Homilist Micah 6:1-3 Hear you now what the LORD said; Arise, contend you before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.… I. Here is a call on man to GIVE AUDIENCE TO ALMIGHTY GOD. "Hear ye now what the Lord saith." 1. Natural. What is more natural than for a child to hang on the lips and attend to the words of his parent? How much more natural for the finite intelligence to open its ears to the words of the Infinite! 2. Binding. The great command of God to all is, "Hearken diligently to Me; hear, and your souls shall live." 3. Indispensable. It is only as men hear, interpret, digest, appropriate, incarnate God's Word that they can rise to a true, noble, and happy life. II. Here is a SUMMONS TO INANIMATE NATURE TO HEAR THE CONTROVERSY BETWEEN GOD AND MAN. "Arise, contend thou before the mountains." The appeal to inanimate nature — 1. Indicates the earnestness of the prophet. Every minister should be earnest. "Passion is reason" here. 2. Suggests the stupidity of the people. Perhaps the prophet meant to compare them to the dead hills and mountains. As hard in heart as the rocks. 3. Hints the universality of his theme. His doctrine was no secret; it was as open and free as nature. III. A CHALLENGE TO MAN TO FIND FAULT WITH DIVINE DEALINGS. This implies — 1. That they could bring nothing against Him. 2. It declares that He had done everything for them. (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice. |
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