Judges 17-19

March 19

Judges 17-19

The verse that encompasses these chapters best is; "In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit." (Judges 17:6, NIV) Because everyone did as he saw fit, the people rebelled against God in every area of their lives. They had a form of worship, but they ignored God’s instructions and made God into their image.

Micah stole silver from his mother but gave it back to her when he heard her utter a curse on the person who stole it. She then gave it back to him to make an idol. Micah made a shrine with the idol and other pieces. God had said clearly; "“You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below." (Deuteronomy 5:7-8, NIV)  But the people worshiped God as they pleased.

Do we have idols? Do we claim to worship God, but at the same time hang on to things we know He wants us to get rid from our lives? There are not many people who set up shrines with idols in our society, but people still set up idols before God or mix proper worship of God with things that are unacceptable to God.

Micah then set his son up as his priest though he was not a descendent of Aaron. But a Levite wandered into the land and Micah installed him as his priest until some Danites looking for land to settle came and took the Levite and the idols for their own worship.

Israel has gotten her eyes off of God. Everyone did as he saw fit and the land was in turmoil. There was a presence of evil in the land and the people did not feel safe. God allowed them to continue down this path, but a time of judgment was going to come. When we look around out world we see the prevalence of evil. People ignore God or create Him in their own image so they can do what they want to do instead of living the way God calls us to live. God does not give us instructions on living to oppress us, but to empower us to live the lives we were created to live and to help us find true happiness.

Periodically it is good to examine our lives. It is good to ask God to reveal the places we may be getting off track. We may have brought things into our lives that have moved into a place above God. We may have begun to worship ways or things that are not pleasing to God. Periodically we need to do some spring cleaning of our souls and purge those things that do not please God.