WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE?

In Columbia, S. C., there used to be a brick house close to the campus of Columbia International University on Monticello Road that was called the Micah House. The reason was that there was sign posted on the outside that all could read whether you were walking, running or driving. This is what was on the sign: “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)

This seems at odds with many people’s thoughts of God in the Old Testament as one of war and destruction, or of a God sitting aloof above all things and not really caring what people do. However, here we see the true character of God. He directs His people to be active in justice and mercy because He is Just and Merciful. God does not ask us to do anything that is in contradiction to who He is.

The immediate context of this verse is the prophet asking God what he is to sacrifice to Him. In the first part of chapter six, God is indicting the nation on their ignorance of Him and abandonment of His ways, which they knew from the first five books of the Bible.  God then reminds Israel how He delivered them over and over again from their enemies so that they might “know the saving acts of the LORD.”

The prophet’s response is to find out what God requires to keep His blessing upon the nation. God’s answer might have thrown him off guard for a minute until he realized the true character of God. It was not enough to offer animal sacrifices, no matter how many he would bring to the altar. God desired heart change and action.

Surrendering of your property was not the answer but surrendering of self is what God wanted. As God desires Micah, God so desires His people.  He wants them to reflect Him to the nations.

This saying is very similar to what King David said in Psalm 51:16-17; “For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”

Turning to the New Testament Jesus says something very similar and powerful in the first of the beatitudes, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Jesus told His followers of that day and the followers of today that to get the most out of this life one must be surrendered to God.

Jesus lived this out as we see from the gospel of John 5:19; “So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of His own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing.  For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.’”

As our society today seems to descend into chaos, the church of our day must step up and become like what God told Micah. We must do that which is right according to God and to exercise love because God is both righteous and love. He not only defines what those two characteristics are, He ­is both of those qualities. His people are to live in love and righteousness so that the world might see what He is truly like.

When the church begins to compromise with evil it loses its standing in society and then chaos begins to ensue. God does want to bless our great nation, but His church that represents Him must stand for that which is right in His eyes and live His character out before this world for it to begin to be righted.

In Psalm 89:14 we read these words; “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.” When we begin to understand who God is and receive His Son as Savior, then we can begin to see our great nation become that which God desired it would be – A City on a Hill.

It begins with the church. Those who claim to be Christian ought to bow the knee and humble themselves and begin to exercise uprightness of character and the love of God to their world. Then we will begin to declare His glory among the nations. What is needed for this nation is a revival in His church.

So what does God require of you?