RETURN TO SYLLABUS
JUDGES 17 AND JUDGES 18
LESSON #18
WHAT SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS DO?

• MEMORY VERSE: 2THE 2:3

• BEGINNING IN JUDGES 17 THROUGH THE END OF THE BOOK, GOD PRESENTS US WITH A SERIES OF LITTLE STORIES THAT GIVE US A GOOD PICTURE OF SOCIETY AT THE END OF THE TIMES OF THE JUDGES. THERE ARE NO MORE JUDGE DELIVERERS IN THE REST OF THE BOOK. WE WILL SEE A PERIODIC STATEMENT OF OUR KEY VERSE; "every man did that which was right in his own eyes."
• THESE STORIES THROUGH THE REST OF THE BOOK PRESENT US WITH A PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY REGARDING THE FALL OF NATIONS.
• THROUGH HISTORY EVERY NATION DECLINES AND FALLS IN THE SAME WAY:
• =1= RELIGIOUS APOSTASY (SYNCRETISM)
• THIS IS OUR THEME THROUGH THIS BOOK. WE HAVE SEEN THE BLENDING OF RELIGIOUS CONVICTIONS WITH PAGAN IDOLATRY.
• =2= MORAL DEGRADATION
• WHEN BASIC VALUES ERODE, SIN FILLS THE VACUUM.
• =3= POLITICAL ANARCHY
• WHEN SIN RUNS RAMPANT THROUGH SOCIETY, ITS LEADERS REFLECT THE VALUES OF THAT SOCIETY AND HAVE NO INCLINATION TO RESTRAIN EVIL.
• THROUGH HISTORY THE FALL OF A NATION FOLLOWS THE SAME PATTERNED SEQUENCE:
• =1= DETERIORATION BEGINS IN THE TEMPLE (OR THE CHURCHES).
• RELIGIOUS PEOPLE AND INSTITUTIONS BEGIN THE FALL BY THEIR COMPROMISE OF GOD’S BASIC STANDARDS AND COMMANDS.
• READ 1PET 4:17
• =2= DETERIORATION SPREADS TO THE FAMILY.
• =3= DETERIORATION INVADES GOVERNMENT.
• JUDGES 17 AND 18 HAVE MANY VIOLATIONS OF THE MOSAIC LAW UNDER WHICH THE PEOPLE ARE SUPPOSED TO LIVE AS GOD’S PEOPLE. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF SYNCRETISM, THEY HAVE STRAYED AWAY FROM KEEPING THE LAW.

• READ JDG 17:1-6 SYNCRETISM IN MICAH’S HOUSEHOLD
• WHO IS THE MAN, MICAH?
• WE ONLY KNOW WHAT WE FIND HERE IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES.
• HOWEVER, IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTICE THAT THE NAME, MICAH, MEANS = WHO IS LIKE JEHOVAH. WE WILL SEE HOW FAR HE FALLS FROM THE MEANING OF HIS NAME.
• MICAH’S FAMILY DID WHAT THEY DECIDED WAS RIGHT IN THEIR OWN EYES (6)
• WHAT SPECIFIC THINGS OF INTEREST DO YOU NOTICE THAT GIVES US THE DESCRIPTION OF THE WHOLE PERIOD?
• NOTICE THAT THERE IS NO FATHER FIGURE IN THE HOUSE.
• MICAH’S MOTHER IS SAVING MONEY TO MAKE AN IDOL FOR THE LORD, JEHOVAH.
• HER RELIGIOUS BELIEFS ARE SO MIXED UP IN CONFUSION THAT SHE DOES NOT KNOW THAT THE LORD, JEHOVAH, SAID, "THOU SHALL MAKE NO GRAVEN IMAGES…"
• MICAH STEALS HIS MOTHER’S MONEY. WHEN HE CONFESSES, HIS MOTHER DOES NOT PUNISH HIM, BUT BLESSES HIM INSTEAD IN ORDER TO NEUTRALIZE THE CURSE SHE PUT ON THE THIEF WHO STOLE HER MONEY. (2)
• NEITHER MICAH NOR HIS MOTHER TAKES SERIOUSLY GOD’S COMMAND, "THOU SHALT NOT STEAL."
• MICAH’S MOTHER DOES NOT FULFILL HER VOW TO USE THE MONEY FOR THE LORD. INSTEAD SHE GIVES IT TO MICAH FOR HIS USE. (3)
• SHE VIOLATES THE MOSAIC LAW WHEN SHE DOES NOT COMPLETE HER VOW. (NUM 30:2)
• MICAH USES THE MONEY TO BUILD A SHRINE TO HOUSE HIS IDOLS OR TERAPHIM (WHICH ARE HOUSEHOLD IDOLS).
• HE VIOLATES THE MOSAIC LAW IN THREE POINTS. (EXO 20:3-5)
• HE HAS OTHER GODS BEFORE THE GOD, JEHOVAH.
• HE MAKES GRAVEN IMAGES OF THESE OTHER GODS.
• HE BOWS DOWN TO THESE IDOLS IN WORSHIP.
• MICAH ESTABLISHES HIS OWN LITTLE CULT WITH HIS SON AS A PRIEST.
• THIS IS A VIOLATION OF THE MOSAIC LAW: (EXO 28:4 EXO 29:44 EXO 31:10 NUM 3:10)
• WORSHIP WAS ONLY TO BE IN THE TABERNACLE.
• ONLY LEVITES WERE TO BE PRIESTS, OTHERS WHO CLAIMED TO BE PRIESTS WERE TO BE PUT TO DEATH.
• ONLY THE HIGH PRIEST WAS TO WEAR AN EPHOD (A SPECIAL BREASTPLATE OF JUDGMENT OR DISCERNMENT).

