Shalom, everyone. Please open your Bibles. We are going today to move forward in our study of the book of Micah, Micah. And we are in this ministry meeting dealing with the sixth chapter of the prophet Micah, a very important chapter that shows us the heart of God who appealed to his people Israel before he disciplined them in judgment prior to the kingdom in which he will restore them and bless them. And so, chapter 6 of the prophet Micah deals with the dispute that God has with his people Israel. And you can see the heart of God goes out for his nation in this chapter just the same as his heart goes out to you and I today who are part of the body of the Messiah.

God loves us. Yeshua the Messiah loves us and he wants the best for us, but he has to have a challenge with us when we have gone astray from him. And so, listen to the verses. I'm reading Micah chapter 6, beginning from verse 1. Hear ye now what the Lord saith, Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. Hear ye now, 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. O my people, what have I done unto thee? And wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against me.

For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants, and I have sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember, now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Bilam the son of Beor answered him, from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offering, with calves of a year old? 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?

He hath shown thee, O man, what is good, and what does the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? The Lord's voice cryeth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name. Hear ye the road, and who hath appointed it? Are there yet the treasure of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable? Shall I count them pure? Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

Therefore also will I make thee sick, in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins. Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied, and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword. Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap. Thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine. For the statues of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahav, and ye walk in their counsel, that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing.

Therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people." This is verse 16, at the end of chapter 6, verses 1 to 16. In this ministry meeting, beloved brothers and sisters, the topic, of course, is that God has a dispute with his beloved nation, the nation of Israel. He has a controversy. He has a challenge against them. He has a problem. In Hebrew we call it Riv, Riv Adonai. In other words, Jehovah has a controversy against his people Israel, and he wants to bring it out to the open. In fact, chapter 6 in the book of Micah is really the message of the Lord to Israel, but presented before the nations of the world.

You know, Israel became like an open book before all the nations of the world. You know, most of the time when people condemn Israel, and people find some faults in our nation Israel, is because they have the document, they have the word of God, and to see the whole history of our people is found in this Bible, in this book. And therefore, many in the world find faults in Israel because they see all the disobedience and rebellions and so on that existed in the history of our people. But I can assure you that if the nations of the world will have an open book written, such as this book, as the Bible, they will also discover of their own faults and their own mistakes and their own sins and their own disobedience.

But the way the Spirit of God is given to us is that you have a whole book, if you will, most of the scripture, including the New Testament, to deal specifically with one nation, namely the nation of Israel, for good and for bad, for that which is right and that which is wrong. And God now displays, he likes spreading before everyone in this world, let me put it this way, the dirty laundry of his own beloved nation of Israel. Why? Because he doesn't hide it underneath the carpet. He presents it, and yet he shows his love to this nation. He shows his commitment to this nation.

He shows his grace towards this nation. And that's what we find out here in this chapter. Now, there are three points that we can divide this sixth chapter. The first thing is the first five verses. You notice the dispute or the controversy that God and the Lord have with his people in Israel. And you know what he does? He does just the same like he did in chapter one. If you remember, if you turn back to chapter one. He began chapter one of his book, Micha, with a call to the people. He said to them, hear ye all people. Hearken, O earth. The Hebrew word is Shimo Amim.

He's calling the nations of the world to listen to the existing conditions among the people of Israel. This is chapter one and chapter two. You notice in chapter three, he does the same thing. And this time he's calling to the heads and the princes of Israel. And he says in chapter three, verse one. And I said, hear I pray thee, O heads of Jacob and ye princes of the house of Israel. The same word, it is the word Shimo in Hebrew, listen, hearken, hear ye. In chapter six, he does the very same thing. But this time you notice he's calling the nation to be as a testimony.

As like you are going into a courtroom and you have those that are sitting and listening to the controversy between the one who is the accuser and the one who is the accused. In this case, God accuses Israel. Israel is the accused and the nations are represented by the mountains and the hills. And he began in verse one. Listen to this. He entered into the court with the nation of Israel and the court session began. Verse one. Shimo, hear ye now. What the Lord says, arise, contend thou before the mountains and let the hills hear thy voice. First thing he does is calling to the mountains and to the hills to hear the voice of God.

Now, when you think of mountains and of hills, they are one of the greatest testimony to all what's going on in the world today. A mountain is a fixed place that sees everything that is going on. Whoever passed by, what have happened there from generation to generation, the mountains in that sense, in the context, are representing that which is fixed and that which can see and evaluate what was going on throughout history. So he's calling the mountains. He's calling the hills. And by the way, he have done that throughout history, where God have called to be a witness against his people, not only the mountains.

