Micah 6-7, Job 36:1-15, John 19:1-16, Revelation 13

Micah 6-7:

Renewal cannot come until God’s people learn, “Hear what the Lord says” (6:1). It is critically important today, too, that the church centers its corporate (as well as individual) life around the Bible. We must “hear what the Lord says,” listen carefully, take in his Word, apply it to our lives, and follow what he says. 

Israel’s sin is made clear—and should therefore have caused them to repent—by the comparison of their rebellion with God’s faithfulness and redemption of them. They have no reason to rebel against God, for this is the God who rescued them from Egypt (6:4). Why, Christian, should we ever run from God when this God is the one who died for our sins? What could possibly cause us to do anything other than love, earnestly seek, and follow the Lord Jesus because this Lord Jesus is Christ Crucified for us—the Redeemer and Rescuer from our spiritual Egypt. 

Given this truth, what instead is it that God wants from us in response to his redemption? In essence, it is very simple and indeed quite radical: 

He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8) 

Do not then attempt to please with impressive religious services and gatherings if our hearts are far from him. God will not be pleased with religious sacrifice if the obedience is not in commensurate commitment (6:7-8). 

Chapter 7 bemoans the state of God’s people as the prophet takes on their voice with dynamic use of the first person singular (7:1). Nonetheless, 

But as for me, I will look to the Lord;
I will wait for the God of my salvation;
my God will hear me (Micah 7:7) 

And despite their sin, the prophet rests on the truth of God’s person and the reality of his covenant commitment. There must be a future answer for redeeming God’s people—which we now know to be the case through the work of Christ on the cross. Still, the prophet knew that: 

He does not retain his anger forever,
because he delights in steadfast love. (Micah 7:18) 

And he rested on God’s promises—that one way or another they would in the end be fulfilled: 

You will show faithfulness to Jacob
and steadfast love to Abraham,
as you have sworn to our fathers
from the days of old. (Micah 7:20)