INTRODUCTION: The book of Micah declares the Ruler of Israel is eternal and will bring us into his light. The book of Micah declares that there is no one comparable to God because he pardons iniquity, delights in steadfast love, and is unchangeably faithful.

Micah means “who is like Jehovah” or His name means “who is like Yahweh?”

Micah came from the town of Moresheth, located in the foothills of Judah, approximately 25 miles SW of Jerusalem on the border of Judah and Philistia, near Gath.

The book of Micah is to encourage believers to remember that we have received great blessings from the Lord and in return we should live righteously and humbly before Him.

I)             Great Expectations – Micah 6:6-8

God Expects His People to Live Righteous Lives after receiving His blessing.

“He has told you, O man, 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?” Micah 6:8 (NASB)

1.  What is Good?

A. To be like Jehovah – Spiritual Character – Micah 1:1

 “The word of the Lord that came to Micah of Moresheth during the reigns of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah—the vision he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.”

 “Hear, you peoples, all of you, listen, earth and all who live in it, that the   Sovereign Lord may bear witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple.”

 B. To do what Jehovah requires of us – Scriptural Principles – Micah 6:8

Vs. 7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.  (NASB)

C. To do justly – Sincere Uprightness – Micah 6:8

God continues to speak to His people about what we are to do in the face of injustice, exploitation, racism and mistreatment of certain populations. The response of God to Micah is His response to us when we ask what is required of us.

Do justice. Justice is defined as the quality of being just. It is righteousness, equitableness, and moral rightness. To be just is a call to action—not to be silent or complacent when others, especially the most vulnerable, are abused, mistreated, in need, scorned or exploited.  In other words,  holding our community to God's standard.

The Hebrew word sometimes translated as “just” is tsedaqah, which expresses the idea of honesty, justness, and community loyalty. To be biblically righteous is to be biblically just and vice versa.

D. To love mercy – Sympathetic Manners – Micah 6:8

To love mercy is to show “hesed,” covenant faithfulness to one another. Micah 7:18 says God delights to show covenant faithfulness. It’s who He is. Only because He has shown us great mercy can we do the same for others.

As Saint Thomas Aquinas said, “Justice and mercy are so united that the one ought to be mingled with the other; justice without mercy is cruelty; mercy without justice is profusion.”

We should practice justice mercifully. We should practice mercy justly. When we see need, pain, loss, discrimination, bias, fear, or wrongdoing we should respond with mercy, as God has shown us mercy.

E. To walk humbly with our God – Saintly Communion – Micah 6:8

We humbly ask the Lord to help us, empower us, lead us, equip us. It will never be easy, especially on the road to reconciliation but it is the road God calls us to walk.

Therefore, Micah 6:8 is a call to listen to God, to do justice from hearts of mercy and compassion, marked by the humility of Christ.

It affirms graciousness, civility, respect, submission to biblical instructions among other traits—all of which are manifestations of lives shaped by walking with humility before God.

May God bless you greatly as you serve Him daily.