He have called over the years, the heavens and the earth to be a testimony against his people in chapter four of the book of Deuteronomy. In verse 26, we read, I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day. Calling heaven, calling earth. And in a sense, he's calling that which is fixed to be a witness against his people, whether they have done good, whether they have done bad. And in this case, he is presenting that which was wrong in the history of our nation, Israel. And so he's calling them in verse one. The Lord is entering into the courtroom with Israel. In verse two, he speaks to the mountains to be his witness.

And he says, hear ye mountains, the Lord controversy and ye strong foundation of the earth. For the Lord has a controversy with his people. And he will plead with Israel. It's like a father that is pleading with his own children. And he wants their well-being. He wants them to be blessed and to rejoice and to be happy. But he's pleading with them. He's presenting before them that which is right. When they have gone astray, when they disobeyed him. So he's calling the mountains. He's calling and he's saying to the mountains and the hill. The Lord has controversy with his people. Again, I want to mention that the word in Hebrew controversy is the Hebrew word rive.

When two people fight against each other. The Lord has something against Israel when Israel violated his word and have gone astray from him. So he's pleading and you notice that he called Israel his people. You know, that is very precious. Even though Israel gone astray. Even though Israel disobeyed and violated his word. I didn't say it. The Bible say it. The Lord has a controversy with his people. People. The word here is Amor. Ha'am Shelod. The people that belong to him. He still challenges them. He still have a controversy with them. And he's calling them his people. And now, beloved brothers and sisters. This is very appealing to the heart here.

In the next three verses. Concerning the dispute of the Lord with his people Israel. You notice how the Lord in a tender way appealed to his people. You know, God is so gracious. He's holy. Yes, he's just. But he's also gracious. It reminds me of the truth that we learn about Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. We read in John 1. For the law was given by Moses. But grace, chesed, and truth, emet, came by Jesus the Messiah. God is holy and pure, but also God is gracious. And here you can see this graciousness of God as he appeals to the people of Israel. And you notice what he asked them.

It's like almost condescending to a man. Israel is a privileged nation, but Israel is a sinful nation. All of us have sinned. And God condescending, coming down, if you will, and speaking to the nation. And he tells them in verse 3. What have I done wrong to you? Notice how he's appealing. All my people. Listen to verse 3. What have I done unto you? And wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against me. He's saying to them. What did I do to you? That you have gone astray from me? What have I wearied? What did I request from you? Do you have a challenge? Do you have something against me?

God is saying to the people of Israel. Now remember, brothers and sisters. The majority of us, I presume all of us, can say we are believers here in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. But you and I know very well that we are not always walking with the Lord. We are not always loving the Lord. Yes, we like to go to heaven. We like the promises of God. But we don't always like to obey him and to submit to his will. And the Lord Jesus today will do the same thing to you and I. Yeshua today will open his arm. And he will ask us as believers in Yeshua, in the body of Messiah.

What have I done to you that you refuse to submit to my authority? How did I harm you that you constantly live a life of disobedience? What is it that in me that I have done wrong to you, Yeshua would say to us today? That you reject my word. You don't have time to read the Bible. You don't have time to pray. There is time for pleasure. There is time for business. But no time for me. And yet even more, you are violating my word, he would say to us today, when we disobey him. That's the same language that God, that Jehovah has spoken to his beloved nation.

Again, I would like you to notice beloved brothers and sisters that he calling them my people. He doesn't call them those who used to be my people. Only when you obey, you are my child. No, you are my people, even when you don't obey, but you are still going to be going under the disciplinary action of God. Because God is holy, even though he is gracious and he is appealing to the nation. And notice that tenderness, brothers and sisters. If that doesn't grab your heart. Oh, my people, listen to this. What have I done unto you? When I think about this verse, it touched my heart.

I think of Yeshua. When Yeshua was standing before Pilate. And Pilate said to him, what have you done? When the leaders of Israel did not want to accept him. He said, what have you done? Nothing wrong he have done. All what he have done. He came from heaven. Became a man of sorrows. Lived a life here in this world. And now anticipating to go to the cross. Where the Romans will hang him there between heaven and earth. And Pilate asked him. What have you done? You have done something wrong? Why they accuse you? He opened not his mouth. Through the prophecy of Isaiah. As a sheep.

