Micah----Desecrating The Worship
Our Text Book of Judges 17-21
Our Focus Chapter 17:1-13; 18:18-20, 23-25, 30, 31
What is the theme of the Book of Judges?
Jdg 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: [every man did that which was right in his own eyes].
AND, What does the Bible teach us?
"Our righteousness is a filthy rags", SO it is impossible for man to rule himself in a righteous way!
The outcome is exactly what we see in our world today!
Mic 2:1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
Mic 2:2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
A right relationship with God is necessary for us to have the right relationship with each other and to the world we live in!
AND, it is only our Creator, who can determine what is right and what is wrong for us and it has to be this way!
We don't have to agree, we just must accept this as the truth!
Failure to obey God will first bring failure to our selves, then to our home, then failure to our society, and then failure to our nation, unless we repent and turn to God.
Remember that on the day of "judgment" it is too late to repent!
As we wind up our short study in this Book of Judges today we can see what false worship can do to a lost people and also to a people who have the Word of God but do not obey it.
These last five chapters of Judges provide a direct insight into moral depravity, when apostasy rules in the peoples lives.
We should be aware that the Tabernacle was set up in Shiloh, which was also located near Mount Ephraim and was the place of worship for Israel and was only a very few miles from where our lesson takes place today.
Let's begin:
*****Jdg 17:1 And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
It will very obvious as we study these last chapters that God does not hide anything from us. The Book of Judges is as much for an example for all of us to learn by as all the books of the Bible are.
Ephraim was the youngest of the two sons of Joseph and this land in Canaan was given to this son of Joseph by the casting of the lots we talked about earlier.
Micah lived in this area with his wife and son and it seems also with his mother. This was pretty normal for Israel at this time.
*****Jdg 17:2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son.
We can see that this son was a thief and only returned the money he stole because of the curse his mother had spoken against the one who stole her money.
Even the act of thievery is idolatry:
Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, [which is idolatry]:
Col 3:6 For which things' sake [the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience]:
Anything we place between us and the Word of God, and God Himself is "idolatry"!
Not obeying the Word of God is also a form of "Idolatry" because we put man's word before God's Word!
And a "curse" would normally be an "oath before God".
*****Jdg 17:3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
Now we can see the confusion of this household.
If we look back in God's Word we can see this happened every time Israel feels that they have no leader. They reject The LORD and worship some false thing that they make or they get someone else to make for them.
It happened in the time of Moses:
Exo 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses was a long time coming down from the mountain, [they all came to Aaron and said to him, Come, make us a god to go before us]: as for this Moses, who took us up out of the land of Egypt, we have no idea what has become of him.
It happened just before God appointed every new judge. Israel was in need of a leader but they did not then and have not now acknowledged the Word of God and His Messiah to be their leader.
We see several things here:
1.) This mother had dedicated 1100 shekels to the Lord. "LORD" here means Jehovah.
2.) This money she had intended to give to her son to make a graven image and a molten image.
Normally a graven image would be a carving of something such a wood and then covered with metal such a silver of gold to make an idol for worship.
Normally a molten image would be a metal such as silver of gold that was melted and poured into a mold to make an idol for worship.
*****Jdg 17:4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: [and they were in the house of Micah].
We can see that this family have completely ignored the Ten Commandments but this was not all:
God had given them written instructions of where to worship when they got to Canaan Land:
Deu 12:11 Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:
Deu 12:12 And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, [and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you].
There was to be only one place of worship for all the Nation of Israel!
None of Israel were to have their own private shrines.
We can also see that when the parent is corrupt in their beliefs and worship then the children will be so also!
*****Jdg 17:5 And the man Micah [had an house of gods], and made an ephod, and teraphim, and [consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest].
Micah had his own house for his false gods.
Micah had clothes that were made for a priest.
Micah had teraphim which were idols in a human shape.
Micah had his own dedication ceremony and made one of his sons his own personal priest.
Surely Micah knew that the Lord had appointed the family of Aaron to be the only priests of Israel!
Any priests from any other family were to be killed in accordance to the Word of God:
Num 3:10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh [shall be put to death].
We can see what happens when the world will not submit to the authority of God's Holy Inspired Word!
The home of Micah was a place of religious and moral confusion.
