A TRIBUNAL OF TWO SESSIONS WHO WILL BE JUSTIFIED BEFORE YOU? LET US DEBATE! God, who granted man the freedom to become an icon of Him, deals with him as equals. He sets a tribunal and asks His people to enter into a debate with Him in the presence of the mountains that are silent and well established over the human history. He presents the case and requests from His people to proclaim frankly how the Lord has wearied them. He reminds them of His dealings along the history to let them again enjoy His divine love and bear His righteousness. In His debate He proclaims that He seeks nothing from the believer; He is in no need of his worship or of his offerings, but He seeks him, in person, to become His living icon. Although He does not despise his sacrifices and offerings, yet they are not a goal by themselves. It is fitting for the believer in his humility, as he is attached to his God, to present his heart for God to dwell in it together with his offerings. Finally, in seeking the believer’s heart, He refuses to let evil dwell in it as well lest his wounds would become un-healable. God presents His case against His stubborn people in two sessions requesting their response: 1. The first session 1-8. 2. The second session 9-16. 1. THE FIRST SESSION: “Hear now what the Lord says, ‘Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice’” (Micah 6:1). God instructs the prophet Micah to arise and proclaim the pleading against the stubborn people, asking the mountains and the hills to listen and to follow up the proceedings. The two chapters 6 and 7 portray a court of justice, where the Lord gives His people the opportunity to repent before the great day of justice dwells upon them. The prophet Micah confirms that what he is uttering is not his own, but what he is instructed by the holy Lord to say. Thus it is fitting for them to hear and to listen. God calls on the mountains and the hills to testify against His people, who built pagan altars over the heights, and who offered sacrifices to foreign and vain gods (1 Kings 14:23; Jeremiah 17:2, 3; Hezekiel 20:27-28). It is as though He is pleading His case against the inhabitants of those mountains and hills, who were engaged in idolatry. “Hear, O mountains, the Lord’s complaint, and you strong foundations of the earth; for the Lord has a complaint against His people, and He will plead with Israel” (Micah 6:2). “He cries aloud, and spare not” (Isaiah 58:1) to let the foundations of the earth hear him, as the issue is very serious. If the peoples’ hearts have become as solid as rocks, God is calling the rocks of the earth to listen and to rebuke His people, because Israel has ears, yet they do not hear. “The Lord has a complaint against His people”. Because giving God the back is 104 a sin causing a contention with God, the apostle Paul says: “When we were enemies we were reconciled with God” (Romans 5:10). If sin in general causes a contention with the Holy One, who does not stand sin, it would be much more serious if it comes from His people and children, whom He wants to be holy to Him (Leviticus 20:26) as He is holy. “He will contend with Israel’; interpreted by some as ‘He will debate with Israel’, to confirm to them His gift of ‘the freedom of will’ and to let them consider His holy commandment, not as an order that is difficult to obey, but as a work of love from a heavenly Father toward His beloved children. In many instances in the holy books we see this amazing portrait of God’s undescribable goodness that is fitting for His compassionate love, proclaimed by His desire to enter into such an amiable debate with humanity1. St. John Chrysostom It may appear like a contention, but hear what follows that concerning believers: “He will again have compassion on us” (Micah 7:19). The Book says: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:5), and: ‘who believes in Me will not be judged, but would be transformed from death to life; and he who does not believe would be judged’ 2. Cassiodorus “O My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you? Testify against Me” (Micah 6:3) God, although He is the mighty Judge, has not issued a judgment against His people, but seeks to enter into a debate with them; He inquires, if He has wearied them! How could they justify their unfaithfulness despite His exalted faithfulness to them?! It was not possible for them to respond to this question, as God, the Loving and Merciful, have not and would not do wrong to His people nor to anyone; He is so beneficent and merciful that, in case He allows for some affliction or rebuke, it would be for the sake of our justification, our repentance, and our return to Him. He is not a cruel Master, but a loving Father. Do you want me to address you, who have done me wrong, with the same words of God to the cruel and thick-necked Israel: “O My people, what have I done to you? And how have I wearied you?” It is truly a sad thing to fish for opportunities to attack one another and to destroy the fellowship of the Spirit, which we have, by our controversies to end up being more vicious and violent toward each other than the barbarians who joined forces to fight us nowadays, becoming at war against one another and even within the same household; this will surely lead us to perdition3. St. Gregory, the Nazianzus By saying: “What have I done to you? And how have I wearied you?” He reveals their denial; while enjoying all the blessings He gave them, they are paying Him back with what contradicts that4! 