As a lamb. He was led to the slaughter. And he opened not his mouth. That's the way our God is. He's a gracious God. He was willing to become a man in the person of the sun. And to walk all the way to the altar where he will lay down his life. And so God appeals to our nation of all Israel. He says, what have I done to you? And in which way have I wearied you? You know, sometimes we don't like the instructions of the Lord. It's kind of too heavy for us. You see, we want freedom. We want to do as we please.

And how many times we mess up in our lives. When we don't submit ourselves to the word of the Lord. We know that brothers and sisters. We know this by experience. You know, there is a song that we often sing. When we walk with the Lord in the light of his word. What a shadow he laid in our way. When we do his good will. He abides with us still. And with all who will trust and obey. And you remember the theme song trust and obey. For there is no other way to be happy in Yeshua. But to trust and obey. That is the key.

But you know, like Israel. We part of the church of the assembly. The very same way. We many times just disobey the Lord. And carry on in our own way. And so. He said, how did I wear with you? What did commandment that I have given you. An instruction that I have given you. Israel. Yeshua said. Body of Messiah. What have I instructed you. That is so difficult for you. To submit to it. So hard. Did I give you too much hardship. He said. What have I wear with you. Testify against me. Tell me. He is saying to Israel. Tell me. What have I done.

That I have harmed you. If I have done any harm. Unto you. And apparently. Brothers and sisters. No one can say anything wrong against God. God is holy. He is pure. He is undefined. And if there is anything happening in our relationship with the Lord. With God. It is because. I am the sinful. Guilty individual. Nothing wrong with God. He always have done everything. That was in a just way. And in a right way. Now. It is the same language. If you just turn back to Jeremiah. To the prophet Yirmiyahu. In chapter 2. We read very similar words there. Jeremiah chapter 2. And the Lord speaking to Israel again.

Through the prophet Yirmiyahu. Yirmiyahu. And he said to them in chapter 2 and verse 5. Thus says the Lord. What iniquity have your fathers found in me. That they have gone far from me. And have walked after vanity. And are become vain. See God wants us. Close to him. He wants Israel. Close to him. That is why he saved the nation. That is why he brought in. He called them to himself. So. He wanted them close to him. And yet. They have gone far. Yeshua the Messiah. Wanted the body of Messiah. The church to be close to him. And yet. The church have been scattered. And have gone away from him.

That in Revelation chapter 3. Yeshua said. Behold. I stand at the door. And knock. He is outside. And knocking on the door. And he said. If any man open the door. And let me in. I will sup with him. And he with me. You see the similarity. That existed in the history of our people Israel. And in the history of the body of Messiah. So. Now. Look at that. After he appealed to them. In verse 3. This is a wonderful appealing. Appealing. To grab. The hearts. Of the nation. He is then. Present. Before the nation. What he really did for them. And every one of us. Have to remember.

What the Lord have done for us. And notice. What he's saying to them. In verse 4 and 5. He's saying a few things. About. What he have done. For the nation of Israel. The first thing he says. In verse 4. For. For I brought thee up. Out of the land of Egypt. And I redeemed thee. Out of the house of servants. Of the house of bondage. He began with Egypt. He began. For you and I today. As believers. He began with the world. Israel. Our nation of all. Have been in the land of Egypt. As slaves. In bondage. And there. Where they were. And it was there. That they cried.

For help. You and I. Were in the world. Before we became believers. We were in sin. Hopeless. Without any future. Our future. Was just doomed. For eternal separation. From God. But God redeemed. Israel. He brought them. Out of the land. Of Egypt. And he says. I brought thee up. You didn't do it. On your own. I brought you up. Out of Egypt. And I redeemed. Thee. Out of the house. Of servants. Of bondage. I did it. Here's the list. Israel. What I have done for you. I have brought you out. Of the land of Egypt. And you notice. He continued. And in a very precious way.

He's speaking about. The three servants. That he raised. In their midst. Brothers and sisters. Men and women. Notice that he said. In verse 4. And I send before thee. Moshe. Aaron. And Miriam. Moses. Aaron. And Miriam. By the way. These are two brothers. And a sister. This is the. Godly family. That God raised. In the midst. Of a condition. That Israel have been in. Desperate condition. In bondage. And slavery. And hopelessness. He raised. He raised. This family. Notice. He began with Moshe. And then Aaron. And then Miriam. You know. That tells us a lot. Do you remember. When was a time. That Miriam. Rebelled against Moshe.

