But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it, either. - 1 Timothy 6:6-7
Good morning. As stated last week, before we move into our study of the individual judges we are going to spend a few Sundays discussing the backslidden state of God’s children following the conquest of Canaan. To be specific, we are going to read and discuss the final 5 chapters of Judges (chapters 17-21). These chapters serve as an appendix to the book of Judges. When considered chronologically, they should be near the beginning rather than at the end.
I. MICAH’S PERSONAL PRIEST (Judges 17:1-13)
There was a man named Micah who lived in the hill country of Ephraim. He had stolen 1,100 pieces of silver from his mother without her knowledge. Initially she pronounced a curse on the thief, but when Micah later confessed and returned the silver, she reversed course and blessed her son. Then she gave a portion of the silver to a silversmith who crafted a carved and cast metal image for her family. Micah took these images, along with some household idols he’d made, and set up his own private shrine. He even made an ephod (a priestly garment) to wear. He consecrated 1 of his sons to serve as his own personal priest.
About this same time there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who decided to move elsewhere. He left in search of a new place to stay and along the way happened upon Micah’s house. When the 2 met and Micah learned that this young traveler was a Levite, he offered to hire him to replace his son. The unscrupulous Levite accepted the position, moved into Micah’s house, and served as his own personal priest propagating his false religion. Micah falsely believed that God would prosper him because he’d acquired a Levite as his priest.
This corrupt young Levite was named Jonathan. He was the son of Gershom and the grandson of Moses (Judges 18:30). In many of the earliest Biblical manuscripts the name Moses is actually used in this passage, but over time it was replaced with Mannaseh. The 2 names are spelled almost identically in Hebrew, differing by just a single letter. According to Jewish tradition, Moses' name was altered in order to spare him the shame of being associated with such an immoral grandson. Based upon this genealogy, these events must have taken place in the generation immediately following Joshua (in the early stages of the judges).
II. DAN’S SEARCH FOR NEW LAND (Judges 18:1-13)
Meanwhile, the tribe of Dan had been unable to drive out the Philistines living in their allotted inheritance and many of them decided to relocate. A small group of 5 valiant men from among the Danites were sent out to explore the land and find an alternative place to live. Along the way they too came upon the house of Micah. They asked the young Levite to inquire of God whether or not they’d be successful in the quest and the priest assured them that the LORD approved of their efforts.
So the spies continued northward and came to the Phonecian city of Laish. It was a quiet, peaceful city that was far from the stronghold of Sidon and rather isolated and remote. After observing it, they returned to their brethren at Zorah and Eshtaol in the land of Dan. They reported what they’d seen and what the young priest had told them. The Danites decided that Laish and the surrounding countryside would be an ideal place to resettle.
So an army of 600 men from the tribe of Dan set out to attack the unsuspecting city of Laish. They took their families and possessions with them. Their first stop was just west of Kiriath-jearim, where they camped in an area that became known as Mahaneh-dan. From there they continued northward into the hill country of Ephraim toward Micah’s house - where the spies had stopped previously.
III. DAN TAKES MICAH’S IDOLS (Judges 18:14-31)
The 5 men who’d already been there on their earlier journey told the others about Micah’s silver images, household idols, and ephod. So the Danites turned aside and came to Micah’s house. The 600 armed men met and spoke with the young Levite who greeted them at the entrance of the gate. Meanwhile the spies snuck into Micah’s house and took both the cast metal and carved images, the household idols, and the ephod. When they came out of the house, the Levite asked them what they were doing. The Danites invited him to join them and serve as their tribal priest rather than merely Micah’s household priest. Seeing this as a promotion, the Levite happily agreed.
The people of Dan continued onward, placing their women, children, animals and so forth in front of their procession. When Micah discovered that his items had been stolen, he summoned his neighbors and together they pursued and overtook the Danites. Micah charged them of stealing his idols, ephod, and priest. The men of Dan warned him to be silent or else they’d attack and kill him and his family. Micah was greatly outnumbered and realized there was nothing he could do to get his things back. He returned to his house empty-handed and dejected.