1 On Ps 50. 2 Cassiodorus: Exposition of the Psalms 134:14. 3 Against the Arians and on Himself, Oration 33:2. 4 St. John Chrysostom: the Gospel of St. Matthew, Homily 68:2. 105 St. John Chrysostom “For I brought you up from the land of Egypt; I redeemed you from the house of servants; and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam” (Micah 6:4). Being unable to answer his question, God paraded His dealings of love towards them since the days they were enslaved in the land of Egypt; how He sent before them leaders supported by His grace: Moses the great among the prophets, Aaron the first high priest, and Miriam, who led the women to create an atmosphere of joy and praise. “O My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted; and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Acacia Grove to Gilgal, that you may know the righteousness of the Lord” (Micah 6:5). God's care towards His people continued when they were in the wilderness; He kept them safe from the conspiracies of Balak king of Moab till they crossed the desert and entered the Promised Land; He is always true. Moses mentioned the episode of Balak and Balaam in his Book of Numbers (Chapters 22-24). “Acacia Grove” is the location where Israel built there camp on the eastern bank of the River Jordan just before crossing over to the Promised Land (Joshua 2:1); where the people got many commandments and divine promises. “Gilgal” was the first location where Israel camped after they have crossed over the River Jordan (Joshua 5:3); where the people renewed their covenant with God (Joshua 5:3-9). St. Ambrose1 believes that God presents Himself to us as a role model to teach us. Even while rebuking His people, He reminds them of His care when they were under affliction in bondage and under a heavy burden in a foreign land. “With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?” (Micah 6:6). The Jews assumed that they can please God by the multitude of sacrifices without practicing the spiritual life in their daily behavior, as if God is only preoccupied with the offerings and sacrifices that are offered to Him in His temple. They did not realize that God seeks man himself: “My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways” (Proverbs 23:26). He wishes to prepare us to enjoy the eternal glories, “to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service” (Romans 12:1-2), to present sacrifices of heartily love as a pay back for His love to us. “Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or 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?” (Micah 6:7). The first answer by Israel came in the form of three questions: (1) Is God pleased by presenting the regular sacrifices of calves? (2) Will He be pleased by doubling the offerings and sacrifices to thousands of rams or ten thousands of rivers of oil? (3) Will He be pleased by presenting exceptional sacrifices, like the firstborn of their children, which is banned by Law (Deuteronomy 12:29-31; 2 Kings 3:27; Judges 11:30-40)? The sacrifice of the firstborn of the children has infiltrated into Israel among other faulty idolatry practices. It is obvious that the sinner -however attracted by sin- feels a great emptiness in 1 Cf. Letter 41:24. 106 the depths of his soul, which he wishes to fill by pleasing God even if he has to offer Him the most valuable of his possessions -his children-, yet the need is actually for the sanctification of the heart, the mind, and the practical behavior in the Lord. God is not reconciled and sins are not forgiven by thousands of rams and goats or by the fruits of transgression, but through God’s grace and by the good life1. St. Ambrose Will everyone who turns from sin to faith also turn from his faulty practices (that became like a mother to him) to life? I will quote one of the twelve prophets, who says: “Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” (Micah 6:7). Is it possible for a mother to purchase her way to God by offering her firstborn? This should not be misunderstood as an attack on the words: “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28) 2. St. Clement of Alexandria Whenever they are rebuked for their lack of a certain virtue, they hasten to justify themselves by saying that they offer sacrifices all the time. Hence we can understand why all prophets reject this defense on the basis that sacrifices are not set for their own sake, but as a tool referring to their behavior. Having disregarded their necessary commitments and preoccupied themselves only with their sacrifices, God proclaims that He will no more accept them (Amos 5:22; 6:20)3. Theodoret of Cyrus “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). As Israel assumed that they please God by presenting Him with animal sacrifices, a multitude of offerings, and even human sacrifices, the prophet intends to correct their concepts by transforming them from being preoccupied with animal sacrifices, while practicing oppression, to practicing the practical love and walking humbly with the Lord. Preparing the minds of His people to accept the entrance of the gentiles into faith, the divine statement is addressed to every man in the world: “He has shown you, O man” and not addressed as: “O Israel”. Now, it is our duty to lead a life of virtue; God seeks that from us to lean neither on Him nor on anyone else nor on destiny, but on our own deeds, as shown by the words of the prophet Micah: “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord requires of you, but to do justly, to love mercy …” (Micah 6:8) 4. Origen Who is so foolish to assume that God is in need of what is offered to Him? To show that this idea is ridiculed it is enough to quote the Psalm, saying: “I say to the Lord: You are my God; You do not need my goodness.” It is fitting for us to believe that God is neither in need for a flock of sheep nor for any thing material or earthly nor even for the righteousness of man. Any upright worship presented to God is not for His benefit, but for that of man; as no one can say that a spring of water will benefit by drinking 1 Flight from the world, 6:33. 2 Stromata 3:16:101. 3 On Isaiah 1:11 Commentary. 4 Origen: De Principiis, 3:1:6.. 107 from it or that light will benefit by being seen. The animal sacrifices that the early Church used to offer, no more followed by the present day Church, was meant for the sake of seeking attachment to God and a provocation to our fellow men to do so. The sacrifice is a seen sacrament or a holy sign to an unseen sacrifice1. If you ask: What should I offer? The answer is: Offer yourself! What does God seek from you but yourself? Among the earthly creatures He did not create what is better than you; He seeks your self from yourself2! St. Augustine “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion; slow to anger and full of mercy” (Psalm 145:8). “’Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?’ says the Lord God, ‘and not that he should turn from his ways and live’” (Ezekiel 18:23). “He is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe” (1 Timothy 4:10). That is why it is equally fitting for the children of God to be merciful (Matthew 5:7), “Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, even as Christ forgave us” (Colossians 3:13), “Judge not, that we be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). “Who are you to judge another servant? To his own Master he stands or falls” (Romans 14:4)3. Tertullian “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?.” That is why the gospel says: “Arise, let us go from here” (John 14:31), while the Law says: “Follow the Lord your God”. You have been taught the way of escape, so why the delay4?! St. Ambrose If God is fire, “a consuming fire” (Deuteronomy 4:24), so anything made of hay or wood should get away from the fire lest it would be consumed5! St. Jerome He says: forget about your multitude of burnt offerings, sacrifices, and firstlings! If you intend to please the Deity, practice what God has commanded you from the beginning through Moses: to have justice and sound decisions in all circumstances; to choose what is better and not what is worse; to be able to continue testifying to every possibility of love and feeling of brotherhood; and to be prepared to practice what pleases God in every way. By saying: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might; … And you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18) He means that doing that is better than sacrifices in the eyes of God6. Theodore of Mopsuestia What would be the benefit, if you abstain from eating birds or fish when you bite and devour your brethren? That is why the apostle Paul says: “If you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another” (Galatians 5:15). You are 1 St. Augustine: City of God 10:5. 2 Sermon 48:2. 3 On Purity, 2. 4 Flight from the world, 6:33. 