And said to him. Who made you the leader. Now don't forget. Miriam was the oldest sister. We just study. In the book of Exodus. In our Bible classes. In Exodus. Chapter 6 and 7. We are studying there. That really. Moses. Was 80. Aaron was 83. And Miriam. The older sister. And God raised. The three individuals. For the nation of Israel. Moshe. Aaron. And Miriam. Everyone. In his sphere. Moses. Was the leader. Of the nation of Israel. Aaron. Was the. High priest. Hakohen. Hagadol. And Miriam. She. Had responsibility. Over the women. The responsibility. To lead the women. If you remember. That it was Miriam. Who led. The dance. When Israel.

Came out of Egypt. In Exodus. Chapter 15. And verse 20. And Miriam. She was a prophetess. The sister. Of Aaron. She took. Timbrel. In her hand. And all the women. Went out. After her. With timbrels. And with dance. And Miriam. Answer. Sing. Ye. To the Lord. For he has triumphed. Gloriously. The horse. And the rider. Hath he. Thrown. Unto the sea. He. Taking back now. Israel. First of all. In Egypt. That's the. Bondage. And slavery. And then. Coming out. And he's. Reminding them. Of their. Deliverance. Out of bondage. Now. Now. It was. It was. Moshe. Aharon. And Miriam. The. Three. Individuals. That he raised. In their midst.

To lead the nation. To the promised land. But he doesn't. Stop there. Beloved. Brothers. Leaders. Notice what he does. In verse five. He's speaking. And he's asking them. To remember. Other things. That happened. On their journey. In the wilderness. He's telling. Again. Notice the word. All my people. By the way. This is. Four times. That he used the word. My people. In the book of Micah. In chapter six. The last time. Using it. It's verse 16. He's saying to them. In verse five. All my people. Remember. Now. What. Balak. The king. Have. Consulted. And what. Bilam. The son of. Beor. Answered him. From. Shittim. Unto. Gilgal.

Now. That is. Very interesting. He's now. Reminding them. Of how. He led them. In the wilderness. You know. You and I. Just like. Israel of all. Are going through. A journey. In the wilderness. And you and I. Are going through. Trials. That you. Wonder. Whether you. Will ever. Going to be able. To get over. These challenges. And yet. When you pray. To the Lord. And when you. Go. On your knees. Before the Lord. And you. Beseech the Lord. For mercy. And for grace. To help you. Then. By the grace of God. He helped us. To pass this. Exercise. This challenge. That we have faced. And then.

You can look. Back. And you can say. Lord. You have been. So faithful. To me. You have helped me. Through this challenge. In my life. So here. Balak. You know what he did. This man. Balak. Apparently. He was the king. Of Moab. When Israel. When Israel. Came out. Of the land. Of Egypt. Balak. Actually. Called Bilam. And he asked. Bilam. To curse. The people. Of God. And he says. In Numbers. Chapter. 22. Verse 2. And Balak. The son of Tzipor. Saw all. That Israel. Have done. Unto the Amorites. And then. We read. In verse. The shore. Which is. By the river. Of the land. Of the children.

Of his people. To call him. Saying. Behold. There is. A people. Come out. Of Egypt. Behold. They cover. The face. Of the earth. And they abide. Over. Against me. Notice. Verse 6. Come now. Therefore. I pray thee. Curse me. These people. Balak. Wanted. To oppose. The people. Of God. And. He called him. Because he wanted. To curse. The people. Of God. And yet. God. Reminded. Israel. Do you remember. Israel. The history. When you came. Out of Egypt. You walk. In the wilderness. There was a man. By the name. Of Balak. Who wanted. To curse. The people. Of Israel. And every time. Bilam. Opened his mouth. Instead of.

Cursing. Cursing. Came blessing. Instead of. The ability. To curse. The nation. Of Israel. Instead of. Successfully. Cursing. The nation. Of Israel. He ended up. Actually. Blessing. The nation. Of Israel. In chapter. 23. Of the book. Of numbers. We read. How shall I curse. Whom God. Has not curse. And how shall I defy. Verse 8. Of chapter 23. Whom. The Lord. Has not. Defied. In other words. God. Have been. Faithful. To his people. Israel. In Egypt. He delivered them. From Egypt. He gave them. Leaders. Moshe. Aaron. And Miriam. Through the. Opposition. That they have experienced. Through Balak. And Bilam. And he maintained them. All throughout their journey. All the way.