The Bible still says that:
1Co 14:33 [For God is not the author of confusion], but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
We can see this happen in most every home where money is a thing of worship or the things money can buy.
Luk 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
*****Jdg 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
This verse gives us the thoughts of the nation of Israel and the theme of this Book of Judges.
They felt they needed a king. A leader who could lead them in the way of the Lord.
And Israel felt that they were unable to maintain their national integrity without a king, though they had witnessed the defeat of every king they had faced in battle, when their faith was in Jehovah.
Israel would one day soon get to see their true King, who they also rejected!
Mat 27:11 And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
Unless Jesus is King in your heart, in your mind, and in your soul, you, your family, and your nation will suffer for it!
The tribe of Dan had to forfeit their inheritance because they did not have a leader that could unify their military and drive out the Philistines. Samson was given the opportunity but never tried to unify Dan nor Israel.
They rejected Theocracy and demanded a Monarchy.
Who do we blame for what is going on in America?
Well America has rejected the Word of God in favor of men who want to be king!
We can only blame ourselves!
These we put in office do what is right in their own eyes.
These that are placed as judges do what is right in their own eyes.
And even greater confusion is caused by many in the Body of Christ because too many preachers do what is right in their own eyes.
Homes fail, worship fails and nations fail, who reject the truth of the Word of God!
*****Jdg 17:7 And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
Though this verse sounds strange it means that this young man had a mother of the tribe of Judah and a father who was a Levite.
We also know that there were at least two Bethlehems in the Bible, so Judah is added to the name to distinguish it from the other.
There was another Bethlehem assigned to the tribe of Zebulun:
Jos 19:15 And Kattath, and Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.
Jos 19:16 This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.
This also happens in the prophesy concerning where Jesus would be born:
Mic 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Bethlehem Ephratah and BethlehemJudah are the same place and are not the same as the City of Bethlehem that was assigned to the tribe of Zebulun.
*****Jdg 17:8 And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
We must remember a Levite could not be the owner of any land.
We can be sure that Israel had sunk into apostasy and the worship of God at the Tabernacle was being ignored so there would be no tithes or offerings to take care of the Levites.
This young Levite was seeking a way to just survive and he could not find it in Bethlehem Judah.
We can be sure the further we get from the Lord the more the church will suffer and even today we see many a house of God shutting the doors because they cannot afford to maintain these houses of worship.
*****Jdg 17:9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.
This young Levite simply says, "I am seeking a place that I can live and make a living".
What was the profession of the Levites?
Deu 18:1 The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance.
What we also see is that this young Levite has never sought the Will of God!
This young Levite never tried to bring Israel back to the true worship of Jehovah.
This young Levite simply tried to hide himself in the world that was around him.
He was not available to Jehovah so he made himself available to man.
How many preachers are out there today who do not make themselves available to God but do make themselves available to man.
The Bible says:
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
*****Jdg 17:10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
This young Levite found exactly what he was seeking. He could have a priestly position and a livelihood in this house of Micah.
So the Levite went in thinking he was now somebody when he was actually worse off than he had been.
The Bible says:
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, [they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows].
1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
*****Jdg 17:11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
Micah was delighted with this arrangement and regarded this Levite as one of his sons. Micah considered himself most fortunate to have a true Levite as his priest and was sure that he would now see the goodness of Jehovah.
This young Levite gave up the true work of the Lord for the comfort and the security in the home of someone who worshipped idols as their god.
The New Testament describes this type of priests to us:
Joh 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
Joh 10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
***** Jdg 17:12 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
Every true shepherd will receive his calling and his authority from Jehovah God.
Gal 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
Gal 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Gal 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Why is there so much turmoil in the so called Christian world?
When men reject Jesus Christ, then they cannot be called of God and they cannot know the truth of the Gospel.
Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men [by Jesus Christ] according to my gospel.
It is by the Gospel of Jesus Christ that this world will be judged!
This truth is also rejected by the world we live in today!
BUT, to be Christian is to stand by the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and defend the Word of God who gives us His Promises.
Again the Apostle Paul
Php 1:17 But the other of love, [knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel].
1.) It is Christ Who "begins" the good work in us!
2.) It is Christ Who "carries" who carries on His good work in us!
3.) It is Christ Who will ultimately "complete" that work by transforming us into His own likeness!
