a vassal of Assyria. During the reign of Ahaz, Tiglath-pileser attacked the Northern Kingdom (Israel), killed many of its inhabitants, and deported most of the rest to Assyria, thus ending the existence of the ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom once and for all time.
Hezekiah succeeded his father, Ahaz, about 715 B.C., and reigned until about 687 B.C. While a much better king than his father, Hezekiah led a coalition in a failed attempt to rebel against Assyria. Surprisingly, Assyria did not destroy him, but it did force him to pay tribute.
The prophet Micah carried on his work in this turbulent period. In the first chapter of the book of Micah, he foretold the coming of Yahweh against Israel, the Northern Kingdom (vv. 3-7) and Judah, the Southern Kingdom (vv. 8-16). In the second chapter, he denounced the social evils prevalent in Israel/Judah. In the third chapter, he spoke of rulers "who hate the good, and love the evil; who tear off their skin, and their flesh from off their bones" (3:2) and "prophets who lead my people astray" (3:5)-and foretold their punishment. Nevertheless, in the midst of all these troubles, Micah also foretold days to come when faithfulness and peace would be restored in Judah (4:1-5; see also Isaiah 2:2-4). He promised restoration after exile (4:6-13). In 5:2-5a, Micah speaks of the ruler who will come forth from Bethlehem-a passage quoted in Matthew's Gospel as applicable to the birth of Jesus (Matthew 2:1-6). He also relates the future role of the remnant (5:7-15).
MICAH 6:1-2. YAHWEH HAS A CONTROVERSY WITH HIS PEOPLE
1 Hear now what the LORD is saying, "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, And let the hills hear your voice. 2 Listen, you mountains, to the indictment by the Lord, And you enduring foundations of the earth, Because the LORD has a case against His people; And He will dispute with Israel.
"Listen now to what Yahweh says" (v. 1a). Micah is speaking, but his words are not his invention. Yahweh has called him to speak, and has given him the words to speak.
"Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear what you have to say" (v. 1b). This is the language of a law court. Yahweh (speaking through the prophet) orders the people of Judah to rise and present their case. In the scenario that Yahweh presents, the people are the plaintiffs (the ones bringing the lawsuit-the ones who claim to have been injured) and Yahweh is the defendant (the accused-the one who
allegedly injured the plaintiff). This lawsuit motif continues through verse 5.
"Hear, you mountains, Yahweh's controversy, and you enduring foundations of the earth" (v. 2a). Again, it is the prophet speaking-delivering the Lord's message.
"for Yahweh has a controversy with his people, and he will contend with Israel" (v. 2b). Yahweh has invited the people of Judah to present their case before the mountains and the foundations of the earth. Now the Lord makes it known that he is prepared to defend himself against whatever accusations that the people of Judah might make.
MICAH 6:3-5. MY PEOPLE, REMEMBER THE RIGHTEOUS ACTS OF YAHWEH
3 My people, what have I done to you, And how have I wearied you? Answer Me. 4 Indeed, I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of slavery, And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. 5 My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab planned And what Balaam son of Beor answered him, And what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, So that you might know the righteous acts of the Lord."
"My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened (la∙ah) you? Answer me" (v. 3). Once again, Yahweh commands the people to state their case-to tell him how he has wronged them-to present their evidence against him.
"For I brought you up (alah) out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage" (v. 4a). Yahweh begins to present the evidence in his favor. His first exhibit is a part of their history with which they are all familiar-the Exodus.
"I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam" (v. 4b). Now Yahweh presents his second exhibit-Moses, Aaron, and Miriam-the emancipator, the priest, and the prophetess. Yahweh had favored Israel greatly with these leaders-and many more who are not mentioned here-Joshua, David, the list is long.
"My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him" (v. 5a). Yahweh's third exhibit seems a bit odd. He could have spoken of Joshua and the battle of Jericho. He could have mentioned David and Goliath. The story of Balak and Balaam seems minor by comparison-but perhaps that is the intent. The mention of Balak and Balaam illustrates the depth of Yahweh's involvement with Israel's history. For every great story, such as David and Goliath, there are dozens of smaller stories such as Balak and Balaam.
"from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh" (v. 5b). Shittim was the Israelites last campsite prior to crossing the Jordan River, and Gilgal was their first campsite inside the Promised Land. In other words, what happened "from Shittim to Gilgal" was that Yahweh stopped the waters of the Jordan River so that the people of Israel could cross into the Promised Land. "Shittim to Gilgal" serves as shorthand for the miraculous entry into the Promised Land.
