“Do Justice, Love Kindness, Walk Humbly with God”
Bible Study on Micah 6:6–8
Introduction
Micah ministered during the latter half of the 8th century BC, a turbulent period in the history of God’s people. He prophesied in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah (Micah 1:1). Each king’s reign reflected the spiritual condition of the nation. Under Jotham, Judah enjoyed relative stability, but corruption among leaders and priests was already spreading. Ahaz, however, led Judah into deep apostasy, embracing idolatry and even sacrificing his own son in the fire (2 Kings 16:3–4). Hezekiah, by contrast, would bring reform, tearing down idols and restoring temple worship (2 Kings 18:3–6), yet even his reign could not fully remove the entrenched sins of the people.
Micah was a contemporary of great prophetic voices like Isaiah in Jerusalem and Hosea in the northern kingdom of Israel. While Isaiah spoke powerfully to the royal court, Micah came from the rural town of Moresheth, giving him a sharp awareness of the oppression of the poor by wealthy landowners and corrupt officials. His words often echo those of his fellow prophets: Amos thundered against social injustice (Amos 5:24), Hosea exposed unfaithfulness to God as spiritual adultery (Hosea 6:6), and Isaiah declared that sacrifices without righteousness were meaningless (Isaiah 1:11–17). Together these prophets reminded God’s people that ritual without obedience is hypocrisy, and that God requires integrity, compassion, and humility.
It was into this setting—where kings sought political alliances over covenant faithfulness, priests turned religion into profit, and people substituted ritual for righteousness—that Micah delivered his piercing question: “With what shall I come before the LORD?” (Micah 6:6). This was not only Israel’s question, but humanity’s perennial cry: How can sinful people stand before a holy God? Micah’s answer, simple yet profound, cuts through centuries of misunderstanding and brings us to the essence of true religion: “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
Opening Prayer
Gracious and Holy Father,
We come before You today with the same question that echoed through Micah’s prophecy: “With what shall I come before the Lord?” We confess our weakness, our tendency to rely on outward acts while neglecting the weightier matters of justice, mercy, and humility. Open our hearts by Your Spirit as we study Your Word. Teach us what it truly means to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with You. Fix our eyes on Jesus, the true Son, who perfectly fulfilled Your will and gave His life for us. May Your Word search us, shape us, and strengthen us to live in obedience and gratitude. We ask this in the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.
Verse 6
“With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?” Micah 6:6
Here in Micah 6:6, the people, awakened to a sense of guilt, begin to ask how they might approach God again. As Matthew Henry notes, they foolishly suppose that peace with God can be secured through costly sacrifices rather than through repentance and obedience. They speak of bringing “burnt offerings” and even “calves of a year old,” the choicest and most valuable sacrifices prescribed by the law (Leviticus 9:2–3). Yet their reasoning shows they are still clinging to outward forms. Instead of yielding their hearts, they imagine that the more expensive the gift, the greater their chance of forgiveness. It is a tragic misunderstanding of what God requires—relationship, not ritual.
Matthew Poole highlights this as the language of people “convinced in part.” Their consciences are stirred, but not transformed. They are ready to go through the motions of religion, to pay the price of sacrifice, but they are not yet willing to yield their hearts. Like Israel in Isaiah’s day, they fasted, bowed their heads, and offered sacrifices, yet wondered why God did not hear (Isaiah 58:3–5). They still thought of worship as a transaction—something to be offered to God in exchange for His favor—rather than an expression of love, obedience, and trust.
John Trapp exposes the heart of the problem with vivid imagery. He calls this “vox populi, the voice of the people now convinced in part.” Their consciences condemn them, and like those in John 6:28-29 they cry to Jesus, “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?” Yet, as Trapp observes, “they fetch a compass about God, but care not to come near him.” They are like those described in 2 Timothy 3:6-7—“ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” They think that bowing down, fasting, or multiplying ceremonies will suffice. But, as Trapp warns, “bodily exercise profiteth little” (1 Timothy 4:8). True worship is not empty ritual, but the sacrifice of “a broken spirit” and “a contrite heart” (Psalm 51:16–17). God is not looking for more calves on the altar, but for humble, repentant hearts laid before Him.
Verse 7
“Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” Micah 6:7
In Micah 6:7, the people intensify their proposals, moving from ordinary sacrifices to extravagant and even unthinkable offerings. Matthew Henry points out that this shows the blindness of a guilty conscience—thinking that if one calf is good, then “thousands of rams” or “ten thousands of rivers of oil” must surely please God. Yet no amount of gifts, however costly or multiplied, can reconcile sinful humanity to a holy God. Even the ultimate sacrifice a parent could imagine—offering one’s firstborn—would not suffice to atone for the “sin of the soul.” Henry reminds us that reconciliation with God is not for sale; it cannot be bought with wealth, nor achieved through cruelty. Only repentance and obedience from the heart can meet God’s requirement.