There can be no other Gospel and there is no other means of salvation!
*****Jdg 17:13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.
A Levite priest would be assigned some duty in the Tabernacle. There was no home duty except to be a parent and an example to the community where they lived.
Micah's delusion is not unusual because he was lost and without God. BUT, no priest, and no preacher can be the substitute for for the truth of the Word of God!
Micah was caught up in a false religion and he worshipped false gods which he tried to mix with the worship of Jehovah, which God will not allow.
God is a jealous God!
BUT, All the while Micah rested in in a false security for his soul and thought God was blessing him.
All false gods can be taken away, it is only the Lord Jesus Christ who will never leave us.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, [that he may abide with you for ever];
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; [whom the world cannot receive], because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
This is the truth from the true God of the Bible!
*****Jdg 18:18 And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What do ye?
Because they were cowards, this tribe of Dan had been unable to capture the land given to them by Jehovah. And really more than cowards, Dan had broken the covenant with the Lord.
Remember that covenant was not for them to own the land, it was given to them by the LORD. But they had to keep the covenant "to live on the land".
God had placed every tribe on land "He" had chosen. Remember "the drawing of the lot".
For the tribe of Dan to reject their assigned land was to reject God and it shows in these passages.
You know God has placed each of us in the exact place he wants us live and do a work for Him.
But our own covetousness makes us to want what we see that others have that seems better than what we have.
The Bible tells us:
2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power [hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness], through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
They sent out 5 spies to find a place where the enemy was weak and peaceful.
It was these spies who found this private house of false worship.
Remember Micah had been guilty of robbing his own mother and now he was about to be robbed.
Micah had a great collection of idols and since these men of Dan had rejected Jehovah, and still having a want to have a god, they chose these false idols to take with them.
Remember they had seen the Ark go before them in battle many times but the power had never been in the Ark. It is God who has all power!
When these 5 men returned to the gate of the city they were confronted by the young Levite, who is named Jonathon.
Jonathon was shocked to see what they had done.
*****Jdg 18:19 And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?
Jdg 18:20 And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.
This Levite named Johnathan was alarmed at first but this now became a joyous occasion for him. He would not be priests in a private home but priest to the entire tribe of Dan.
These Danites had stolen Micah's false gods and now had stolen his false priest!
Aren't you glad no one can take away Jesus and the things He gives us?
We can now see how easily false worship can spread from one man and one house and then a false preacher or priest and then an entire nation.
*****Jdg 18:23 And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?
Jdg 18:24 And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee?
This army of 600 of Dan had anticipated trouble so they placed their women and children in the front in order to defend themselves from an attack from the rear.
It is a sad thing to realize that when you put your faith in something that is false and that false thing is taken away, you are left with nothing "because you had nothing to begin with".
My God is real!
Those that worship the idols of this world may be able to physically carry their gods with them but it is My God that carries me with Him!
Isa 46:1 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.
Isa 46:2 They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.
Isa 46:3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:
Isa 46:4 And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
and again:
Psa 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
This the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
If you do not Jesus Christ as your "personal Savior" you simply cannot know the truth, and it is the truth that "Makes" us free!
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall "make" you free.
Notice made free and not set free there is a big difference!
*****Jdg 18:25 And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household.
We can see that an idol is anything that has been put in place of the true God.
When we place our life, or our hope, or our comfort, or our joy, or our happiness in the trust of anything but The Lord Jesus Christ we have placed our trust in something that is an "Idol"!
We will be destroyed by this false security that comes from false worship!
Micah had to leave everything he had placed his "faith" in or lose his life.
He had to make a choice that brought him no nearer to eternal life!
*****Jdg 18:30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: [and Jonathan, the son of Gershom], the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.
Micah was of the tribe of Ephraim.
Johnathan the false priest was of the tribe of Levi and it appears that Jonathan was even a grandson of Moses.
Our verse adds also the son of Manasseh which can only mean Jonathon acted more like some one from the tribe of Manasseh which means (causing to forget) than from the family of Moses who was God's man!
These others that remain are the tribe of Dan.
The tribe of Dan was the first tribe of Israel to officially adopt the idolatrous system of worship of Canaan land!
