Journeying Through Judges 17-18

Judges 17-18

From Judges 17-21 the tone of the book changes.  When you first read these chapters you wonder what is going on as it doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the book.  However, technically Judges does end after the story of Samson and continues in 1 Samuel.  So why these chapters in between?

The five remaining chapters and the book of Ruth give us insight into what life was like for the Israelites during this period.  The first part of the book we often read the phrase “…the Israelites did evil in the sight of the Lord”.  Now we are going to broaden that term evil and see what it meant in more detail.

We are introduced in chapter 17 to a man named Micah and his mother.  Micah’s name means “who is like Jehovah” but this man did not honour God as we will find out.  Micah stole from his mother 1100 shekels which is a lot of money in those days.  Micah returns the money he stole, not because he was repentant but he was afraid of the curse she had put on it.  She cancels the curse by blessing him.  There seems to be no consequence or discipline from his mother for stealing the money in the first place but she cancels the curse by blessing him.

This family is really mixed up.  She tells him to make a carved image and a cast idol and to consecrate it to the Lord.  This is not the only false god that Micah has.  In the following verses we read that he has a shrine in his house with various idols and he also makes his son his priest.  The key verse here that gives us an idea of the state of Israel is v6 “…Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit” Does this remind you of our world today?  When we depart from the things of God we suffer the consequences.

Micah and his mother violated 7 out of the 10 commandments.  The amazing thing was that they hadn’t even left their home yet.  In Deuteronomy 12:1-14 it talks about their only to be one place for the Israelites to worship and the people were not allowed to have their own private worship places.

Micah continues to make some bad choices.    Micah came in contact with a Levite.    The Levite was looking for a place to stay.  He had probably given up serving at the tabernacle because he wasn’t being paid or supported as was the rule.  This shows an apathetic nature of God’s people to do the right thing and giving in to the Lord’s work.  By not doing this showed disastrous consequences.

The Levites were a tribe set apart to be servants of God.   Here we see the Levite abandoning this and looking for a job.  Micah gave him an opportunity and he took it.  He was going to be paid to be Micah’s personal priest.  If the Levite was truly following God he would have destroyed the idols and shrine that Micah had set up.  However, he didn’t and encouraged Micah in this practice by doing nothing.  See how messed up Micah and the Levite were.  Micah actually believed he was doing a good thing.   In v13 it says “Now I know that the Lord will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest”.  When we stray from the ways of God we can make anything sound good.  What things do we believe today that might not even be Biblical? Or Godly?  Who are we listening to for sound advice?  Is it someone who will tell us what we want to hear or someone who is going to tell us the truth even although it is difficult?  Sometimes we need to challenge ourselves. 

In chapter 18 we learn about the tribe of Dan.  Dan had some issues in finding some land to settle in.  Back in Judges 1:34 they were forced out by the Amorites and they also had issues with the Philistines.  Some of them decided to go and find new land.   Five men were chosen to go and scout out the land.  They ended up staying the night at Micah’s house.  However, they recognized the voice of the Levite and realized he wasn’t from this area originally probably because of his dialect. They asked him if their mission was going to be successful and he told them that they had the Lord’s approval. I wonder how he knew that?  Since what he was doing would not have gained the Lord’s approval.

The five men left Micah and travelled north to Laish near Lebanon.  They found a people living in peace and having everything they needed.  This people group believed they were safe as they were far from everyone.  Notice they believe that God had granted them this land.  Just because it works out doesn’t mean that it was from God.  It is easy to manipulate a situation to get what you want and then rubber stamp it with this must be God’s will.  

Six hundred men from the tribe of Dan set foot to take the land.  They arrived at Micah’s house.  Word spread from the 5 scouts that Micah had a shrine with many idols.  The 5 men with the army of 600 outside the gate walked into Micah’s house and took them.  Jonathan, Micah’s priest, asked why they were doing that.  However, we see the Levite’s loyalty and motivation.  It didn’t take them long to convince him that they had a better offer on the table.  They spoke to his ego.  He could be the priest of one man or a tribe.  He took the tribe.

When we look at our own church or churches we know of are they being led by people who are God motivated or motivated by something else?  It is easy to get into positions of leadership and then use it for our own gain. 

On a side note it is funny that people would worship gods that could be stolen and these gods couldn’t even protect themselves.  You would think that anyone thinking rationally would then realise that these gods couldn’t protect you either.

Micah confronted the Danites over stealing his priest and gods but Micah knew he was on a losing battle.  There were just too many of them. 

Chuck Missler said this “Micah’s sad question “What else do I have?” (v24) reveals the folly and the tragedy of religion without the true and living God.  Idolaters worship gods they can carry, but Christians worship a God who carries them (Isaiah 46:1-10)

The Danites went onto Laish and overtook the city killing all the people within it.  The Danites rebuilt the city and called it Dan.  It didn’t take this tribe long to get comfortable with idolatry and set up priests for themselves.  Sin left unchecked just grows.  There is evidence of this with the tribe of Dan.  May it be a warning to us for our lives today.

 

Sidenote:  The following is an excerpt from a sermon on this issue (http://www.damascusroadchurch.org/sermons/sermon/2012-11-11/judges-17-18-unfaithful-worship)

“How do you know if my worship is LAWLESS— looking spiritual has become more important than being holy. In other words, you abandon God’s word, you spiritualize your sin, and you give hearty approval to others who do the same. Your worship, evidenced by your lifestyle not just your words, esteems those things God has clearly said DO NOT DO, or makes optional those things he has said TO DO.

How do you know if our worship has become IDOLATROUS—you find more meaning in the act or the tools of worship than you do in the object of worship? You enjoy God’s stuff more than God. You’ll know your idolatrous when that one thing that ensures your devotion to God…is taken way. You’ll sound like you sound like Micah who said: I have nothing left. You are worshipping something, just not God”