To the promised land. Of Canaan. You notice. In verse 5. At the end of. Verse 5. Of Micah. Chapter 6. He said. From Shittim. And to Gilgal. That ye may know. The righteousness. Of the Lord. You notice. That the word. Shittim. Is the place. Where Israel. Stood. On the eastern side. Of the Jordan River. Gilgal. Is the place. Where Israel. Enter into. On the western side. Of the Jordan River. In other words. Shittim. Is on the side. Of the wilderness. Gilgal. Is already. In the promised land. Really. Beloved brothers and sisters. What God. Is really saying. To Israel. Is this. In Egypt. You needed me. I help you.

In the wilderness. You needed me. I help you. When somebody. Wanted to curse you. I help you. I brought you. All the way. To the shore. Of the promised land. But even more. Nation. Of Israel. My people. I brought you. All the way. Into. The promised land. To the place. That is called. Gilgal. That you. May know. The righteousness. Of God. By application. To us. Today. Out of the world. Of sin. And darkness. Yeshua. The Messiah. Have led us. Already. Through this journey. That we have here. Some of us. Are older. Some of us. Are younger. He led us. So many years. Faithfully. In this wilderness.

And he's going. To bring us. Into the father's house. In a soon. Coming. The. The righteousness. Of God. And the faithfulness. Of God. The dispute. Of the Lord. With his people. Israel. God has a controversy. With Israel. And he's challenging them. In verses one. To verse. Five. So this is the climax. Of the sixth chapter. Of the book of Micah. Now in verses six. Seven and eight. The Lord really. Shows us. What are the requirements. From his people. Israel. And you can see here. That in a sense. The people. Are speaking now. In verses. Six and seven. And then God. Answered to them. In verse eight.

And so in verse. Six and seven. Micah. Challenges Israel. In a sense. It's the language. Of the people. He's approaching. The people of God. And if an Israeli. Speaks. To one another. And speak like this. And he says. Wherewith. Shall I come. Before the Lord. And bow. Myself. Before the high God. Shall I come. Before him. With burnt offering. And kelps. For a year old. This is verse six. Notice verse seven. 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. For the fruit. Of my body. For the sin. Of my soul.

All. So what really. Here we see. In these two verses. Is the nation. Is questioning. Says look. So many years. I've been brought. Sacrifices. And all this. And they said. Wherewith. Will I come. Before the Lord. How will I approach. The Lord. And bow myself. Before the high God. Should I come. Before him. With burnt offering. And kelps. Of a year old. In other words. They're saying. I've been bringing. Sacrifices. Sacrifices. All along. We have been. Offering. Sacrifices. Again. And again. The burnt offering. And the meal offering. And the peace offering. And the sin offering. And the trespass offering. They have been. Offering. Sacrifices. All along.

So they say. In a sense. Will the Lord. Be pleased. With the burnt offering. Then you notice. In verse 7. He says. Will the Lord. Be pleased. With thousands. Of rams. Even if. I'll bring. A lot of rams. And bloodshed. Sacrifices. Will the Lord. Be pleased. With this. By the way. The liberals. Use. These two verses. To say. To us. Who believe. That we. Need. Salvation. Through the precious blood. Of the Messiah. You see. We don't need. The blood. Of the Messiah. We don't need. Yeshua. The Messiah. Even the sacrifices. Of all. Did not suffice. God. They were not. Sufficient. For God. Then notice. That. They are saying here.

In those two verses. Six. And seven. Notice. Shall I give. My firstborn. For. My. Transgressions. The fruit of my body. For the sin. Of my soul. In other words. They were asking. Should I even offer. My firstborn child. As a sacrifice. In order to have. My sins forgiven. They are asking. They are asking. These questions. And they are speaking. In a sense. They said. We have been offering. Sacrifices. All the time. You know. We have been offering. Sacrifices. All our life. It didn't seem. To please. The Lord. You see. The problem. With what they are saying. Is that. They thought. That God. Wanted. A merely.

Ritual. Without. Reality. By. Saying. These. They are really saying. God. Just. Wanted. Those. Blood. Sacrifices. We have gone. Already. Through. These rituals. But. It didn't seem. To help. But then. The Lord. Answered. Them. And in verse 8. We have the answer. Of the Lord. To the nation. With a Micah. Point. To what. Really. The Lord. Required. Justice. The Lord. Required. Mercy. And the Lord. Requires. Humility. Notice. Those. Three. Points. Found. In verse 8. He has. Showed. The. O. Men. What. Is. Good. And what. Does. The Lord. Require. Of. The. But. Notice. The three. Things. And. Secondly. To. Walk. Humbly. With. Thy. God. Things. That. The Lord. Is.