• READ JDG 17:7-13 MICAH’S VISITOR
• MICAH HIRES AN UNEMPLOYED LEVITE, AN ITINERANT PRIEST, TO BE HIS PERSONAL PRIEST AND LIVE IN HIS HOUSE. LATER WE LEARN THAT HIS NAME IS JONATHAN.
• MICAH THOUGHT HE COULD BUY GOD’S FAVOR BY HAVING A LEVITE PRIEST IN HIS HOUSE.
• THIS IS A VIOLATION OF THE MOSAIC LAW IN MANY POINTS: (EXO 31:10 NUM 35:6-7
• PRIESTS WERE TO BE MINISTERS TO THE WHOLE CONGREGATION.
• PRIESTS WERE TO MINISTER ONLY IN THE TABERNACLE.
• PRIESTS WERE TO LIVE ONLY IN THE DESIGNATED CITIES.

• READ JDG 18:1-6 MICAH AND THE TRIBE OF DAN
• THE TRIBE OF DAN HAD A SMALL PIECE OF LAND NEXT TO THE PHILISTINES. THEY WERE NOT CONTENT WITH THE LAND GOD GAVE THEM, SO THEY DECIDED TO EXPAND THEIR LAND. THEY SENT SPIES TO SPY OUT THE LAND TO SEE WHICH LAND THEY COULD TAKE.
• THEY WERE DISCONTENTED WITH WHAT GOD GAVE THEM. IN REALITY THEY DID NOT EVEN FULLY POSSESS THE SMALL PIECE OF LAND GOD GAVE THEM. (1)
• IN THEIR SEARCH FOR LAND BELONGING TO OTHER ISRAELITE TRIBES, THEY STAY IN MICAH’S HOUSE. THEY MEET THE LEVITE PRIEST AND ARE SURPRISED BY HIS PRESENCE.
• THEY KNOW THAT THE LEVITE PRIESTS ARE NOT TO LIVE IN SOMEONE’S PRIVATE HOME AS A PRIVATE PRIEST.
• DESPITE THEIR SURPRISE THEY ASK THE LEVITE IF THEIR QUEST FOR LAND IS GOD’S WILL EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW THEY ARE SEEKING LAND OUTSIDE OF THE PARCEL GOD GAVE THEM THROUGH JOSHUA. (5-6)
• THE HIRED PRIEST TELLS THEM WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR.
• READ 2TIM 4:3-4

• READ JDG 18:7-13 THE TRIBE OF DAN COVETS THE CITY OF LAISH
• THE FIVE SPIES FROM THE TRIBE OF DAN DECIDE THAT THE CITY OF LAISH WOULD BE EASY TO CONQUER.
• THE PROBLEM IS THAT THIS IS TERRITORY THAT GOD GAVE TO THE TRIBE OF JUDAH.
• WITH 600 MEN THE DANITES CONQUER AND BURN THE CITY.
• THEY CALL THE PLACE, MAHANEHDAN, WHICH MEANS = TENTS OF JUDGMENT.

