What does it mean to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly (Micah 6:8)?

Micah 6:5-8.

It is quite true that some well-known names have contended that in vv. 6-8 we have the preservation of an actual dialogue between Balak and Balaam. In their view God's people are exhorted, in v. 5, to "remember" - as indeed is the case - "what Balak king of Moab consulted," that is, the questions he asked; and these, it is affirmed, are given in vv. 6, 7; and then, that in v. 8 Balaam's answer is recorded - "What Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal." It is hardly necessary to say that we can in no wise accept this interpretation. In the beginning of the chapter "the Lord hath a controversy with His people, and will plead with Israel"; and He proceeds by the mouth of the prophet to appeal to them in the most touching manner: "O My people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against Me." Then He reminds them, in order to enforce His entreaty, that He had brought Israel up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed him out of the house of servants; that He had sent before Him Moses, Aaron, and Miriam; and, furthermore, that He had rescued His people from the designs of Balak by the answers which He had caused Balaam to give. All this was brought to the recollection of His people, that they might know the righteousness of the Lord - that they might learn that if they had been unfaithful He could not deny Himself, that He was still faithful to His word. In response to this it is, according to our interpretation, Israel enquires, "Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God?" etc. (vv. 6, 7.) They had wandered so far away as to have forgotten the path of return; and it is in reply to their questions that the prophet says, "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?" Thereby the lesson is taught - a lesson valuable at all times and in all dispensations, that no rites or sacrifices, even if divinely instituted, are of any avail without a right state of heart before God. In substance, indeed, it is the answer of Samuel to Saul, "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." (1 Samuel 15:22.)

Verse 8. The prophet gives the answer of Jehovah. "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?" Where has God made the demand? In the law. There is no more deadly error than to hold up this verse as the essence of the gospel and the one true, saving religion. Yet this we hear today on all sides. But the most loud-mouthed advocates of this "saving religion" practise what the Lord demands the least. And there is a good reason for it. Israel did not act in righteousness, nor did they love mercy, nor did they walk humbly in fellowship with the Lord. Why not? Because they were uncircumcised in their hearts. To do right, to love mercy, to walk in humility with God is impossible for the natural man; in order to do this there must be the new birth, and the new birth takes place when the sinner believes and expresses his faith in true repentance. Only a blind leader of the blind can say this verse is the gospel, and that faith in the deity of Christ and in His atoning, ever blessed work on the cross is not needed. Israel never has been anything like this which Jehovah demands. The day is coming when the Lord in His grace will give them a new heart and take away the stony heart, and fill them with His spirit. (See. Ezek. 36.)

The Lord shortly answers them. He lets the awakened, enquiring ones learn what is "good" and what is "required." That which is "good" is shown to them. God reveals it, as we know, as belonging to Himself. "There is none good but one, that is God." The gospel reveals this in its fulness. That which is "required," or demanded, is nothing of man's cattle for offerings; it is not rivers of oil, or the fruit of his body: it is that only which is morally fitting, that we should do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly. (Ver.8)

And then the answer comes. "O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of Jehovah. Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" Very far from this was Israel's walk.

But nobody does so until he is brought in as a converted soul and receives the grace of God in Christ. It is impossible to act justly and to be really humble before God, until we have turned to Him in faith, though we may not yet have seen our sins covered by His grace, nor by any means clearly know that He will not impute iniquity to us. There is a real repentance wrought in the soul first; and Israel will be brought into this. It is faith which produces real repentance and true humility; where faith was not, we find to the end of the chapter the solemn proof of evil manifested in both people and king. Then the prophet takes the place of intercession. "Woe is me!" says he, "for I am as when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape-gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the first-ripe fruit. The good man is perished." It is a plaint of the prophet which passes at length into a prayer. Then he describes in the most striking manner the fearful rupture of all bonds and the treachery prevalent among the Jews. "Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide; keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lies in thy bosom. For the son dishonours the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house." It is a solemn thought that these are the words that Jesus applies to the effect of His message of the kingdom. What an awful proof of man's evil that the state of things which will bring God's final judgment of the Jew at the end is that which the Lord prepares the disciples to expect as the effect where this gospel is preached now. Nothing brings out the malice of the heart so much as the pressure of God's grace on men; nor does anything else expose a man to so much contempt or hatred; yet it is returning evil and nothing but evil for the greatest good that God ever gave man on the earth. Thus then the Christian ought to know all through his course on earth, as the godly Jew will know in the last day, what Micah shows us here. We anticipate everything as having Christ. We know the good in God and we know the evil in man even now. The Jew will have to learn it by and by, waiting a special time; the Christian knows it at all times, if faithful to Christ and the truth,