5 Homily 2 on Ps. 5. 6 Theodore of Mopsuestia: Commentary on Micah 6:6:8. 108 harming yourself as well as others by many ways. When you slander your neighbor, you make him who listens to your slander, become in a worse condition; If he happens to be wicked, he will care no more for his wickedness when he finds someone else sharing his wickedness; and if he is righteous, when you reveal the sins of others to him, you lead him to haughtiness, to count himself as someone special1. St. John Chrysostom 2. THE SECOND SESSION: In the first session the pleading was addressed to the mountains and hills, whereas in the second session He called on the city of Jerusalem together with the wisdom to watch and to fear His name. “The Lord’s voice cries to the city; wisdom shall see Your name: Hear the Rod! Who has appointed it?” (Micah 6:9) Some believe that when He calls on the city, those with “Wisdom” can see His name, namely can recognize Him and His word will work in them. He first talks, and if the believer listens with a spirit of contrition and humility “the divine Rod of chastisement” will not come down on him and he will enjoy the divine mercies. “Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the short measure that is an abomination?” (Micah 6:10). What are the words of “the divine Rod of chastisement”? It reveals the oppression they practice against their brethren. Here he mentions an old case against humanity along the generations, namely that the rich practice oppression against the poor; they assume that they are getting richer when they actually treasure for themselves evil and unfaithfulness. It is the case involving financial, social, and ethical corruption despite God’s warnings to us. If the oppressor assumes that he has collected abundant treasures, he has actually collected treasures of evil on himself; and if he assumes by cheating in weights that he got a plenty of good, he has actually got a curse! The wise Solomon says: “Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death” (Proverbs 10:2). “Shall I count pure those with the wicked balances? And with the bag of deceitful weights?” (Micah 6:11). Here he means deceit in its literal and narrow meaning, when they deceive the simple in balances; as well as in its wider meaning, when they deceive them by twisted words and ways to take away their possessions. “For her rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth” (Micah 6:12). It is no wonder when we see rich oppressors, as the more man gets, the greater will be his desire to get more unless his inner self gets satisfied, because much possession will never satisfy his inner thirst! He speaks of the greedy rich, whose hearts are full of oppression and their stores are full of what they got through it. Oppression leads them to lie and to practice deceit to achieve what they desire. Their tongue utters deceit; “They say: The Lord does not see us; The Lord has forsaken the earth” (Psalm 8:12). 1 Concerning Statues, 3: 12. 109 Let the mouth hasten to escape from the disgraceful talks1. St. John Chrysostom The Psalmist says: “You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood. The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man” (Psalm 5:5-7). Every haughty man is deceitful and every deceitful man is a liar. He, who utters vanity, labors hard, whereas he, who utters the truth, talks with complete ease2. St. John Chrysostom “Therefore I will also make you sick by striking you, by making you desolate because of your sins” (Micah 6:13). Those who persist on oppression, deceit, and lying, will be struck with incurable sickness. When they assume to be fulfilled with what they got, they will suffer an incurable inner ailment, a perpetual feeling of emptiness and lack of peace. “The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood” (Psalm 5:5-6). God hates a worker of iniquity and He destroys him, who speaks falsehood. Let us now see which case is worse: to be hated by God or to be destroyed by Him? He, who is hated by God although he would certainly be unhappy with his animosity with God, yet he is still alive with hope for repentance; whereas he, who speaks falsehood, will be destroyed and will exist no more. Unfortunately, a liar is worse than him who, works iniquity … “A lying mouth destroys the soul” (Wisdom 1:11) 3. St. Jerome “You shall eat, but not be satisfied; hunger shall be in your midst. You may carry some away, but shall not save them; and what you do rescue I will give over to the sword” (Micah 6:14). They eat, yet would never be satisfied, because having mixed their food with evil they deprived themselves of the divine blessings. The feeing of hunger will never forsake them whatever they eat or get. “They enlarge their desire as hell, and cannot be satisfied” (Habakkuk 