Poole adds that this verse shows the folly and wickedness of superstition. Some in Israel had already copied the surrounding nations by sacrificing their own children to false gods like Molech (2 Kings 17:17; 2 Kings 21:6). He makes clear that the people’s hypothetical offer is not only impractical—it is offensive to God, because it reveals their stubborn preference for outward, even horrific rituals, rather than inward repentance and true worship.
John Trapp illustrates the futility of this mindset with characteristic sharpness. He observes that superstition always tends toward multiplication: “What would not men give, what will they not suffer, that they may be saved?” Yet such efforts to “buy heaven” are met with the apostolic rebuke, “Thy money perish with thee” (Acts 8:20). They exhaust themselves with costly rituals and terrible sacrifices, but all the while miss God’s true requirement: a contrite heart and humble obedience. Instead of drawing near to God, their extravagance drives them further away, proving that no outward sacrifice—however multiplied or extreme—can substitute for repentance and faith in God’s mercy.
Verse 8
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8
Matthew Henry reminds us that God’s will has never been hidden. From the giving of the law from God by Moses (Deuteronomy 10:12–13) to the prophets, He has consistently revealed what He desires—justice, mercy, and humility. This is not about bringing sacrifices but about living in covenant faithfulness. Henry writes, “It is not sacrifice and ceremony that He requires, but the good conduct of the heart and life.” In other words, God’s requirements are not obscure or impossible to understand; they are plain, practical, and deeply moral. He asks us to live rightly toward others, compassionately toward the needy, and reverently before Him.
Poole calls this verse “a little Bible,” a summary of the law and the prophets. To do justly is to render to each what is due, whether to superiors, equals, or inferiors (Matthew 7:12). To love mercy is not merely to perform acts of kindness but to delight in showing compassion, giving cheerfully and willingly (2 Corinthians 9:7; Colossians 3:12). To walk humbly with thy God is to live in continual reverence and lowliness, recognizing our unworthiness while trusting God’s grace (Luke 17:7-10).
Trapp explains that humility in walking with God shows itself in three stages—before, during, and after service. Before service, humility devotes all to God, confessing with David, “All things come from You, and of Your own we have given You” (1 Chronicles 29:14-19), recognizing that everything we offer is already His. During service, humility shapes our posture with reverence, remembering that we stand before a holy God and that even our best efforts must be offered in awe and dependence (Hebrews 12:28). After service, humility resists boasting, echoing Jesus’ words, “We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do” (Luke 17:7-10), acknowledging our failings and giving glory to God alone. Thus, humility is not a passing attitude but a lifelong rhythm—yielding all to God before we serve, reverencing Him as we serve, and bowing low after we serve—keeping us near to Him and guarding us from pride at every stage of the Christian walk.
Spurgeon beautifully echoes this truth: “What the law requires, the gospel gives. Only through faith in Christ and the Spirit’s power do we fulfil these three divine requirements.” The law sets the standard—to do justice, to love mercy, to walk humbly with God—but left to ourselves, we cannot attain it. The gospel supplies what the law demands by giving us Christ’s righteousness and the Spirit’s enabling grace. For Spurgeon, humility is not a servile crouching before a harsh master, but the joyful posture of a forgiven sinner who has been lifted up by grace. To walk humbly is to live with the grateful awareness that all we are and all we have comes from God, and that every step forward is sustained by His mercy. This humility reflects the very heart of Christ, who “made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant… and humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5–8). In Him we see that humility is not weakness, but the path to glory; not self-hatred, but self-forgetfulness rooted in love. Thus, Spurgeon points us to a humility that flows out of the gospel—thankful, Christlike, and Spirit-empowered—where believers delight to walk low before God because they have been raised high in Christ.
Conclusion
Micah’s message is timeless: God is not impressed by lavish ceremonies, multiplied sacrifices, or empty religious show. He desires His people to live out covenant faithfulness in everyday life. To do justly means to act with integrity, fairness, and righteousness in all our dealings. To love mercy means to delight in kindness and compassion, reflecting God’s steadfast love to a broken world. To walk humbly with God means to live in daily fellowship with Him, acknowledging our dependence on His grace and surrendering our pride.
Only Christ, the true Son, has perfectly embodied the call of Micah 6:8. Where Israel faltered in injustice, cruelty, and pride, Jesus consistently upheld what God required. He did justice by upholding truth, defending the oppressed, and fulfilling every command of God’s law without blemish (Matthew 5:17-18; 1 Peter 2:21-25). He loved mercy by touching lepers, forgiving sinners, and showing compassion to the broken, declaring that He came “not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:41-45). He walked humbly with His Father in complete obedience, never seeking His own will but only the will of Him who sent Him (John 6:38). Even in the garden of Gethsemane, facing the cross, He prayed with humility, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42-44).