We meditated recently on epieikeia, — gentleness, yieldingness: and we saw that it was one of the special marks of our Lord. Perhaps that is partly why His righteousness attracts, rather than repels. And you recall we are to let our epieikeia be known unto all men. But our justice must also be known: not hard, cruel justice, that demands the last cent: but justice that is always fair, and always "plays the game". I recall a Chinese Customs Officer in China passing the baggage of a Christian without opening it, "Because", he explained to the others who had to open theirs, "a Christian would not do anything that was not right". I wonder if we all would measure up to the standard set by that Chinese man, who may not have been a Christian himself? But most assuredly we should. Whether it is the customs, whether it is the postage on a letter, whether it is keeping the rules of the road when driving: in all these things let us be scrupulously just. It has distressed me very much to see a Christian send a letter in an unsealed envelope, at perhaps half the proper price: or make a false declaration on a Customs form, to save duty to the friend receiving the parcel. Were we habitually meditating on "whatsoever things are just" we would not do such things. And you young people who may read these lines, let me beseech you, if you are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, to be absolutely honest and fair in all you do: your school work, your games, or whatever it is. I remember an old missionary in inland China whom the shop-keepers used to call, "Jesus". They knew no better. But what a challenge to that man to behave in a way that would bring honour, and not shame, on that worthy Name he bore! And you bear that same Name, if you are a Christian: for you "have put on Christ" (Gal. 3:27). Seek by His grace to bring honour on Christ's Name.

Here then is the ground of His challenge to them, and in the first place as to what is first — the fundamental thing in judgment: it must be righteous judgment. Here is what must govern in the manifestation of love itself. And so the first appeal is: "How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked?" Their conduct was in flagrant contradiction to their position as representatives of the Righteous God, and with whom is "no respect of persons."

But this cared for, they must manifest Him also on His salvation side, in His regard for the poor, the weak, the defenceless, and the oppressed. "Judge the weak and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and destitute." It must be still justice: that must not be violated even in pity to the poor; and there was a special commandment as to this (Ex. 23:3). Yet his poverty should nevertheless make him an object of special and tender interest: "Rescue the weak and needy: deliver him out of the hand of the wicked."

What heavenly wisdom is here! What even handed justice! What holy impartiality! In every case of difference, all the facts, on both sides, were to be fully heard and patiently weighed. The mind was not to be warped by prejudice, predilection or personal feeling of any kind. The judgement was to be formed not by impressions, but by facts — clearly established, undeniable facts. Personal influence was to have no weight whatever. The position and circumstances of either party in the cause were not to be considered. The case must be decided entirely on its own merits. "Ye shall hear the small as well as the great." The poor man was to have the same evenhanded justice meted out to him as the rich; the stranger as one born in the land. No difference was to be allowed.

But how morally lovely, how pure, how refined and elevated were the divine enactments for Israel! They were not to wrest judgement, but allow it to flow in its own straight and even channel, irrespective altogether of persons. The poor man in vile raiment was to have the same impartial justice, as the man with a gold ring and gay clothing. The decision of the judgement-seat was not to be warped by partiality or prejudice, or the robe of justice to be defiled by the stain of bribery.

The judges sat in the gates of the cities, because every one going out or coming in was to be under their eye; and justice thus, as it was to be open-eyed, and toward all, would come under the eyes of all, as able to bear the light. There was to be no respect of persons, no taking of gift. Righteousness in Israel was to be the basis of every thing, the condition of life and of inheritance.

Lastly, strict equity is enjoined in all dealings of trade and commerce. "Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in measure of length, in weight, and in measure of capacity: just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin shall ye have: I [am] Jehovah your God, that brought you out of the land of Egypt" (36). It is a great aggravation, because it is not transient but deliberate wrong, when the scales and weights are unfair, when solids and liquids have a falsified criterion. "Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes and all my judgments, and do them: I [am] Jehovah" (37). The least things of daily life fall under His eye.