2:5). “Why do you spend money for what is not bread; and your wages for what does not satisfy?” (Isaiah 55:2). “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance with increase. This also is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 5:10). “You may put some away, but shall not save them” (14). The more an oppressor holds of what belongs to others and count as his own, will soon slip away from his hands and he will not be able to save him. Whatever he tightly holds as something dear to him, he will soon lose. Whatever way an oppressor uses to keep the “unrighteous mammon” (the dishonest wealth), will be torn away by the divine sword and will vanish. A greedy person, being in need of many things, cannot be considered as rich. He is actually a keeper of his wealth, but not its master; he is a slave and not a prince. He is always ready to give away even a part of his body, but never of his buried gold. He acquires things he is neither free to use nor to enjoy. He actually treasures limitless punishments for himself4. 1 Concerning Statues, 3: 12. 2 On Ps 140. 3 Homily 2 on Ps. 5. 4 Concerning Statues, 2: 14. 110 St. John Chrysostom “You shall sow, but not reap; you shall tread the olives, but not anoint yourself with oil; you shall tread grapes, but not drink wine” (Micah 6:15) The oppressor assumes that he sows to reap, but what he has sown will soon wither, his labor will be wasted and he will have nothing to reap. He may gather olives, tread them in the press, and fill his storehouses with oil, but he will never anoint himself with oil either because his olives do not produce oil or because he somehow loses the oil he produces. Likewise with the grapes, even if he treads them in the press, he will not drink wine. In other words, even if God allows the oppressor to fill his storehouses with oil and wine, something will happen to keep him from benefiting of what he gathered; he would be unable to anoint his body with his oil and to drink of his wine. “For you have kept the statutes of Omri; and all the works of the house of Ahab, and you have followed their counsels; therefore I will make you a desolation, and your inhabitants an object of hissing; so you shall bear the reproach of My people” (Micah 6:16). Omri and Ahab were two typical examples of oppression and greed (1 Kings 16- 22), who used their authority to deprive the poor of their possessions and ended up gaining nothing. When Omri reigned over Israel, he led the people to idolatry (1 Kings 16:21-26) and was succeeded by his sin Ahab, the most evil of the kings of Israel (1 Kings 16:2-33). “I will make you a desolation, and your inhabitants an object of hissing” (16). Evil desolates and destroys a nation to become a disgrace, to be gloated by other nations that hiss in ridicule. What makes it worse is that this happens to the people of God, who, instead of enjoying the divine glories before the heavenly creatures, they become a reproach before the idolatry nations and go down to everlasting shame and contempt in the great day of the Lord (Daniel 12:2). 111 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF MICAH 6 WHO WILL BE JUSTIFIED BEFORE YOU? If You judge, O Lord, who will be justified before You? Both heaven and earth testify to Your work with me. Your works are exalted; and Your love is amazing. Tell me how could I be justified? You brought me away from the servitude of the devil. And bore me to the freedom of the glory of the children of God. As You did, when You brought Your people away from the servitude of the Pharaoh, And brought them over to the Promised Land. You destroyed the opposition of the devil for my salvation; As You corrupted the plot of Balaam, who loved the wage of oppression. Tell me, O my Lord, How can I please You? You are in no need of my offerings or gifts! The heaven and the earth are both the work of Your hands. You are not in need of my prayer or my worship. As You are in Yourself wholly glorified. You truly seek me, and not what I have. You seek my heart, to set it a heaven. You seek my mind, to fill it with Your secrets. You seek my love for my brethren, to pour Your love over me. You seek my walking humbly with You. In order to lift me up to Your heavens. I confess to You every corruption that infiltrated into me. Take away from me the wicked balances and the deceitful words; Take away from me every oppression and selfishness; The whole world cannot satisfy my soul; And the sin brings on me disgrace and shame. You alone are everything to me. When I acquire You, I acquire the truth. When You fulfill me, I will never get hungry, When I bear You inside me, I get filled with the splendor of Your glory. You are everything to me, With You, I seek nothing more!
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