This religion now called Humanism, existed in Israel in the days of the judges and God later allowed Assyria to capture the land:
2Ki 18:11 And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:
2Ki 18:12 Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
What we have seen is the hopelessness of any society without the God of the Bible.
We also know that this same king sent one of those priest back to Samaria to be their priest:
2Ki 17:27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.
And Jesus had these words for that woman at the well:
Joh 4:22 [Ye worship ye know not what]: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
SO, What is religious humanism? Religious Humanism are those that do what they think is right in their own eyes.
In 1961 the United States Supreme Court declared Humanism to be a RELIGION." If Humanism is a religion, such as Judaism, Christianity, etc., where are the Humanist churches, where is the headquarters, the Mother Church?"
This can best be described in this manner.
They use the schools, the colleges, and universities to spread their false doctrine. They infiltrate government on all levels to have their way.
It is in these places that they provide, mostly through deception, daily 'preaching' of their religious humanistic ideology.
They use taxpayer money to further their cause, "and they do so in violation of the Constitution of the United States".
What do they say of them selves?
1.) Humanists regard the universe as self-existing and "not created."
2.) Humanists preach that, "the traditional dualism of mind and body must be rejected."
3.) Humanism states, "The distinction between the sacred and the secular can no longer be maintained."
4.) Humanism considers 'the complete realization of human personality to be the end of man's life."
5.) "In place of the old attitudes involved in worship and prayer, the Humanist finds his religious emotions expressed in a heightened sense of personal life."
6.) Humanists "consider the quest for [the good life] is still the central task for mankind."
7.) Humanists preach, "there will be no uniquely religious emotions and attitudes associated with belief in the supernatural." {That means the One true God Our Creator}
8.) Humanists 'believe that traditional theism, especially faith in the prayer-hearing God, assumed to love and care for persons, to hear and understand their prayers, and to be able to do something about them, [is an unproved and out moded faith]."
9.) Humanists "discover no divine purpose or providence for the human species." (We are all accidents of nature)
[In other words, man is hopelessly adrift without a Creator, without a purpose, without a soul, and without hope for life beyond this life, and must save himself]. It is no wonder that after a steady drumming of this depressing garbage, adolescents commit suicide!
10.) Humanists "reject all religious, ideological, or moral codes [this they see as suppressing their freedom]
11.) Humanists "believe that intolerant attitudes, often cultivated by orthodox religions and puritanical cultures, [unduly repress sexual conduct."]
Is it any wonder that government school sex education courses lead to promiscuity, experimentation and unbridled sex?
12.) Humanists believe "the many varieties of sexual exploration should not in themselves be considered 'evil'."
[Why are you surprised that homosexuality, incest, child molestation, and other forms of 'sexual exploration' are rising at an unprecedented rate? "It is being encouraged"!]
13.) Humanism avows "The conditions of work, education, devotion, and play should be humanized.
[Alienating forces should be modified or eradicated." (That means all Christians)]
14.) Humanists are deceitful when they say the State "should not favor any particular religious bodies through the use of public monies" [because they allow nothing else but Religious Humanism in the public schools].
Remember the Supreme Court has already said Humanism is a religion.
This happening not only in America but throughout our world!
*****Jdg 18:31 And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.
The Tabernacle of Moses had been set up at Shiloh and was there all the time of the Judges.
The Tabernacle was the place Jehovah had setup for the place of worship for Israel.
When Israel abandoned the One True God, then there was no need for Shiloh:
What did God tell Jeremiah to preach:
Jer 26:4 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,
Jer 26:5 To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;
Jer 26:6 Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.
What happened to Shiloh?
Jer 7:12 But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.
What is God going to do to every place that has abandoned or refuse true worship?
Jer 7:13 And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;
Jer 7:14 Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.
We can see the signs of this end time coming now if we just open our eyes!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
Our Text Book of Judges 17-21
Our Focus Chapter 17:1-13; 18:18-20, 23-25, 30, 31
What is the theme of the Book of Judges?
Jdg 21:25 In those days there was no king in Israel: [every man did that which was right in his own eyes].
AND, What does the Bible teach us?
"Our righteousness is a filthy rags", SO it is impossible for man to rule himself in a righteous way!
The outcome is exactly what we see in our world today!
Mic 2:1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.
Mic 2:2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
A right relationship with God is necessary for us to have the right relationship with each other and to the world we live in!
