Order in the Court (Micah 6:1-5)

"Order in the court!"

Silence.

"All Rise! The Most Honorable Judge of the Universe, the Lord God Almighty presiding!"

Silence.

The people wait in hushed silence, but not reverently.  Having calloused hearts, brought on by the hardening effect of sin, many of the people cast furtive glances at each other.  One of them mouths, "Here we go again. You did this. I'm gonna do that. Blah. Blah. Blah. Been there. Done that. Got the t-shirt."

Someone mouths, "Got the what?"

Someone else mouths, "Shhh.  It's just an expression."

"Oh." 

Listen to what the Lord says:

“Stand up, plead my case before the mountains;
let the hills hear what you have to say.

“Hear, you mountains, the Lord’s accusation;
listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth.
For the Lord has a case against his people;
he is lodging a charge against Israel." (6:1-2)

There is a rustling in the courtroom.  One whispers, 

We've heard this before. We know He's really ticked off with us. Yeah, we don't take the Law of Moses seriously, we'll give Him that, but we have prosperity--well, the rich do...the poor, too bad for them! The prophets are still speaking--Micah claims that too, but why are his words so different? He's the one out of step!  Yeah, the Assyrians are a scary bunch, but hey, they seem to be uninterested these days in us.  I just think that Micah likes the attention from us, ranting and raving and then getting angry when we don't listen.  His problem, I'd say, not ours.

Don't ya think it's weird He wants the mountains to be a part of this?

Well, they're kinda eternal, ya know?  Been standing there a long time, and He made them. Maybe because they are old, they've seen many things come and go, and He wants someone (thing?) to see the bigger picture of His sovereignty. Maybe because Moses was on that mountain when God showed up with the Law.  Oh, who knows? Now shut up.

Sorry.  

“My people, what have I done to you?
How have I burdened you? Answer me.
I brought you up out of Egypt
and redeemed you from the land of slavery.
I sent Moses to lead you,
also Aaron and Miriam.
My people, remember
what Balak king of Moab plotted
and what Balaam son of Beor answered.
Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal,
that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.” (6:3-5)

Yeah, I learned that story when I was a kid. Forgot it now. It seems so childish all these stories. Baal delivers. Plain and simple. With green fields, happy cows and lots of produce, well, why listen to some stupid story?

Hmmm.  If I recall right...some paranoid king, seeing how many Israelites there were and what they did to the Amorites, calls up some seer to go out and curse all of them. Balaam's his name and he practices divination...yeah, like we do. He'd speak on behalf of any god. I like that. No favoring one god over another.  All get equal treatment. Anyway, Balak, the king, wants this Balaam to curse the Israelites, and then God shows up. 

Baal?

No, you idiot. Our God. I mean, the God of the Israelites, We've outgrown Him. He's not real relevant these days, but He was back in the day. Anyway, God tells Balaam not to curse them, because they are blessed.

We are? 

Well, once upon a time. Anyway, God gets in Balaam's way, and the donkey speaks to him, but it's really the angel of the Lord. Balaam admits he's sinned. Hmmm. Not so subtle, huh? Are we supposed to admit that? The king gets ticked off, but Balaam says he can only say what the Lord tells him to. I wonder if Micah thinks he's a modern more holy version f Balaam, saying only what God tells him to? But, Baal's prophets say that they speak for their gods. They practice divination, too. Big whoop.

I remember now.! Doesn't this Balaam say, “Must I not speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?” Is that what Micah would say if we asked him? Balaam is in front of an angry king, and Micah is in front of an angry people. Well, I am not angry; I just don't care. But you seem angry.

Yes, I am. This story is pointing right at us. In fact, God speaks through Balaam and reminds the king how He brought the people out of Egypt. Just like He's doing now. Well, despite the king getting more and more angry with Balaam--Balaam sticks to his guns and will say only what God will have him say.

Yup. Now the Israelites move on and I recall some goings-on when they pass through Moab. Lots of fun with the local girls who invite them to bow down to their gods, eat the sacrificial meals and do a dilly-dally. Sounds like us, huh?

Oh, shut up. Then some priest kills a guy and a local gal with a spear, and God is pleased with that, commending the zeal of the priest for honoring Him.

So, this story kinda hits home, doesn't it? God doesn't say much in the courtroom--He just mentions a story and then we unpack it, and whoa baby, it fits us now. God hasn't forgotten His covenant with us, but we have forgotten it with Him. We are in trouble, just like that guy getting frisky with that Moabite woman, and they get the sharp end of the deal.

OK, Mr. I-Get-It-And-You-Don't...Who's gonna wield that sword? Micah probably has trouble keeping his marshmallow on a skewer for his s'more! So, count him out. Who, you idiot?

The Assyrians.

Oh.