• READ JDG 18:14-26 ROBBERY
• AFTER THE BATTLE, THE 5 SPIES AND THE 600 MAN ARMY RETURN TO MICAH’S HOUSE WITH THOUGHTS OF ROBBERY.
• CONFRONTED BY THE LEVITE PRIEST, THE DANITES PERSUADE HIM TO LEAVE MICAH’S HOUSE AND BE THEIR PRIEST.
• THE HIRED PRIEST, COMPROMISED BY GREED, GOES TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER.
• MICAH AND HIS NEIGHBORS PURSUE THE DANITE ARMY.
• THE PRIEST HAS MADE HIS DECISION TO SIDE WITH THE TRIBE OF DAN.
• THE ARMY IS TOO STRONG. THEY INTIMIDATE MICAH WITH THREATS. THEREFORE, MICAH AND HIS NEIGHBORS RETURN HOME.
• NOTICE MICAH SAD SPIRITUAL CONDITION WHEN HE SEES HIS IDOLS GONE. HE SAYS, "WHAT ELSE DO I HAVE?" (24)

• READ JDG 18:27-31 WHERE WAS GOD?
• THE DANITES OCCUPIED THE CITY OF LAISH WHICH THEY REBUILT AND RENAMED, DAN.
• THE DANITES SET UP THEIR OWN SYSTEM OF WORSHIP USING THE STOLEN IDOLS FROM MICAH’S HOUSE.
• IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTICE THEY ALSO SET UP THEIR OWN SEPARATE PRIESTHOOD.
• THE BIBLE FINALLY MENTIONS THE ITINERANT PRIEST BY NAME. HIS NAME IS JONATHAN.
• WHO WAS JONATHAN?
• HE WAS THE GRANDSON OF MOSES!
• JONATHAN AND HIS DESCENDANTS WERE ILLEGITIMATE PRIESTS TO THE TRIBE OF DAN.
• IT IS INTERESTING THAT ALL THE VIOLATIONS OF THE MOSAIC LAW THAT WE SEE IN THESE CHAPTERS INVOLVE THE GRANDSON OF MOSES.
• JONATHAN AND HIS DESCENDANTS WERE ILLEGITIMATE PRIESTS UNTIL THE DAY OF THE CAPTIVITY OF THE LAND. (30)
• THE BIBLE DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY RELATE THE INCIDENT WHEN THE TRIBE OF DAN WAS OVERRUN AND TAKEN CAPTIVE. HOWEVER, VERSE 30 INDICATES THAT IT HAPPENED AND WAS THE DIRECT RESULT OF ESTABLISHING THEIR OWN PRIESTHOOD, AND THEIR OWN WORSHIP OF IDOLS.
• LATER, AFTER THE DIVISION OF ISRAEL INTO THE NORTHERN KINGDOM AND THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM, THE TRIBE OF DAN HAD A STRONGLY ESTABLISHED CENTER OF IDOLATRY. (1KIN 12:28-30)
• AND WHERE WAS GOD IN ALL OF THIS?
• VERSE 31 TELLS US. IT SAYS, "…ALL THE TIME THAT THE HOUSE OF GOD WAS IN SHILOH."
• IN OTHER WORDS, THE LEGITIMATE TABERNACLE FOR WORSHIP WAS IN SHILOH.
• IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES IN THE TABERNACLE WAS THE PLACE WHERE GOD’S PRESENCE STILL RESIDED. GOD WAS AVAILABLE, BUT THE PEOPLE DID WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO.
• EVERY MAN DID THAT WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES WITHOUT REGARD TO WHAT GOD THOUGHT WAS RIGHT.
• SUMMARY:
• IN THESE TWO CHAPTERS WE HAVE SEEN AN EXAMPLE OF RELIGIOUS APOSTASY THAT BEGINS WITH GOD’S PEOPLE WHO FALL AWAY FROM THE HOUSE OF GOD.
• IF THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE FALL OF A NATION, WHAT MUST THE RIGHTEOUS DO?
• READ 2CHR 7:14-22
• CHRISTIANS ARE TO REPENT, CHANGE THEIR WAYS, AND LIVE ACCORDING TO THE STANDARDS OF GOD.
• THEN GOD WILL HEAL THE LAND.

• APPLICATION OF JDG 17 AND 18
• IS THERE ANYTHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT IS RELEVANT TO 2CHR 7:14-22 FOR WHICH YOU NEED TO REPENT?
• IF SO, ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS AND DETERMINE TO LIVE ACCORDING TO HIS STANDARDS.

• PREPARATION FOR JDG 19
• READ JDG 19:1-30
• WHO DO YOU THINK THE LEVITE SENT BODY PARTS TO EACH OF THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL?
• CHAPTER 19 IS AN EXAMPLE OF FAMILY LIFE IN THE TIME OF THE JUDGES.
• WHAT MAJOR PROBLEMS DO YOU SEE WITH THEIR FAMILY LIFE?

• MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 78:5