Requesting. Now. Again. I want. To. Repeat. What. I just. Said. Here. Mr. You see. Look. Look. At. Our. Prophet. Micah. Says. Really. You. Don't. Necessarily. Need. To. Bring. Sacrifices. And. Bloodshed. On. The. Altar. To. And. To. To. To. To. and to be humble. And that's why, by the way, you will notice when it comes to our people, they are really committed into showing mercy. Many of the Jewish people would give a lot of support to all kind of agencies that have many needs. They will also seek in many ways to, at least externally, to do things justly and rightful. And then thirdly, the rabbis again will teach the Orthodox people that they are to be humble before the Lord, to be broken before the Lord.

That's why you notice Yom Kippur, our people are broken before the Lord and confessing their sins and to seek to be humble. And if they have sinned throughout the years, they repent and confess over this. But they do say, just like many others say today, you don't need the blood atonement, but you only need to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. But beloved brothers and sisters, what we learn from these verses, it is not telling us here that God now rejects the sacrificial system and we don't need blood atonement. That is not what we learn from this passage. What we learn from this passage, that it is not enough to have an external relationship with the Lord, and not an internal relationship with the Lord.

In other words, it's not enough the appearing. You know, we are much like Israel of all. We oftentimes have the appearing, the outward appearance. We go to church meetings. We dress properly. We pay our dues. We do a lot of things externally, correctly, and rightly, but oftentimes, we neglect to have a proper attitude on our hearts, to seek justice, to have desire to love mercy and grace, and to be humble before the Lord instead of exalting ourselves. In other words, it's not either or, it is both. God demands the blood atonement of an animal, but He also demands just mercy and humility in the life of the people of God.

So, let's assume for a moment, there are many people who are very honest, much more honest than many of us, and they are much more gracious, and they are much more just, but yet, they refuse to accept the Lord, Yeshua, as their Lord and Savior. When they're going to stand before the Lord in the day of judgment, and they're going to say to God, God, listen, I have been predidicent. I have lived my life in an honorable way, and God is going to say, yes, you did. But what is the reason that I will allow you to enter into the presence of God, into heaven?

On what basis? On the basis of your goodness? On the basis of the good things that you have done? There's no way, because even if we do a lot of good, and there are many who do a lot of good, the basis of being justified with God is always on the basis of a sacrifice, of the bloodshed of an innocent animal. In our case today, it's on the basis of the blood of Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. So, it's not enough, merely to do the routine, the external. God wants men to recognize that we need the blood atonement on the one hand, but also we need to have a heart that is right with the Lord, to seek to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.

You remember the jailer in Acts chapter 16 asked Paul, what must I do to be saved? Paul, Shaul answered him, believe in the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, and you shall be saved. Salvation, a relationship with God is on the basis of the sacrifice, but the attitude in the life of that person is seeking justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly with the Lord. There are many, many verses that we can go through. I just want to give you two verses. If you will just make a note out of it. In Leviticus chapter 17 and verse 11, God said to our people Israel, the blood shall make an atonement for the soul.

Leviticus chapter 17 and verse 11. In Hebrews chapter 9, New Testament passage, in Hebrews chapter 9 verse 22, the apostle wrote to the Hebrew believers, without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. Blood must be shed of an innocent individual to make an atonement for another, for a sinner, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. So, brothers and sisters, here in Micah, we have in the sixth chapter, first of all, the dispute that the Lord had with his people Israel. Secondly, the Lord had a requirement from his people. It's not enough to come to the altar and just offer sacrifices while you turn back and you're going back home and you have constantly lack of justice, constantly lack of mercy, and constantly pride and lack of humility.

It is not right. He's saying to Israel, what does the Lord require of thee? Just one more point. He says in verse 8, He has shown thee all men. The word men in Hebrew is adam. He's not only talking to the general nation, but he's telling us individually. He spoke to Israel, all men, adam, individual, you. He's speaking to us individually, not to look around and to see what does the other thing can do. It is an individual responsibility that the Lord have already showed Israel his people and they are to submit to that at that time. Well, apparently they didn't and that's why now he's telling them, sadly, he's showing them their fault and he's pronouncing the coming punishment.

