Faith Formation: Micah - Justice, Kindness, humility

With what shall I come before the LORD and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, 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, and the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? Micah 6:6-7

God's case was overwhelming. God's actions were irrefutable. Finally there was no defense, no argument Israel or anyone can offer to justify seeking another way than the way of God. Convicted or convinced Israel wondered how they might atone for their failings, what God would accept as a sign of penitence for their unfaithfulness. How does one restore a relationship once it has been broken? Israel pondered what God's sentence or punishment or fine might be by which they could return to God and the peace of their land again.

Two Psalms considered the same type of question. "O LORD, who may abide in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill?" Psalm 15:1 "Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? Who shall stand in his holy presence." Psalm 24:3 Isaiah unexpectedly found himself in the the Holy presence of God in the Temple, on God's holy hill. He responded, "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, ..." Likewise Peter when called by Jesus felt the contrast of human being and the presence of the Other. "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." Luke 5:8 One does not the Holy One on one's own merit or with one's own gifts or righteousness.

Israel proposed to offer external objects for satisfaction. The books of Moses were full of instructions about sacrifices for cleanness and atonement. The gods of the age all demanded sacrifices of valuable things, cattle, sheep, grain, olive oil, or even children. The question may have been directed to the priests as much as to God. Surely the priests knew what God wanted. The proposals start with what the Torah called for, but quickly escalated into absurdity, "burnt offerings ... calves a year old ... thousands of rams ... ten thousands of rivers of oil ... my firstborn .., the fruit of my body..." It screams, "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?"

Extreme sacrifices my seem like simply exaggeration. But, there were stories. At the dedication of the Temple Solomon offered "twenty-two thousand oxen and one-hundred twenty thousand sheep." 1 Kings 8:63 When Hezekiah, and later Josiah, restored the Passover festival the sacrifices of bulls, rams and sheep numbered in the hundreds and the thousands. The last suggestion was not as far fetched at it seems, based on stories both from scripture and beyond. God tested Abraham at Mt Moriah to sacrifice his only son Isaac. The story became connected to the death/sacrifice of Jesus, God's only son offered on a cross. Molech, a Canaanite underworld God, received child sacrifices. "You shall not give any of your offspring to sacrifice them to Molech and so profane the name of your God." Leviticus 18:21 A second, more positive, reading of "firstborn" relates to both sacrifice and service to God. "All that first opens the womb is mine, all your male livestock, the firstborn cow and sheep. The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. No one shall appear before the LORD empty-handed." Exodus 34:19-20 When Samuel, the longed for child of Hannah was born, she gave him at age three to Eli the priest. On the day she brought him to Eli at Shiloh she said, "I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he is given to the LORD." 1 Samuel 1:27

The idea that God might be satisfied with an offering, a sacrifice has endured long in the practices and imaginations of the people of God. The deeper the guilt or the greater the need, the greater the offer for redemption. Martin Luther even resorted to it when he was beset by a thunderstorm one night and feared the devils that assaulted him. "If you save me I will become a monk." And, so he did. Others have prayed and promised something like, "If you get me out of this I will...." Deep in our piety is the idea that God is open to or has even commanded a transactional path of salvation and blessing particularly based in external offerings like money, or sheep, or the dedication of a child. That is not what God desires. The prophets emphatically denied it because of how it could be abused or make it easy to be absolved. The refrain of so many court cases decided against corporations and people of great wealth today is a willingness to pay money, even large sums, as long as they can avoid making any admission of guilt.

Do Justice. Love Kindness. Walk humbly with God.

Pastor Tim Bauer