When the Danites reached their destination, they conquered the quiet city of Laish and settled there. They renamed the city Dan, in honor of their tribal father - the 5th son of Jacob. Located in a valley near Beth-rehob, it was the northernmost territory of Israel. They set up the idols they’d stolen from Micah and consecrated Jonathan and his sons to serve as their tribal priests. This arrangement continued for hundreds of years, during the era of both the judges and kings, until the land was defeated by the Assyrians.
CONCLUSION
The tribe of Dan is known as the most wicked and idolatrous of the 12 tribes of Israel. As a consequence of their sin, none of their descendants will be sealed with the LORD’s protection during the tribulation of the last days (Revelation 7:4-8). This story describes how the Danites embraced the worship of idols and enlisted their own tainted, corrupt priests. It also explains how this tribe divided into 2 parts - some in the north and others in the south. Ultimately it reveals that some were dissatisfied with the original inheritance they’d been given by Joshua under God’s direction and sought to find something “better”. Isn’t it sad that we do the same types of things today?
In similar fashion, the young Levite was also discontent with his humble service to the LORD. He left Bethlehem in search of something more profitable. Setting aside his allegiance to God alone, he endorsed idolatry by agreeing to become Micah’s household priest. Later, he voluntarily abandoned Micah for what he perceived to be a more prestigious position with the tribe of Dan. All of this was done for personal gain, not in accordance with the calling of God. Again, heartbreakingly, this same compromising behavior and self-serving attitude persists among some in the ministry today.
Finally Micah himself, an unethical man who’d stolen silver from his own mother, led his entire family to worship images and idols. He wasn’t content with the role of traditional Levites who served all of Israel, but felt entitled to have his own personal priest. In the end his priest and religious relics were stolen, yet Micah is no victim. He got exactly what he deserved.
This is the first of 2 stories that depict just how morally bankrupt the people of Israel had become. They had forsaken the LORD and fallen into spiritual despair. Remarkably, next week’s message is even more disturbing than this one…
Good morning. As stated last week, before we move into our study of the individual judges we are going to spend a few Sundays discussing the backslidden state of God’s children following the conquest of Canaan. To be specific, we are going to read and discuss the final 5 chapters of Judges (chapters 17-21). These chapters serve as an appendix to the book of Judges. When considered chronologically, they should be near the beginning rather than at the end.
I. MICAH’S PERSONAL PRIEST (Judges 17:1-13)
There was a man named Micah who lived in the hill country of Ephraim. He had stolen 1,100 pieces of silver from his mother without her knowledge. Initially she pronounced a curse on the thief, but when Micah later confessed and returned the silver, she reversed course and blessed her son. Then she gave a portion of the silver to a silversmith who crafted a carved and cast metal image for her family. Micah took these images, along with some household idols he’d made, and set up his own private shrine. He even made an ephod (a priestly garment) to wear. He consecrated 1 of his sons to serve as his own personal priest.
About this same time there was a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah who decided to move elsewhere. He left in search of a new place to stay and along the way happened upon Micah’s house. When the 2 met and Micah learned that this young traveler was a Levite, he offered to hire him to replace his son. The unscrupulous Levite accepted the position, moved into Micah’s house, and served as his own personal priest propagating his false religion. Micah falsely believed that God would prosper him because he’d acquired a Levite as his priest.
This corrupt young Levite was named Jonathan. He was the son of Gershom and the grandson of Moses (Judges 18:30). In many of the earliest Biblical manuscripts the name Moses is actually used in this passage, but over time it was replaced with Mannaseh. The 2 names are spelled almost identically in Hebrew, differing by just a single letter. According to Jewish tradition, Moses' name was altered in order to spare him the shame of being associated with such an immoral grandson. Based upon this genealogy, these events must have taken place in the generation immediately following Joshua (in the early stages of the judges).