MICAH 6:6-7. HOW SHALL I COME BEFORE YAHWEH?
6 With what shall I come to the LORD And bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves? 7 Does the LORD take pleasure in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give Him my firstborn for my wrongdoings, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
"How shall I come before Yahweh, and bow myself before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?" (v. 6). "Micah 6:6-8 is in the form of a question and answer, with a worshiper speaking in verses 6-7 and another voice responding in verse 8. The form borrows from priestly and liturgical practice. When a layperson wished to enter the temple for worship or proposed to offer a sacrifice, there was a ritual of inquiry and instruction.... Our text is thus a priestly or prophetic torah or instruction."
"Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil?" (v. 7a). The second proposal escalates the requirements substantially. A ram is a male sheep that constitutes an acceptable offering (Leviticus 5:15; 6:6). When Abraham was ready to sacrifice Isaac, the Lord provided a ram to sacrifice in Isaac's place (Genesis 22:13). If one ram is an acceptable sacrifice, thousands of rams must be super-acceptable. If the Lord would be pleased with one ram, surely he must be overjoyed at the prospect of thousands of rams.
"Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" (v. 7b). The third proposal escalates the requirements beyond acceptable limits. The Israelites are familiar with child sacrifice, because it is a common practice among some of their neighbors. The question posed here is whether a person would have to go so far as offering his own firstborn child as a human sacrifice.
MICAH 6:8. WHAT DOES YAHWEH REQUIRE OF YOU?
8 He has told you, mortal one, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?
"He has shown you, O man, what is good" (v. 8a). Verse 6a asks what the worshiper must do to please the Lord. Verses 6b-7 suggests various possibilities, all of which involve some sort of sacrificial offering.
However, the prophet takes the idea of pleasing the Lord in an entirely different direction. He doesn't say that the offering of sacrifices is bad. Such offerings, after all, are required by Jewish law. However, the focus of this verse is not on external acts, such as the offering of sacrifices, but on attitudes that come from the deepest part of a person's life-from the heart-and manifest themselves in positive actions toward God and fellow humans.
"What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly (mis∙pat), to love mercy (he∙sed), and to walk humbly with your God?" (v. 8b). This verse is an excellent summary of true discipleship, because each of these three actions has many ramifications, as noted below. Biblical scholar J.M.P. Smith called it "The finest summary of the content of practical religion to be found in the OT" (Barker & Bailey, 112).
Verse 8 is an excellent candidate for memorization, because it says so much in so few words-and is so easily understood.
(1) "to act justly (mis∙pat)" (v. 8b1). Justice (mis·pat) and righteousness (seda·qa) are related. Justice involves bringing people into a right relationship with Yahweh and each other, and these right relationships produce righteous lives.
God's law provides very specific guidance with regard to just behavior. Justice requires witnesses to be honest and impartial (Exodus 23:1-3, 6-8). It requires fair treatment in the courts for all people, but especially for people who have limited resources to defend themselves. It requires special consideration for widows, orphans, and other vulnerable people (Deuteronomy 24:17).
(2) "to love mercy (hesed)" (v. 8b2). The word he·sed has a rich variety of meanings-kindness, lovingkindness, mercy, goodness, faithfulness, or love. "When applied to Yahweh, hesed is fundamentally the expression of his loyalty and devotion to the solemn promises attached to the covenant" (Renn, 633-634).
Like the Greek word, agape, in the New Testament, he·sed is a word that involves action-kindness or love as expressed through kind or loving actions rather than just feelings.
(3) "and to walk humbly with your God?" (v. 8b3). There are two components to walking humbly with our God:
Micah 6:1-8 - T. Constable Expository Notes
vv. 1-2: Hear now what the LORD is saying, "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, And let the hills hear your voice. 2 Listen, you mountains, to the indictment by the LORD , And you enduring foundations of the earth, Because the LORD has a case against His people; And He will dispute with Israel. In this litigation speech, - Micah called his audience to hear what Yahweh had told him to say. Yahweh had a case (lawsuit, Heb. rib) to bring against His people. The Lord was summoning Israel to defend herself in a courtroom setting. He addressed the mountains, hills, and foundations of the earth as the jury in this case (cf. Deuteronomy 32:1; Isaiah 1:2). The Lord called this jury, which had observed Israel's history from its beginning, to hear His indictment against the nation. Compare the function of memorial stones (Genesis 31:43-50; Joshua 22:21-28). If these jurors could speak, they would witness to the truthfulness of the Lord's claims.