AND, it is only our Creator, who can determine what is right and what is wrong for us and it has to be this way!
We don't have to agree, we just must accept this as the truth!
Failure to obey God will first bring failure to our selves, then to our home, then failure to our society, and then failure to our nation, unless we repent and turn to God.
Remember that on the day of "judgment" it is too late to repent!
As we wind up our short study in this Book of Judges today we can see what false worship can do to a lost people and also to a people who have the Word of God but do not obey it.
These last five chapters of Judges provide a direct insight into moral depravity, when apostasy rules in the peoples lives.
We should be aware that the Tabernacle was set up in Shiloh, which was also located near Mount Ephraim and was the place of worship for Israel and was only a very few miles from where our lesson takes place today.
Let's begin:
*****Jdg 17:1 And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah.
It will very obvious as we study these last chapters that God does not hide anything from us. The Book of Judges is as much for an example for all of us to learn by as all the books of the Bible are.
Ephraim was the youngest of the two sons of Joseph and this land in Canaan was given to this son of Joseph by the casting of the lots we talked about earlier.
Micah lived in this area with his wife and son and it seems also with his mother. This was pretty normal for Israel at this time.
*****Jdg 17:2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son.
We can see that this son was a thief and only returned the money he stole because of the curse his mother had spoken against the one who stole her money.
Even the act of thievery is idolatry:
Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, [which is idolatry]:
Col 3:6 For which things' sake [the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience]:
Anything we place between us and the Word of God, and God Himself is "idolatry"!
Not obeying the Word of God is also a form of "Idolatry" because we put man's word before God's Word!
And a "curse" would normally be an "oath before God".
*****Jdg 17:3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee.
Now we can see the confusion of this household.
If we look back in God's Word we can see this happened every time Israel feels that they have no leader. They reject The LORD and worship some false thing that they make or they get someone else to make for them.
It happened in the time of Moses:
Exo 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses was a long time coming down from the mountain, [they all came to Aaron and said to him, Come, make us a god to go before us]: as for this Moses, who took us up out of the land of Egypt, we have no idea what has become of him.
It happened just before God appointed every new judge. Israel was in need of a leader but they did not then and have not now acknowledged the Word of God and His Messiah to be their leader.
We see several things here:
1.) This mother had dedicated 1100 shekels to the Lord. "LORD" here means Jehovah.
2.) This money she had intended to give to her son to make a graven image and a molten image.
Normally a graven image would be a carving of something such a wood and then covered with metal such a silver of gold to make an idol for worship.
Normally a molten image would be a metal such as silver of gold that was melted and poured into a mold to make an idol for worship.
*****Jdg 17:4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: [and they were in the house of Micah].
We can see that this family have completely ignored the Ten Commandments but this was not all:
God had given them written instructions of where to worship when they got to Canaan Land:
Deu 12:11 Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:
Deu 12:12 And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, [and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you].
There was to be only one place of worship for all the Nation of Israel!
None of Israel were to have their own private shrines.
We can also see that when the parent is corrupt in their beliefs and worship then the children will be so also!
*****Jdg 17:5 And the man Micah [had an house of gods], and made an ephod, and teraphim, and [consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest].
Micah had his own house for his false gods.
Micah had clothes that were made for a priest.
Micah had teraphim which were idols in a human shape.
Micah had his own dedication ceremony and made one of his sons his own personal priest.
Surely Micah knew that the Lord had appointed the family of Aaron to be the only priests of Israel!
Any priests from any other family were to be killed in accordance to the Word of God:
Num 3:10 And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh [shall be put to death].
We can see what happens when the world will not submit to the authority of God's Holy Inspired Word!
The home of Micah was a place of religious and moral confusion.
The Bible still says that:
1Co 14:33 [For God is not the author of confusion], but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
We can see this happen in most every home where money is a thing of worship or the things money can buy.
Luk 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
*****Jdg 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
This verse gives us the thoughts of the nation of Israel and the theme of this Book of Judges.
They felt they needed a king. A leader who could lead them in the way of the Lord.
And Israel felt that they were unable to maintain their national integrity without a king, though they had witnessed the defeat of every king they had faced in battle, when their faith was in Jehovah.
Israel would one day soon get to see their true King, who they also rejected!
