Micah 6:1-8
God's Requirements

Hear what the LORD says:
Rise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.
Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the LORD,
and you enduring foundations of the earth;
for the LORD has a controversy with his people,
and he will contend with Israel.

"O my people, what have I done to you?
In what have I wearied you? Answer me!
For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
and redeemed you from the house of slavery;
and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised,
what Balaam son of Beor answered him,
and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,
that you may know the saving acts of the LORD."

"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?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,
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 has told you, O mortal, 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?

New Revised Standard Version

In this message, Micah asks the people to consider a lawsuit. In this suit, God is making a claim against the Hebrew people, and the mountains sit as the judge over the proceedings.

What's the claim? God says the Hebrew people have grown tired of Him. They no longer worship Him, respect Him, love Him. The Creator pours out His broken heart to the mountains, saying, "What did I do to deserve this?"

The Hebrew people respond, "No, God, we still love you. We still need you -- hey, you're a pretty great god, and you've been very good to us. Come now, don't talk that way -- here, let me buy you something, anything, whatever it takes to keep you on our side. You seemed to like sacrifices -- I'll get you a bunch of them! One ram not enough? How's a thousand? Just name the price, so we can all get back to normal again."

And God says, "You just don't get it, do you?"

"I don't want your sacrifices, your rituals, your possessions. I want you! I want your minds focused on what is right. I want your hearts focused on generosity towards others. And I want you to walk with Me every day, open to My will, because that is best for you!"