A. The Lord's indictment against His people 6:1-5
v. 3: My people, what have I done to you, And how have I wearied you? Answer Me. - The Lord called the Israelites, His people, to testify how He had caused them to be so weary of Him that they ceased to obey Him. His rhetorical questions were unanswerable; He had not given them reason to become dissatisfied with Him (cf. 1 Samuel 17:29; 1 Samuel 20:1; 1 Samuel 26:18; 1 Samuel 29:8; Isaiah 5:4). His questions convey a sense of pity; rather than simply criticizing them, He asked how He had failed them. They had complained against Him often, but He had given them no occasion to do so.
v. 4: Indeed, I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of slavery, And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. - Instead of wronging them, He had done nothing but good for them. Instead of letting them down, He had lifted them up. He had brought them from Egyptian bondage into the Promised Land of milk and honey. He had brought them out of the house of slavery, Egypt, which their Passover celebrated (cf. Exodus 12:3; Exodus 12:7; Exodus 12:12-13; Deuteronomy 7:8; Deuteronomy 9:26; Deuteronomy 13:5; Deuteronomy 15:15; Deuteronomy 24:18). And He had given them capable leaders for their wilderness travels in Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, a trio of siblings whom the Israelites respected throughout their history. Moses, the prophet, had given them their law (cf. Deuteronomy 18:15-22). Aaron served them as their first high priest, and Miriam was a prophetess who led them in praising God for His goodness (Exodus 15:20-21).
v. 5: My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab planned And what Balaam son of Beor answered him, And what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, So that you might know the righteous acts of the LORD ." - Yahweh charged the Israelites to remember that Balak, king of Moab, wanted God to curse His people, but Balaam revealed that God would never do that (Numbers 22-24). God's intentions 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 crossing (Joshua 3:1; Joshua 4:18-19). 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 (cf. Joshua 24; 1 Samuel 12).
B. Micah's response for the Israelites 6:6-8
v. 6: With what shall I come to the LORD And bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves? - The prophet, for His people, asked himself what offering He should bring to the exalted Lord in heaven that would be appropriate in view of Yahweh's mercies to the Israelites throughout their history. Would burnt offerings of year-old calves be suitable, since they were the very best offerings and expressed the worshipper's total personal dedication to Yahweh (cf. Leviticus 9:2-3; Leviticus 22:27)?
▪ In this pericope Micah responded to God's goodness, just reviewed, as the Israelites should have responded. His was the reasonable response in view of Yahweh's loyal love for His people (cf. Romans 12:1-2).
v. 7: Does the LORD take pleasure in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give Him my firstborn for my wrongdoings, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? - Or would the Lord take pleasure if he offered Him thousands of rams and an extravagant amount of oil, like Solomon and other kings had done (cf. Leviticus 2:1-16; 1 Kings 3:4; 1 Kings 8:63; 2 Chronicles 30:24; 2 Chronicles 35:7)? Neither the quality of a sacrifice nor its quantity was the important issue. Perhaps making the ultimate sacrifice and offering his firstborn son to atone for his sins would please the Lord. Micah, of course, did not believe that these sacrifices by themselves would please Him, but he used them as examples of ritual worship that the Israelites thought would satisfy God.
v. 8: He has told you, mortal one, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God? (9 The voice of the LORD will call to the city) - No, these sacrifices were not what the Lord wanted. He had already told the Israelites what would be good (beneficial) for them when they sinned (cf. Deuteronomy 10:12; Deuteronomy 10:18; 1 Samuel 12:24; Hosea 12:6). He wanted each of His people ("O man") to change his or her behavior. The address "O man" emphasizes the difference between God and man, particularly man's subordination under God. It also connects Micah's hearers, the people, not just the leaders, with the vain worshippers described in the two previous verses. Specifically, the Lord wanted His people to practice justice rather than continuing to plot and practice unfairness and injustice toward one another (cf. Micah 6:11; Micah 2:1-2; Micah 3:1-3). He also wanted them to love kindness, to practice loyal love (Heb. hesed) by carrying through their commitments to help one another, as He had with them (cf. Micah 6:12; Micah 2:8-9; Micah 3:10-11). And He wanted them to walk humbly with Him, to live their lives modestly trusting and depending on Him rather than arrogantly relying on themselves (cf. Micah 2:3). There is a progression in these requirements from what is external to what is internal and from human relations to divine relations. Doing justice toward other people demands loving kindness, which necessitates walking humbly in fellowship with God. [Note: Mays, p. 142. See also Waltke, in Obadiah, . . ., p. 197.]