Mat 27:11 And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
Unless Jesus is King in your heart, in your mind, and in your soul, you, your family, and your nation will suffer for it!
The tribe of Dan had to forfeit their inheritance because they did not have a leader that could unify their military and drive out the Philistines. Samson was given the opportunity but never tried to unify Dan nor Israel.
They rejected Theocracy and demanded a Monarchy.
Who do we blame for what is going on in America?
Well America has rejected the Word of God in favor of men who want to be king!
We can only blame ourselves!
These we put in office do what is right in their own eyes.
These that are placed as judges do what is right in their own eyes.
And even greater confusion is caused by many in the Body of Christ because too many preachers do what is right in their own eyes.
Homes fail, worship fails and nations fail, who reject the truth of the Word of God!
*****Jdg 17:7 And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there.
Though this verse sounds strange it means that this young man had a mother of the tribe of Judah and a father who was a Levite.
We also know that there were at least two Bethlehems in the Bible, so Judah is added to the name to distinguish it from the other.
There was another Bethlehem assigned to the tribe of Zebulun:
Jos 19:15 And Kattath, and Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.
Jos 19:16 This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.
This also happens in the prophesy concerning where Jesus would be born:
Mic 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Bethlehem Ephratah and BethlehemJudah are the same place and are not the same as the City of Bethlehem that was assigned to the tribe of Zebulun.
*****Jdg 17:8 And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.
We must remember a Levite could not be the owner of any land.
We can be sure that Israel had sunk into apostasy and the worship of God at the Tabernacle was being ignored so there would be no tithes or offerings to take care of the Levites.
This young Levite was seeking a way to just survive and he could not find it in Bethlehem Judah.
We can be sure the further we get from the Lord the more the church will suffer and even today we see many a house of God shutting the doors because they cannot afford to maintain these houses of worship.
*****Jdg 17:9 And Micah said unto him, Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place.
This young Levite simply says, "I am seeking a place that I can live and make a living".
What was the profession of the Levites?
Deu 18:1 The priests the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel: they shall eat the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and his inheritance.
What we also see is that this young Levite has never sought the Will of God!
This young Levite never tried to bring Israel back to the true worship of Jehovah.
This young Levite simply tried to hide himself in the world that was around him.
He was not available to Jehovah so he made himself available to man.
How many preachers are out there today who do not make themselves available to God but do make themselves available to man.
The Bible says:
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
*****Jdg 17:10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went in.
This young Levite found exactly what he was seeking. He could have a priestly position and a livelihood in this house of Micah.
So the Levite went in thinking he was now somebody when he was actually worse off than he had been.
The Bible says:
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, [they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows].
1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
*****Jdg 17:11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons.
Micah was delighted with this arrangement and regarded this Levite as one of his sons. Micah considered himself most fortunate to have a true Levite as his priest and was sure that he would now see the goodness of Jehovah.
This young Levite gave up the true work of the Lord for the comfort and the security in the home of someone who worshipped idols as their god.
The New Testament describes this type of priests to us:
Joh 10:12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
Joh 10:13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
***** Jdg 17:12 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
Every true shepherd will receive his calling and his authority from Jehovah God.
Gal 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)
Gal 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Gal 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Why is there so much turmoil in the so called Christian world?
When men reject Jesus Christ, then they cannot be called of God and they cannot know the truth of the Gospel.
Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men [by Jesus Christ] according to my gospel.
It is by the Gospel of Jesus Christ that this world will be judged!
This truth is also rejected by the world we live in today!
BUT, to be Christian is to stand by the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and defend the Word of God who gives us His Promises.
Again the Apostle Paul
Php 1:17 But the other of love, [knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel].
1.) It is Christ Who "begins" the good work in us!
2.) It is Christ Who "carries" who carries on His good work in us!
3.) It is Christ Who will ultimately "complete" that work by transforming us into His own likeness!
There can be no other Gospel and there is no other means of salvation!
*****Jdg 17:13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.
A Levite priest would be assigned some duty in the Tabernacle. There was no home duty except to be a parent and an example to the community where they lived.
Micah's delusion is not unusual because he was lost and without God. BUT, no priest, and no preacher can be the substitute for for the truth of the Word of God!