II. DAN’S SEARCH FOR NEW LAND (Judges 18:1-13)
Meanwhile, the tribe of Dan had been unable to drive out the Philistines living in their allotted inheritance and many of them decided to relocate. A small group of 5 valiant men from among the Danites were sent out to explore the land and find an alternative place to live. Along the way they too came upon the house of Micah. They asked the young Levite to inquire of God whether or not they’d be successful in the quest and the priest assured them that the LORD approved of their efforts.
So the spies continued northward and came to the Phonecian city of Laish. It was a quiet, peaceful city that was far from the stronghold of Sidon and rather isolated and remote. After observing it, they returned to their brethren at Zorah and Eshtaol in the land of Dan. They reported what they’d seen and what the young priest had told them. The Danites decided that Laish and the surrounding countryside would be an ideal place to resettle.
So an army of 600 men from the tribe of Dan set out to attack the unsuspecting city of Laish. They took their families and possessions with them. Their first stop was just west of Kiriath-jearim, where they camped in an area that became known as Mahaneh-dan. From there they continued northward into the hill country of Ephraim toward Micah’s house - where the spies had stopped previously.
III. DAN TAKES MICAH’S IDOLS (Judges 18:14-31)
The 5 men who’d already been there on their earlier journey told the others about Micah’s silver images, household idols, and ephod. So the Danites turned aside and came to Micah’s house. The 600 armed men met and spoke with the young Levite who greeted them at the entrance of the gate. Meanwhile the spies snuck into Micah’s house and took both the cast metal and carved images, the household idols, and the ephod. When they came out of the house, the Levite asked them what they were doing. The Danites invited him to join them and serve as their tribal priest rather than merely Micah’s household priest. Seeing this as a promotion, the Levite happily agreed.
The people of Dan continued onward, placing their women, children, animals and so forth in front of their procession. When Micah discovered that his items had been stolen, he summoned his neighbors and together they pursued and overtook the Danites. Micah charged them of stealing his idols, ephod, and priest. The men of Dan warned him to be silent or else they’d attack and kill him and his family. Micah was greatly outnumbered and realized there was nothing he could do to get his things back. He returned to his house empty-handed and dejected.
When the Danites reached their destination, they conquered the quiet city of Laish and settled there. They renamed the city Dan, in honor of their tribal father - the 5th son of Jacob. Located in a valley near Beth-rehob, it was the northernmost territory of Israel. They set up the idols they’d stolen from Micah and consecrated Jonathan and his sons to serve as their tribal priests. This arrangement continued for hundreds of years, during the era of both the judges and kings, until the land was defeated by the Assyrians.
CONCLUSION
The tribe of Dan is known as the most wicked and idolatrous of the 12 tribes of Israel. As a consequence of their sin, none of their descendants will be sealed with the LORD’s protection during the tribulation of the last days (Revelation 7:4-8). This story describes how the Danites embraced the worship of idols and enlisted their own tainted, corrupt priests. It also explains how this tribe divided into 2 parts - some in the north and others in the south. Ultimately it reveals that some were dissatisfied with the original inheritance they’d been given by Joshua under God’s direction and sought to find something “better”. Isn’t it sad that we do the same types of things today?
In similar fashion, the young Levite was also discontent with his humble service to the LORD. He left Bethlehem in search of something more profitable. Setting aside his allegiance to God alone, he endorsed idolatry by agreeing to become Micah’s household priest. Later, he voluntarily abandoned Micah for what he perceived to be a more prestigious position with the tribe of Dan. All of this was done for personal gain, not in accordance with the calling of God. Again, heartbreakingly, this same compromising behavior and self-serving attitude persists among some in the ministry today.
Finally Micah himself, an unethical man who’d stolen silver from his own mother, led his entire family to worship images and idols. He wasn’t content with the role of traditional Levites who served all of Israel, but felt entitled to have his own personal priest. In the end his priest and religious relics were stolen, yet Micah is no victim. He got exactly what he deserved.
This is the first of 2 stories that depict just how morally bankrupt the people of Israel had become. They had forsaken the LORD and fallen into spiritual despair. Remarkably, next week’s message is even more disturbing than this one…