And that is the last verses of this chapter, verses 9 to verse 16. He's crying now, God, first of all, to the city of Jerusalem. And he says in verse 9, the Lord's voice cries unto the city. This city is none else but the city of Jerusalem where the leaders of Israel are, where the temple was, where the religious activities have been, where the sacrifice have been offered, where the leadership have come forth, where there was all the privileges to be near the place where God was in the midst of his people. He's crying now, in verse 9, unto the city and he says there, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name.

Hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it. He's crying now to Jerusalem and he's using that word, hear ye. He says, hear ye the rod, and who is the one that appointed the rod? Why do we have a rod? A rod God has is an order for discipline. And we think of David who said in Psalm 23, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. The staff speak of leadership. The rod is the rod of correction. And here we can see God is saying to Jerusalem, Yehushalayim, Yerushalayim, Yerushalayim, Jerusalem. He said to them, now I want you to hear ye the rod, the chastisement, the judgment that the Lord has appointed for you.

Here is the judgment that is coming. And verses 10, 11, and 12, he shows them the reason why he had to punish the nation because Israel failed in those three areas to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly before their God. Notice that in these verses 10, 11, and 12. He says, first of all, in verse 10, are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked and the scent measure that is abominable? See, he's saying, look at existing there the treasures of wickedness. Things have been done in a wrong way in the midst of the nation of Israel. Then verse 11, shall I count them pure with a wicked balance?

And with a bag of deceitful weights? In other words, how can I call you pure? When there was wicked balance, you know, the balance is where you weigh a scale. It's a scale. And a bag of deceitful weights. I mean, things have been not right among the beloved nation of the Lord. In verse 12, he says, for the rich men thereof are full of violence. There was violence in the midst of the nation. And the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies. And their tongues is deceitful in their mouth. You know, the condition that have existed at that time. There was violence. There was deceitfulness. There was deceitful weights.

There was treasure of wickedness. There was an abomination. You know, all these things existing among God's people. It hurts the heart of God. And I would say, beloved brothers and sisters, this is exactly why the apostle in the epistles, Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, and we can go on throughout the whole Brit HaChadasha. There are many, many verses that tells us, for example, lie not one to another. Colossians tells us, and humble yourself out of the mighty hand of God. Peter tells us this in 1st Peter. And we can go on and we can love the brethren. You know, by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples.

John tells us, if ye have love one towards another. These are the things that are Old Testament, Tanakh to Israel, New Testament, Brit HaChadasha to us as believers in the present day dispensation. It's not different. And how we fail, like Israel of old, our people, how the church today is in the same condition like the nation of Israel. And so, he tells them, you know, look at this. Here is verse 10, 11, and 12. Israel did not do those three things, no justice, no mercy, no humility at that period of time of their history. That's why there was coming soon the judgment. And at that time, of course, if you remember, there is a prophetic aspect to these passages and there is an immediate aspect.

The Assyrian came and took the northern tribes to Assyria. The Babylonian came and took the southern tribes to Babylon. And all because of these conditions that prevail there in these verses. Notice that now the punishment itself. Look at the sad, it must have grieved the heart of God when he had to punish his very own nation. And look what he said to them in verse 13, 14, and 15. Three things. The first thing in verse 13, God will send sickness and desolation. It says in verse 13, therefore, because of that, I will make thee sick and I will smite thee in making thee desolate because of thy sins. Now do you remember what Paul said in 1 Corinthians chapter 11 to the assembly at Corinth?

He said, therefore, some of you are sick, some of you are weak, and some of you are even falling asleep, died. A judicial judgment of God upon his beloved nation because of their rebellion against him. The same thing in the church today. God sends judgment upon his people when his people violate his word. Willfully, he does discipline his people. Whom the Lord loves, he chasteneth, and he scourges every son whom he has received. Hebrews tell us this. So notice that he said, therefore, because of this, I will send sickness. The Hebrew word hechliti, hechlati otchem, and the word for smiting thee, hakotech, it comes from the word, I literally spank you in making thee desolate.

You know, when the armies of the Assyrians came, and when they took the northern tribes, the land was desolate. They were a wicked nation. When the Babylonians came and took Judah down to Babylon, the city of Jerusalem was destroyed. The temple was destroyed and burnt. And the nation were carried. Can you imagine the people of God? It must have hurt the heart of God, but he sent them to judge his very own people. Notice, in verse 14, not only that he will send sickness and desolation, but he will send dissatisfaction in the life of the people. In verse 14, thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied. Thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee.

Thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver. And that which you deliverest, will I give up to the sword. See what he's saying? Dissatisfaction. In other words, you're going to eat, but you are not going to be satisfied. How is it possible? You know, you eat food, and you're still not satisfied. God sent his judgment upon his people, Israel, because of their sin, and he says, you know, you're going to eat, but you're not going to be satisfied. You know, the food we read in 1 Timothy chapter 6, God had given us all things to enjoy, but sometimes in a judicial way because of our rebellion before the Lord, God does send us leanness into our hearts.

There is dissatisfaction with what you do. I don't know if you feel sometime, I know when I disobey the Lord, I cannot be happy, cannot be satisfied because God sent something into our life to cause us not to be happy. Why? Because we rebel, because we disobey his word, and notice that he sent it. You might blame your neighbor, you might blame your friends, you might blame your children, blame your husband, blame your wife, but it is not an issue of anybody else. It is the sending of God against his beloved people whom he has to discipline, he has to give them that rod of his chastisement.

Verse 15, God will send inability to benefit from labor. Can you imagine if you work and work and work and work and you are not able to produce and to bring fruit out of all your labor. And so he says here in verse 15, Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap. Thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil. You shall tread the sweet wine, he says, but you shall not be able to drink the wine. Now, again, here is not only that there will be a desolation and sickness, verse 13, not only a dissatisfaction, but also there will be inability to benefit.

You work hard, but you have like a pocket with the holes that everything is going right outside. You labor and you labor and you labor and you want to have some fruit and nothing coming. Everything is somehow diminished and being destroyed. And you know, when I think about that, just by application, you know, God worked so hard in the life of Israel and he wanted Israel to be a nation as an example, to be a testimony for him. And all the labor and the labor and the labor and he look and he sees the rebellion and disobedience and he look at himself and he says, I work so hard and I don't see fruit.

And parallel in the church age, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, labor and labor and labor and he want to see the body of Messiah growing. But then because of disobedience, there are brokenness and divisions and scattering of the saints and sometimes he send judgment upon his people and how many places today when they used to have a church meetings or congregation is no longer there. Why it's not there? Because God have judged his people. Just the same like Israel of all, they were no longer in the land. Why? Because God has sent them to the Assyrians and to Babylon because of their rebellion and disobedience.

And finally, beloved brothers and sisters, he's closing that chapter with mentioning again what hurt God the most is idolatry. And you notice what he says here in verse 16. For the statues of Omri are kept in all the works of the house of Achav and ye walk in their councils that I should make thee a desolation and the inhabitants thereof and hissing. Therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people. Now, who is Omri? You know, Omri was one of the most wicked kings of the northern tribes of Israel. He had a son by the name of Achav. Achav was the wicked one. Achav was the one who married Jezebel.

Jezebel was the one who introduced to the people of all Israel. You can read that, by the way, in 1st King chapter 16 and you can read it how the introduction of all sort of idolatry in the midst of the nation of Israel. And they all followed, of course, the first king of Israel who introduced idolatry. You remember the two calves that had been placed there in the northern tribes and Israel instead of coming to worship in Jerusalem end up to worship in the north there. An abomination had been introduced in the midst of the nation of Israel. What you call false worship. And God says to Israel, look, the statues of Omri, you're keeping it.

They probably had the two golden calves still there and they're still bowing and saying, this is your God. And then the house of Echab, Echab teaching all kind of things among our people Israel. And Israel end up, instead of following the truth, ending up led through these wicked kings who have led our people of all in the wrong direction. God says, here is the reason why there is a desolation and the inhabitants are hissing. They're talking. They see, wow, this is the nation, this is the Israel, this glorious nation of Israel. They're speaking with each other. They're saying, wow, these are the people of God.

Is it possible? They are mocking the people of God, hissing and saying all kinds of things concerning the people of God, the people of Israel. And then we have, of course, therefore, because of that, ye shall bear the reproach of my people. Israel is God's people, but God disciplined his beloved nation because he loved them, he had to discipline them before he's going to restore them. So, the sixth chapter, really, we have God's judgment upon his people Israel before the blessings that will come in the Messianic kingdom, which we're going to see later on in the seventh chapter. But here we can see judgment before blessing, discipline because of disobedience, and the heart of God goes out for his beloved nation, the nation of Israel.

And I'm going to close with this. Brothers and sisters, the Lord Yeshua's heart is going out toward us as well. We need to respond to him. We need to say, Lord, help me that I will have a tender heart and a desire to live for you here in this world. And when I fall, when I go astray, help me to be restored, that I will confess my sins and there is cleansing on the basis of the precious blood that our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, shed for us on the tree.