Micah was caught up in a false religion and he worshipped false gods which he tried to mix with the worship of Jehovah, which God will not allow.
God is a jealous God!
BUT, All the while Micah rested in in a false security for his soul and thought God was blessing him.
All false gods can be taken away, it is only the Lord Jesus Christ who will never leave us.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, [that he may abide with you for ever];
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; [whom the world cannot receive], because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
This is the truth from the true God of the Bible!
*****Jdg 18:18 And these went into Micah's house, and fetched the carved image, the ephod, and the teraphim, and the molten image. Then said the priest unto them, What do ye?
Because they were cowards, this tribe of Dan had been unable to capture the land given to them by Jehovah. And really more than cowards, Dan had broken the covenant with the Lord.
Remember that covenant was not for them to own the land, it was given to them by the LORD. But they had to keep the covenant "to live on the land".
God had placed every tribe on land "He" had chosen. Remember "the drawing of the lot".
For the tribe of Dan to reject their assigned land was to reject God and it shows in these passages.
You know God has placed each of us in the exact place he wants us live and do a work for Him.
But our own covetousness makes us to want what we see that others have that seems better than what we have.
The Bible tells us:
2Pe 1:3 According as his divine power [hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness], through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
They sent out 5 spies to find a place where the enemy was weak and peaceful.
It was these spies who found this private house of false worship.
Remember Micah had been guilty of robbing his own mother and now he was about to be robbed.
Micah had a great collection of idols and since these men of Dan had rejected Jehovah, and still having a want to have a god, they chose these false idols to take with them.
Remember they had seen the Ark go before them in battle many times but the power had never been in the Ark. It is God who has all power!
When these 5 men returned to the gate of the city they were confronted by the young Levite, who is named Jonathon.
Jonathon was shocked to see what they had done.
*****Jdg 18:19 And they said unto him, Hold thy peace, lay thine hand upon thy mouth, and go with us, and be to us a father and a priest: is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe and a family in Israel?
Jdg 18:20 And the priest's heart was glad, and he took the ephod, and the teraphim, and the graven image, and went in the midst of the people.
This Levite named Johnathan was alarmed at first but this now became a joyous occasion for him. He would not be priests in a private home but priest to the entire tribe of Dan.
These Danites had stolen Micah's false gods and now had stolen his false priest!
Aren't you glad no one can take away Jesus and the things He gives us?
We can now see how easily false worship can spread from one man and one house and then a false preacher or priest and then an entire nation.
*****Jdg 18:23 And they cried unto the children of Dan. And they turned their faces, and said unto Micah, What aileth thee, that thou comest with such a company?
Jdg 18:24 And he said, Ye have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and ye are gone away: and what have I more? and what is this that ye say unto me, What aileth thee?
This army of 600 of Dan had anticipated trouble so they placed their women and children in the front in order to defend themselves from an attack from the rear.
It is a sad thing to realize that when you put your faith in something that is false and that false thing is taken away, you are left with nothing "because you had nothing to begin with".
My God is real!
Those that worship the idols of this world may be able to physically carry their gods with them but it is My God that carries me with Him!
Isa 46:1 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages were heavy loaden; they are a burden to the weary beast.
Isa 46:2 They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity.
Isa 46:3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the womb:
Isa 46:4 And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.
and again:
Psa 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
This the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ:
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
If you do not Jesus Christ as your "personal Savior" you simply cannot know the truth, and it is the truth that "Makes" us free!
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall "make" you free.
Notice made free and not set free there is a big difference!
*****Jdg 18:25 And the children of Dan said unto him, Let not thy voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows run upon thee, and thou lose thy life, with the lives of thy household.
We can see that an idol is anything that has been put in place of the true God.
When we place our life, or our hope, or our comfort, or our joy, or our happiness in the trust of anything but The Lord Jesus Christ we have placed our trust in something that is an "Idol"!
We will be destroyed by this false security that comes from false worship!
Micah had to leave everything he had placed his "faith" in or lose his life.
He had to make a choice that brought him no nearer to eternal life!
*****Jdg 18:30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: [and Jonathan, the son of Gershom], the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.
Micah was of the tribe of Ephraim.
Johnathan the false priest was of the tribe of Levi and it appears that Jonathan was even a grandson of Moses.
