Judges 17

CHAPTERS 17 AND 18THEME: Religious apostasythe temple

Judges 17:1

RELIGIOUS CONFUSION IN ISRAELIn chapters 17-21 we have presented the philosophy of history that was mentioned at the beginning of this book. We have seen it illustrated in Judges as the hoop of history rolls over and over. It starts with Israel in the place of blessing. They are serving God. Then there is a departure from God and they do evil. They follow their own way.

Then they are sold into slavery. In their slavery and servitude they cry out to God for deliverance. Then they turn to God and repent. Then God raises up judges to deliver them. Then Israel comes back to the place of blessing and becomes a nation that serves God. Just when everything is back in order, they lapse into sin and turn from God again.

Altogether Israel went through seven apostasies. This gives us the philosophy of history. Every nation goes down in this order: (1) religious apostasy; (2) moral awfulness; (3) political anarchy. Deterioration begins in the temple, then to the home, and finally to the state. That is the way a nation falls. This period of apostasy began in the tribe of Dan in their desire to enlarge their borders. It was another lapse into idolatry. It all can be traced to the home of Micah and his mother who spoiled him. The priest, hired by Micah to tend his idols, advised Dan to proceed with a selfish plan. This was the sweet talk of a hired preacher. IDOLATRY IN EPHRAIMMicah is an example of a spoiled brat. He is a mama’s boy. He knew that his mother had been saving some money, and he decided to steal it. His mother, not knowing who stole the money, pronounced a curse on the thief. So he confessed to being the thief, and instead of his mama turning him across her knee and applying the board of education to the seat of knowledge, she congratulated him. She said, “Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son.”

Judges 17:3

When Micah returned the money to his mother, she told him that she had dedicated that money to the Lord to make a graven image and a molten image. You see, they have gone off into idolatry! So she turns around and gives it back to him. You know, there are a lot of Christians today that are just that inconsistent. She was dedicating the money to the Lord but using it to make an idol! Many groups take up an offering and say it is for the Lord, then use most of it for the church social on Friday night. They say the money is dedicated to the Lord, but actually it is honoring the god of pleasure.

Judges 17:5

Micah had a house of gods. His mother provided the silver for the idols, and Micah provided a shrine for them. He also made an ephod and teraphim to complete the furnishings of the shrine. Then, to top it all off, he consecrated one of his sons to be his priest. They had come to the place where “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

Judges 17:7

It must have bothered Micah a little that he had made his son a priest. So, when this unemployed itinerant preacher came by, Micah hired him. This Levite from Beth-lehem-judah became his private family priest. Here is a priest who is like a hired preacher who becomes a messenger boy of a church board or of a little group. God have mercy on the church that has this kind of a preacher. This Levite has now become a priest and has a house full of idols.

Judges 17:11

This chapter is certainly a revelation of the low spiritual ebb to which the nation Israel had come. Here is a man who thinks just because he has a Levite for his preacher that that is all he needs. How tragic is that kind of thinking. Yet Micah expected the blessing of God upon him. And how many people are like that today?