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Altar of the Destitute

By on in Theology

“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 man, 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?” – Micah 6:6-8 ESV

The message of Micah concerns the historical people of Israel, but also in theological principle any person today who claims YHWH is God and seeks to understand what He requires (Micah 6:6-8). Rhetorically, the prophet Micah asked a few pointed questions concerning religious practices or offerings of sacrifices and good works. To use hyperbolic language, he exaggerates types of premium offerings given in abundance before YHWH to win His favor. That by doing so, Micah writes of the absurdity of such efforts as if God would somehow see past their asceticism and injustices. So as to continue in their rejection of the covenant, they were obligated to keep. While sacrificial offerings were standard practice at the temple in Jerusalem, it was an attempt to keep tradition before YHWH despite their heart condition before Him.

From the spirit of the covenant summed up in the pericope involving the Shema (Mark 12:29-34), we are given a clear view of its intent, and it all comes around to love. Active love for YHWH and people bring about the fulfillment of what God requires. Namely, a love fulfilled through justice (miš•pāṭ’), lovingkindness (ḥĕ’•sĕḏ), and humility (ṣn c) as these were the virtues or fruit, that identified those who seek to honor and obey YHWH.

As we listen carefully to what Jesus said to the religious authorities in Jerusalem, He called them hypocrites by echoing what Isaiah prophesied concerning their hearts (Matt 15:7-9). Religious people who honor YHWH with their lips, their pen, or their pixelated words typed on a device while yet having their heart far from Him are they who worship or serve Him in vain. As it is a form of worship that involves teaching the doctrines the commandments of men (Col 2:22, Titus 1:14). Jesus was very clear in this message. Our heart’s desire for God and each other is that we would fulfill as a reciprocal obligation of love made by action and not just by what is instead going through the motions as an expression of personal self-interest.

The specific manner in which we demonstrate love appears from the reminder of Micah himself. Reiterated from the Mosaic covenant and prophet Isaiah (Deut 30:15, Deut 10:12, Is 56:1, Is 57:15, Is 66:2, Jer 22:3, Hos 6:6). While people have a high propensity toward veering away from God their creator or outright rejecting Him to live out disloyal lives, any effort to mask their sin or error through religious practices is ineffective and only worsens matters. As YHWH knows the heart and our thoughts and intentions, we can apply what we understand from His word through Micah. About what we should do to live in a way that pleases Him, according to the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) and the Shema by what we read through the words of Christ (Mark 12:29-34).

As we have the opportunity, and in daily life, we are better situated at peace before God and others when we humble ourselves and demonstrate consistent love for Him and others. At the same time, we speak and act justly among people. Yet only a principled justice guided by Scripture to keep from neglecting others, abusing people, or causing undue harm. If authentic Christians today were to practice what Micah wrote about, their efforts would lead to a pleasing lifestyle that honors God and His desires for us within the new covenant.

Burden of the Nevi’im

By on in Theology

As Jonah was an obstinate and disobedient prophet of YHWH, he refused the LORD’s instructions to travel to the city of Nineveh in Assyria and warn them of destruction. Due to the great evil in Nineveh, they were subject to what God would do to them if they would not repent or turn from their wickedness (rā’āh). The words of YHWH to Jonah were unambiguous: “Arise and go to Nineveh (Jonah 1:2)” with no ambiguity whatsoever. Their evil was before God, their creator, and they were to have His judgment proclaimed against them. Along with Jonah, we are informed that they must repent of their evil, or else.

Incredibly, Jonah attempts to flee from YHWH’s presence, the omnipresent God of the world he occupies. With the narrative of Jonah’s story, interwoven with poetic Hebrew wordplay, it is revealed that his efforts did not turn out well. Numerous incidents provide lessons about circumstances in opposition to YHWH that point to His will and sovereignty. God will have His decree spoken before Nineveh one way or another. To warn the city and its occupants and make clear the differences between them and His people within Judah and Israel when Nineveh does repent. In fact, by carefully reading through the story, and by careful reflection on the general nature of prophets (Nevi’im), would Jonah have known the direct or inferred comparison between God’s people and Nineveh to the North in Assyria? That God’s people would not repent, but Nineveh, the people of Assyria, a foreign nation who worshiped false gods, would, in fact, repent only to anger Jonah. That he would resent the difference and that God would relent from the destruction of his enemy.

Jonah 4:2 informs us exactly why he quickly fled to Tarshish, in roughly the opposite direction of Nineveh. His words spoken in prayer to YHWH were as follows: “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.” Jonah did not flee to another country away from the presence of YHWH because he was afraid of God, or the people of Nineveh. He was afraid that if his enemies repented, God would not destroy them. He knew the character of YHWH, and he did not want mercy and kindness to appear in the lives of those who were doing exceedingly great evil.

In the end, the story was largely about Jonah. Much to the prophet’s dismay, the people of Nineveh repented and were spared of imminent destruction. His enemies were shown mercy after Jonah did eventually and reluctantly declare to them, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” That by the circumstances orchestrated through the sovereignty of YHWH; a poignant lesson is revealed to Jonah and us through Scripture about obedience. Are we more for YHWH’s interests, or those of our own? Even if we are offended, fearful, or resistant to where God would want us, or have us do, what is our heart attitude? Just as God’s lovingkindness (ḥĕ’•sĕḏ) and mercy are present with us, how can we not delight in that of God even if present among our enemies?