Matthew Henry Commentary Micah 6:6-8

"Wherewith shall I come before Jehovah, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves a year old? will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, [or] with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God?" — Micah 6:6-8 (ASV)

These verses seem to contain the substance of Balak's consultation with Balaam on how to obtain the favor of Israel's God. A deep conviction of guilt and wrath will lead people to make careful inquiries after peace and pardon, and then some basis for hope of them begins to exist. For God to be pleased with us, our concern must be for an interest in the atonement of Christ, and that the sin by which we displease Him may be taken away.

What will be a satisfaction for God's justice? In whose name must we come, since we have nothing to plead as our own? In what righteousness should we appear before Him? The proposals betray ignorance, even though they show zeal. They offer what is very rich and costly.

Those who are fully convinced of sin, and of their misery and danger because of it, would give all the world, if they had it, for peace and pardon. Yet they do not offer rightly. The sacrifices had value from their reference to Christ; it was impossible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sin. And all proposals of peace, except those made according to the gospel, are absurd.

They could not answer the demands of Divine justice, nor satisfy the wrong done to the honor of God by sin, nor would they serve at all instead of holiness of the heart and reformation of life. People will part with anything rather than their sins; but they part with nothing so as to be accepted by God, unless they do part with their sins. Moral duties are commanded because they are good for humankind.

In keeping God's commandments there is a great reward, as well as after keeping them. God has not only made it known, but has also made it plain. The good that God requires of us is not paying a price for the pardon of sin and acceptance with God, but love for Himself; and what is there unreasonable or hard in this? Every thought within us must be brought down, to be brought into obedience to God, if we are to walk comfortably with Him.

We must do this as penitent sinners, dependent on the Redeemer and His atonement. Blessed be the Lord that He is always ready to give His grace to the humble, waiting penitent.