And yet, Christ not only fulfilled these requirements for us—He now fulfills them in us. Through His death and resurrection, He opened the way for us to be reconciled to God, and through His Spirit, He empowers His people to live out what Micah proclaimed. The Spirit shapes our hearts to hunger for justice, softens us to love mercy, and bends our wills to walk humbly with God (Galatians 5:22–26). What once was an unreachable standard under the law becomes a joyful possibility under grace, as Christ’s life is formed within us (Colossians 1:26-29).
Thus, the call of Micah 6:8 finds its ultimate fulfillment not in endless sacrifices, nor in flawed earthly kings like Ahaz or even Hezekiah, but in the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ. He is our everlasting hope, the One who both satisfies God’s requirements and supplies us with the grace to walk in them. In Him, justice and mercy meet, and humility is crowned with glory. What God required, Christ has accomplished; and what He has accomplished, He now enables us to share in—until the day we walk humbly with our God forever in His kingdom.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for speaking to us through Your Word today. We have heard again the call of Micah—to live with integrity, to delight in compassion, and to walk humbly with You. Yet we know we cannot do this in our own strength. We thank You for Jesus Christ, who fulfilled these requirements perfectly, and for the Holy Spirit who empowers us to follow in His steps. As we go from this study, may our lives reflect Your justice in our actions, Your mercy in our relationships, and Your humility in our walk with You. Keep us near the cross and fill us with hope in the risen Lord, who is our everlasting righteousness and peace. In His name we pray. Amen.
Here are some meditation questions and answers based on the study of Micah 6:6–8.
1. What question does Micah raise in verse 6, and why is it significant?
Answer: Micah asks, “With what shall I come before the LORD?” It is the cry of guilty people who sense their need to be reconciled with God. This reflects our human tendency to look for outward offerings or costly sacrifices instead of true repentance and inward surrender. The question is significant because it touches the universal human dilemma: How can sinners approach a holy God?
2. Why are extravagant sacrifices, even thousands of rams or rivers of oil, insufficient to please God (v. 7)?
Answer: Extravagant gifts cannot atone for sin because God is not interested in quantity but in the heart. God had already revealed His will; more sacrifices could not substitute for obedience. Trapp warns that those who try to buy heaven with works are like “the devil’s martyrs,” who suffer much yet gain nothing. Only the blood of Christ truly reconciles us to God (Hebrews 10:1-10).
3. What does Micah 6:8 reveal about God’s true requirements for His people?
Answer: God requires His people to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him. These three commands summarize both tables of the law—our duty to others (justice and mercy) and our duty to God (humility). As Poole said, this verse is like a “little Bible,” capturing the essence of the whole covenant.
4. What role does humility play before, during, and after our service to God?
Answer: Trapp explains humility in three stages: before service, we devote all to God, recognizing all we have is from Him (1 Chronicles 29:14-19); during service, we offer reverence and godly fear (Hebrews 12:28); after service, we acknowledge our failings and give glory to God alone (Luke 17:7-10). This rhythm of humility keeps us near God and protects us from pride.
5. How does Christ fulfill Micah 6:8, and how does this give us hope?
Answer: Only Jesus perfectly did justice, loved mercy, and walked humbly with His Father. He defended the oppressed, showed compassion to sinners, and submitted to the Father even to death on a cross (Philippians 2:5–8). Through His Spirit, He empowers us to live out these same requirements, not in our own strength but by His grace. Thus Micah 6:8 points us to Christ, who both fulfills God’s law and enables His people to walk in it.
6. Why is Psalm 100 a good psalm to read along with the study of Micah 6:6–8?
Answer: Psalm 100 complements Micah’s teaching by showing that God desires not empty ritual but a living relationship with His people. Micah outlines God’s requirements—to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him—while Psalm 100 shows us how to cultivate that relationship through joyful worship, gratitude, and intimate knowledge of God. Verse 3 reminds us, “It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture”—a call to humble dependence and trust ( John 10:14-18). Verse 5 assures us of God’s eternal goodness and mercy, which is the very foundation of loving mercy ourselves. Together, these passages teach us that true worship is rooted in relationship—belonging to God, trusting His care, and rejoicing in His steadfast love.
7. How did Jesus and the Holy Spirit deepen our understanding of this relationship with God?
Answer: Jesus revealed that God’s desire for justice, mercy, and humility is fulfilled in relationship with Him. He told His disciples, “I no longer call you servants… Instead, I have called you friends” (John 15:15), and invited them to abide in His love (John 15:9–10). He identified Himself as the Good Shepherd who knows His sheep by name (John 10:14), fulfilling the intimacy Psalm 100 describes. Furthermore, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to make this relationship living and personal: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper… He lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:16–17). The Spirit assures us of our adoption as children of God (Romans 8:15–16) and empowers us to live out Micah’s call, producing the fruit of love, kindness, and humility (Galatians 5:22–23). Through Christ and the Spirit, Micah’s requirements are no longer burdens but gifts lived out in joyful fellowship with God.