▪ This verse contains one of the most succinct and powerful expressions of Yahweh's essential requirements in the Bible (cf. Matthew 22:37-39; Matthew 23:23; 1 Corinthians 13:4; 2 Corinthians 6:6; Colossians 3:12; James 1:27; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Peter 5:5). It explains the essence of spiritual reality in contrast to mere ritual worship. Though the Lord asked His people to worship Him in formal ways, which the Mosaic Covenant spelled out, His primary desire was for a heart attitude marked by the characteristics Micah articulated (cf. Psalms 51:16-17; Jeremiah 7:22-26).
▪ No vital relationship with God is possible if one is unfaithful to the responsibilities arising out of his God-given relationships with his fellow men." [Note: Robert B. Chisholm Jr., "A Theology of the Minor Prophets," in A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, p. 403.]
Micah 6:1-8 - Extra Commentary
Note - Verses 1-2: The Lord commanded Micah (verse 1), as His advocate, to plead His case before the mountains and hills, which were to act as witnesses against His people (Deut. 4:25-26; Isa. 1:2). The mountains and hills were present as Sinai when the Lord made His covenant with Israel and when the commandments were written and placed in the Ark of the Covenant as a permanent witness (Deut. 31:26).
Micah 6:1 "Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice."
Micah opens this third cycle of oracles (6:1-7:20), with a dramatic courtroom motif moving back and forth between 3 speakers. The Lord pleading His case, the people responding under conviction, and the prophet as the lawyer for the plaintiff.
This is spoken to the whole house of Israel. Micah explains that these are not his words, but the Words of the LORD. The hills and mountains have been here from the beginning. They can witness to everything God has done.
Micah 6:2 "Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD'S controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel."
In the first verse God directs Micah to take the mountains and hills for witnesses; now in this verse he calls upon those mountains to hear. It is an elegant personating of hearers and witnesses, as (Deut. 32:1; Isaiah 1:2; 2:2). By mountains understand princes and nobles.
"The Lord's controversy": Who's sovereign Majesty, may well command what he pleaseth and expect to be obeyed. And whose unparalleled goodness to Israel ought to have been uncontroverted motives to obey him in all things. Yet the sovereign goodness is slighted and disobeyed. Which he now impleads his people and brings his action against them.
"Ye strong foundations of the earth": called before hills. It is an explanation of the former, mountains. Or it may be an appeal to those deep foundations which are hid from any eye, and which seem most remote from what is done on earth. But the ill carriage, the disobedience, and sin of Israel is so notorious, that the whole creation may be subpoenaed witnesses against them.
"The Lord hath a controversy with his people": Covenant, redeemed, and only people (as Amos 3:2).
"He will plead with Israel": No longer put off the cause, nor forbear to punish them and right himself, he will bring the cause to hearing judgment and execution too.
It is as if the mountains are to judge this controversy between God and His people. God has tried to reason with His people from the beginning. He had revealed Himself in signs and wonders over and over to this unhearing people. He pleads with them to repent and live for Him.
Verses 3-5: This was the Lord's appeal. With tenderness and emotion, the divine Plaintiff recalled His many gracious acts toward them, almost to the point of assuming the tone of a defendant.
Noting their trek from bondage in Egypt to their own homeland, God had provided leadership (verse 4), reversed the attempts of Balaam to curse the people (verse 5a; Numbers chapters 22 to 24), and miraculously parted the Jordan River (verse 5b). So they could cross over from Shittim, located east of the Jordan, to Gilgal on the west side near Jericho.
God had faithfully kept all His promise to them.
Micah 6:3 "O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me."
What injustice or unkindness? What grievous, burdensome impositions have I laid upon thee? Or, what have I done, or said, or enjoined, to cause thee to be weary of me? The words allude to the forms of courts of justice, wherein actions are tried between man and man. God allows his people to offer any plea which they could in their own behalf.
If there is some legitimate reason why they have not followed God, He wants to hear it. God calls them, His people. He is open to hear their complaints of what He has done to cause them to fall away.
Micah 6:4 "For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam."
There seems a pause intended; but Israel, abashed, remains silent. So the Lord continues to plead: "Thou dost not testify against me? No; for I showed thee the greatest mercies: I redeemed thee out of Egypt, the house of bondage."
Moses, Aaron, and Miriam are mentioned as the three great members of the family to whom it was committed to carry out the Divine decree.
