Micah 6:8 is a famous verse. It’s about what the Lord requires of us. What precedes it is this. “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?”

This is Micah speaking, but speaking through the Lord. He knows the Lord doesn’t want their sacrifices. Atonement for sin requires the shedding of blood because the wages of sin is death. God doesn’t want there to be the shedding of blood. That means there is sin.

Blood sacrifices weren’t part of His original garden design. They became necessary when man sinned. They were a necessary evil, not God’s desire. He takes no pleasure in the sacrifices, even if it were you sacrificing what was most precious to you, your child. He not only wouldn’t be pleased; He would despise it.

The blood sacrifice meant sin. God’s desire is righteousness and holiness. There’s not supposed to be sin. What is there supposed to be?

Verse eight: “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?”

What is he saying here? What does God want?

He wants us to make the right call, to be faithful in offering goodness to everyone, and to know our lowly state next to our great God so that we recognize our complete need of Him and fully rely on Him.

We need the Spirit of Wisdom and Holy Spirit love poured out into our hearts to be able to live that way. And it starts by recognizing who God is and who you are and coming to a place of complete humility, of knowing you need God that you rely on Him for everything.

“It is sound wisdom to fear Your name.”