Micah 6:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

It is important to note that throughout the writings of the prophets, the defense of the wronged is among God's highest expectations. For instance, in Micah, when the Israelites question, "Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?", the response is clear: "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." Additionally, the psalmist declares, "I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O Lord, I will sing praises."

Once God made clear to the Israelites the innocence of their waywardness and essentially put them on trial, revealing the countless blessings He had bestowed upon them, they became insensible and sinned against Him who had delivered them so abundantly. The response of a penitent heart, which mourns over past transgressions and seeks to understand how these wrongdoings can be atoned for and what actions would be pleasing to God, arises. One might ask, “How can I truly understand the Lord? What offerings can I bring to Him? What can I do to atone for the offenses that weigh upon me? Will I be made pure by sacrificing young bulls? Will God be pleased if I present burnt offerings? Can I approach Him, meaning can I enter into a meaningful communion with Him, if I offer a multitude of beasts?

The statements of this prophet differentiate between the various offerings, making it evident that God does not seek in the offerings themselves the symbols of the sacrifices He calls for. The apostle, in the letter ‘To the Hebrews,’ expresses, ‘Forget not also beneficence and sociability, for such sacrifices are acceptable to God’ (Heb. 13:16).

How can I present myself before the Lord? What can I offer to bring joy to the God on high? The Lord does not take delight in the countless sheep or the abundance of fattened animals. Should I offer my eldest child? Would that be considered sufficient? Could the outcome of my womb atone for my transgressions? For such offerings are not the way to earn God's favor.

The Lord has summoned His people to judgment; yet, aware of their transgressions, they seek not to vie but merely to plead, though they lack assurance in their supplications. There is nothing they can present to God that would merit His favor, and no amount of humility can cleanse the stains of their sins. The offerings of bulls and goats, the sacrifices of sheep and rams cannot purify the soul (Hebrews 10:4). Is it possible that I should offer my firstborn for my transgressions, as the king of Moab did (2 Kings 3:27), or sacrifice my child for the sin of my soul, as Jephthah did when he fulfilled a rash vow (Judges 11:34-40)?

What more could be expected of you, O human, than to revere the Lord, seek Him fervently, follow His path, and understand His teachings? How can I approach the Almighty? the individual questions. Will my burnt offerings be sufficient? (Micah 6:6). Certainly not; it is not through countless calves or myriad sheep, nor through the fruits of wickedness that one is reconciled with God and receives forgiveness for sins. Rather, it is through a life lived in virtue that one experiences the grace of God.

How can I recognize the Lord? In what way shall I acknowledge my God, the Most High? What form of gratitude can I offer to Him who has blessed me with countless gifts? How can I repay Him? Should I dedicate a one-year-old calf as a burnt offering? Will the Lord desire food from the abundance of countless ovens, or the rich meat of fattened goats? Could I offer my firstborn to atone for my transgressions, the offspring of my body for the iniquities of my soul? The Prophet declares that no human effort is adequate—be it numerous bullocks, entire flocks of sheep, young goats, or even the sacrifice of firstborn children to God—to free me from the weight of my many sins. However, if none of these can serve as a means for the forgiveness of my wrongs, then how can I express my gratitude for God’s mercies? After pondering these human considerations, the Prophet conveys the Divine response once more.