With the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel looming near, Micah prophesied in the southern kingdom of Judah. Several parallels with the ministry of Isaiah are quite striking, including the famous line “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks” (Isaiah 2:4, Micah 4:3).

Micah gave stern warnings for both Israel and Judah, and also promises of restoration in days to come. “Her wound is incurable. It has come to Judah; it has reached to the gate of my people, to Jerusalem” (Micah 1:9). “We are utterly ruined, the Lord alters the inheritance of my people; how he removes it from me! Among our captors he parcels out our fields” (2:4). “I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob, I will gather the survivors of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold” (2:12). “In that day, says the Lord, I will assemble the lame and gather those who have been driven away, and those whom I have afflicted. The lame I will make the remnant, and those who were cast off, a strong nation; and the Lord will reign over them in Mount Zion now and forevermore” (4:6-7).

Especially notable is the action in chapter 6, which begins with what is known as a covenant lawsuit. God calls Israel to account (6:1-2): “O my people, what have I done to you? In what have I wearied you?” (6:3). The answer is that God redeemed them from slavery in Egypt; provided gifted leaders in Moses, Aaron, and Miriam; protected them when their enemies wanted to curse and destroy them; and brought them “from Shittim to Gilgal” – that is, across the Jordan river into the promised land (6:4-5).

When we realize that we have failed to be faithful to the Lord who has freed us, protected us, and blessed us, what do we do? “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?” (6:6). Or would it take more: thousands of rams, myriads of rivers of ceremonial oil – or even giving our children as a burnt offering! – to buy back God’s favor (6:7)? Yet what God calls for is real life practice, rather than extravagant sacrifice: “what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love faithfulness” (this is the word חֶסֶד again, hesed, steadfast love or covenantal faithfulness: ‘kindness’ is too bland a translation), “and to walk humbly with your God?” (6:8).

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Help us, O God, to establish our lives in this lifestyle, where we choose to act for justice, where we love you and one another in covenant faithfulness, where we walk in humility with you, day by day. Grant us your grace, that we may do so, in this moment and always.