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\(^6\)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? \(^7\)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?” \(^8\)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 begins a series of questions about what will please God. First of all he asks if he should bring what would be a normal sacrifice for a Jew. To his hearers the obvious answer might be “yes that would be appropriate”. But Micah continues to ask if giving God more than anyone could possibly afford would please him, the implied answer being “no”. Then Micah asks if giving his firstborn son could atone for his sin. Again the implied answer is “no”, even this wouldn’t be enough, furthermore we know that God would hate such a sacrifice. Offering children to Molech might rank as one of the chief sins in the Old Testament. Although God asked Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, God prevented him from doing so when he saw Abraham was willing to do it (it is a mysterious passage).

At the end of these questions we see that God is more concerned with how we live than what we give to him. Doing justice and loving kindness. But the most important thing is saved for last; “to walk humbly with your God.” We cannot impress God, we are sinners. And even if we weren’t, we are his creation, he is our creator. But nevertheless, God desires our company, our presence. The word “walk” evokes the way Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden, before sin separated people from God. When people walk together, they talk together. It evokes friendship and solidarity. It is wonderful to think that God wants a relationship with us.