Our verse adds also the son of Manasseh which can only mean Jonathon acted more like some one from the tribe of Manasseh which means (causing to forget) than from the family of Moses who was God's man!
These others that remain are the tribe of Dan.
The tribe of Dan was the first tribe of Israel to officially adopt the idolatrous system of worship of Canaan land!
This religion now called Humanism, existed in Israel in the days of the judges and God later allowed Assyria to capture the land:
2Ki 18:11 And the king of Assyria did carry away Israel unto Assyria, and put them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes:
2Ki 18:12 Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.
What we have seen is the hopelessness of any society without the God of the Bible.
We also know that this same king sent one of those priest back to Samaria to be their priest:
2Ki 17:27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land.
And Jesus had these words for that woman at the well:
Joh 4:22 [Ye worship ye know not what]: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
SO, What is religious humanism? Religious Humanism are those that do what they think is right in their own eyes.
In 1961 the United States Supreme Court declared Humanism to be a RELIGION." If Humanism is a religion, such as Judaism, Christianity, etc., where are the Humanist churches, where is the headquarters, the Mother Church?"
This can best be described in this manner.
They use the schools, the colleges, and universities to spread their false doctrine. They infiltrate government on all levels to have their way.
It is in these places that they provide, mostly through deception, daily 'preaching' of their religious humanistic ideology.
They use taxpayer money to further their cause, "and they do so in violation of the Constitution of the United States".
What do they say of them selves?
1.) Humanists regard the universe as self-existing and "not created."
2.) Humanists preach that, "the traditional dualism of mind and body must be rejected."
3.) Humanism states, "The distinction between the sacred and the secular can no longer be maintained."
4.) Humanism considers 'the complete realization of human personality to be the end of man's life."
5.) "In place of the old attitudes involved in worship and prayer, the Humanist finds his religious emotions expressed in a heightened sense of personal life."
6.) Humanists "consider the quest for [the good life] is still the central task for mankind."
7.) Humanists preach, "there will be no uniquely religious emotions and attitudes associated with belief in the supernatural." {That means the One true God Our Creator}
8.) Humanists 'believe that traditional theism, especially faith in the prayer-hearing God, assumed to love and care for persons, to hear and understand their prayers, and to be able to do something about them, [is an unproved and out moded faith]."
9.) Humanists "discover no divine purpose or providence for the human species." (We are all accidents of nature)
[In other words, man is hopelessly adrift without a Creator, without a purpose, without a soul, and without hope for life beyond this life, and must save himself]. It is no wonder that after a steady drumming of this depressing garbage, adolescents commit suicide!
10.) Humanists "reject all religious, ideological, or moral codes [this they see as suppressing their freedom]
11.) Humanists "believe that intolerant attitudes, often cultivated by orthodox religions and puritanical cultures, [unduly repress sexual conduct."]
Is it any wonder that government school sex education courses lead to promiscuity, experimentation and unbridled sex?
12.) Humanists believe "the many varieties of sexual exploration should not in themselves be considered 'evil'."
[Why are you surprised that homosexuality, incest, child molestation, and other forms of 'sexual exploration' are rising at an unprecedented rate? "It is being encouraged"!]
13.) Humanism avows "The conditions of work, education, devotion, and play should be humanized.
[Alienating forces should be modified or eradicated." (That means all Christians)]
14.) Humanists are deceitful when they say the State "should not favor any particular religious bodies through the use of public monies" [because they allow nothing else but Religious Humanism in the public schools].
Remember the Supreme Court has already said Humanism is a religion.
This happening not only in America but throughout our world!
*****Jdg 18:31 And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.
The Tabernacle of Moses had been set up at Shiloh and was there all the time of the Judges.
The Tabernacle was the place Jehovah had setup for the place of worship for Israel.
When Israel abandoned the One True God, then there was no need for Shiloh:
What did God tell Jeremiah to preach:
Jer 26:4 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; If ye will not hearken to me, to walk in my law, which I have set before you,
Jer 26:5 To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;
Jer 26:6 Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.
What happened to Shiloh?
Jer 7:12 But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.
What is God going to do to every place that has abandoned or refuse true worship?
Jer 7:13 And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;
Jer 7:14 Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.
We can see the signs of this end time coming now if we just open our eyes!
Questions?
Let's Pray!
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