They were in heavy bondage in Egypt, when God sent Moses to lead them out to the Promised Land. The exodus began, after God sent 10 plagues on Pharaoh and his people to make him let God's people go.
Moses was the brother of Aaron and Miriam. God made Aaron the first High Priest in the tabernacle in the wilderness. Miriam was a prophetess in her own right. She led the praises of the people after the Red Sea crossing.
Micah 6:5 "O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD."
This incident is adduced in the "pleading" as a signal instance of the controlling power of God, exercised in an unmistakable manner in behalf of the Israelites.
Balaam was constrained to bless when he had the highest conceivable motive to curse the Israelites. He apologized for this involuntary action on his part to Balak. There is no more conclusive instance extant of the will of man controlled to do the exact opposite of his intended action in the history of mankind.
"Remember also the incidents which happened from Shittim to Gilgal." Shittim was the name of a valley in the plains of Moab (Joel 3:18), from which place Joshua sent two spies to view Jericho immediately before the passage of the Jordan to Gilgal was effected. Under the circumstances mentioned in the fourth chapter of Joshua.
God reminds them of the defeat of Balak, and the defeat of the sorceries of Balaam. Balaam was hired to curse Israel, when in fact, he blessed Israel. It is interesting to note, that a donkey spoke to Balaam, and caused him to see his error.
Verses 6-8 (see the note on 1 Sam. 15:22-23).
Verses 6-7: Micah, as though speaking on behalf of the people, asked rhetorically how, in light of God's faithfulness toward them, they could continue their hypocrisy by being outwardly religious but inwardly sinful.
Micah 6:6 "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?"
The people, convicted by the previous appeal of Jehovah to them, ask as if they knew not (compare Micah 6:8). what Jehovah requires of them to appease Him. Adding that they are ready to offer an immense heap of sacrifices, and those the most costly, even to the fruit of their own body.
Bow myself before the high God? The most high God, the God of gods, whose Shekinah or Majesty is in the high heavens. As the Targum: his meaning is, with what he should come, or bring with him, when he paid his homage and obeisance to him, by bowing his body or his knee before him. Being willing to do it in the most acceptable manner he could.
"With calves of a year old?" Such as he had been used to offer on the high places of Baal to that deity. Sacrifices of this kind prevailed among the heathens, which they had received by tradition from the times of Adam and Noah (see Lev. 23:12).
The people have suddenly realized their ingratitude to God, and now, they are asking how they might please God. This is not just the desire of physical Israel to know the will of God in their lives, but is the desire of all believers, as well. The answer to this, and all other questions, is found in the Word of God. In this particular instance, it is verse 8 below.
Micah 6:7 "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, the fruit of my body [for] the sin of my soul?"
If single burnt offerings of bullocks and heifers will not do, will rams, and thousands of them, be acceptable to him? If they will, they are at his service, even as many as he pleases; such creatures, as well as oxen, were offered by Balak (Num. 23:1).
Oil was required too in their sacrifices, in the meat-offerings of them, but in no great quantities, a log or hin, (i.e. half a pint), or three quarts. But we know such gifts are infinitely short of the Divine goodness bestowed on us. He who is our God is worthy of rivers of oil, multiplied to thousands; had we such store it should be all his. Such hyperbole you see (in Isaiah 40:15-17).
This is proposed not as a thing practicable by any rule of reason or religion, but as a proof of their readiness, as Abraham, to offer up their first-born, as he did offer up his Isaac to God. It is much to part with any of our children, but it is more to part with the strength, and glory, and hope of our families. Yet, like hypocrites, or like unnatural heathen, this they would do, rather than what would please the Lord.
"For my transgression": To appease the anger of the Lord for my sins.
I love the following Scripture in answer to that.
1 Samuel 15:22 "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams."
God is not as interested in the formality of sacrifice, as He is in our loyalty and love for Him. He does not want us to worship from obligation, but because we love Him.
Micah 6:8 "He hath showed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"
Micah's terse response (verse 8), indicated they should have known the answer to the rhetorical question. Spiritual blindness had led them to offer everything except the one thing He wanted, a spiritual commitment of the heart from which right behavior would ensue (Deut. 10:12-19; Matt. 22:37-39). This theme is often represented in the Old Testament (1 Sam. 15:22; Isa. 1:11-20; Jer. 7:21-23; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:15).
Really, this is the secret to worshipping God. To routinely observe His laws is not what God wants. The Words in the verse above describe exactly what He does want of us. Jesus said it so plainly when He said in:
Mark 12:30-31 "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this [is] the first commandment." "And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."
