65 lines
11 KiB
HTML
65 lines
11 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
|
|
<html><head>
|
|
<title>Blue Letter Bible: Text Commentaries</title>
|
|
<script src="../../../js/basepath.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|
|
<script src="./js/nav.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|
|
<script src="./js/MainHeader.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|
|
<script>
|
|
currentBook = 'Jdg';
|
|
currentChapter = 17;
|
|
PriorBook = 'Joshua';
|
|
PriorBookURL = './Comm/david_guzik/sg/Jos_1.html';
|
|
PriorChapter = 'Judges 16';
|
|
PriorChapterURL = './Comm/david_guzik/sg/Jdg_16.html';
|
|
NextBook = 'Ruth';
|
|
NextBookURL = './Comm/david_guzik/sg/Rut_1.html';
|
|
NextChapter = 'Judges 18';
|
|
NextChapterURL = './Comm/david_guzik/sg/Jdg_18.html';
|
|
Title = 'Study Guide for Judges 17';
|
|
</script>
|
|
<script src="./js/Comms/DG.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|
|
<h2><a onclick="return mV('Jdg',17,'1-');">Jdg 17</a> - Micah's Idolatry</h2>
|
|
<p>A. Micah makes a shrine for idols.</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',17,'1-2');">1-2</a>) He returns a large amount of stolen silver to his mother.</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">Now there was a man from the mountains of Ephraim, whose name <i>was</i> Micah. And he said to his mother, 'The eleven hundred <i>shekels</i> of silver that were taken from you, and on which you put a curse, even saying it in my ears; here <i>is</i> the silver with me; I took it.' And his mother said, <i>'May you be</i> blessed by the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, my son!'</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Now there was a man</span></b>: Chapters 17 and 18 of Judges present to us a 'case study' of the spiritual confusion and sin in Israel during the days of the Judges. These two chapters show us just how bad things were.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Whose name was Micah</span></b>: Micah, from the tribe of Ephraim, stole 1,100 shekels of silver from his mother and then returned them. His mother <b><span class="c3">blessed</span></b> her son for being a thief and then changing his mind.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. This account reveals a lot about the character of Micah, his mother, and the general spiritual state of Israel during this period.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">ii. <a onclick="return mV('Jdg',17,10);">Jdg 17:10</a> indicates that ten shekels a year was an adequate wage. Therefore, 1,100 shekels was a great fortune.</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',17,'3-4');">3-4</a>) Micah's mother directs that some of the money be used to make an image to be used in worship.</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">So when he had returned the eleven hundred <i>shekels</i> of silver to his mother, his mother said, 'I had wholly dedicated the silver from my hand to the <span class="c6">Lord</span> for my son, to make a carved image and a molded image; now therefore, I will return it to you.' Thus he returned the silver to his mother. Then his mother took two hundred <i>shekels</i> of silver and gave them to the silversmith, and he made it into a carved image and a molded image; and they were in the house of Micah.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">To make a carved image and a molded image</span></b>: Some believe this was an image of a false god (such as Baal or Ashtoreth). Others believe that it was an image representing Yahweh. Either way, God strictly forbade this.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. The gold calf that Aaron made was actually meant to represent Yahweh (<a onclick="return mV('Exd',32,'4-5');">Exd 32:4-5</a>). But this violated the second commandment: <i>You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the <span class="c6">Lord</span> your God, am a jealous God</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Exd',20,'4-5');">Exd 20:4-5</a>).</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">He made it into a carved image and a molded image</span></b>: By his fallen nature, man wants to make God into <i>his</i> image. Many religious people 'carve' their own concept of God and assume that this is the God of the Bible. It takes effort to understand and accept the God of the Bible.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. The sense of this passage is that Micah did all this easily. It wasn't hard to have an idol made in Israel at that time. This shows how Israel's society was bent towards idolatry.</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',17,5);">5</a>) Micah establishes an elaborate worship.</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">The man Micah had a shrine, and made an ephod and household idols; and he consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Mic had a shrine</span></b>: Micah first sets up a <b><span class="c3">shrine</span></b> - sort of a small temple, a place where others came to worship these idols.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">And made an ephod</span></b>: Micah imitated the worship at the true Tabernacle of God by making an <b><span class="c3">ephod</span></b>. This was a specific garment worn by priests of Israel.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">And household idols</span></b>: In addition to this first idol, Micah also made <b><span class="c3">household idols</span></b> - literally, <i>terephim</i> - gods that were worshipped in hopes of gaining prosperity and guidance.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">He consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest</span></b>: Finally, Micah established a priesthood among his sons. In each of these, Micah did everything he could to set up a rival religion in Israel.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. All of this came from Micah and not from God. This was a completely man-originated and man-centered religion. Therefore the purpose of the shrine, the beautiful ephod, the attractive idols, and the established priesthood was to serve and please man, not God. This pattern of man-pleasing religion is common with many religions and churches today.</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">4. (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',17,6);">6</a>) A summarization of the spiritual state of Israel during the time of the Judges.</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">In those days <i>there was</i> no king in Israel; everyone did <i>what was</i> right in his own eyes.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">There was no king in Israel</span></b>: There was, in fact, a king in Israel - Israel should have recognized God as King. But since Israel rejected God as King, they were without any good and effective leadership.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Everyone did what was right in his own eyes</span></b>: Modern culture regards this as the ideal state of society. But the Bible and common sense tell us that this kind of moral, spiritual, and social anarchy brings nothing but destruction.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. <i>There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Pro',14,12);">Pro 14:12</a>). When man follows his own instincts, his own inclinations, it leads to ruin. We need to follow God's way, not our own.</p>
|
|
<p>B. Micah hires an unscrupulous Levite.</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',17,'7-8');">7-8</a>) An opportunistic Levite looking for a 'position.'</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah; he <i>was</i> a Levite, and was staying there. The man departed from the city of Bethlehem in Judah to stay wherever he could find <i>a place.</i> Then he came to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he journeyed.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">There was a young man from Bethlehem</span></b>: This man, as a <b><span class="c3">Levite</span></b>, had cities to live in and a place established by God for him to minister. Instead, he wanted to do what was right in his own eyes and went about offering himself as a 'priest for hire,' <b><span class="c3">wherever he could find a place</span></b>.</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',17,'9-11');">9-11</a>) Micah hires the Levite.</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">And Micah said to him, 'Where do you come from?' So he said to him, 'I <i>am</i> a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I am on my way to find <i>a place</i> to stay.' Micah said to him, 'Dwell with me, and be a father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten <i>shekels</i> of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your sustenance.' So the Levite went in. Then the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man became like one of his sons to him.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Dwell with me, and be a father and a priest to me</span></b>: Micah wanted this Levite to stay with him and work as a priest for him. He did this because he wanted to legitimize his personal shrine by having an officially recognized priest serving there. Deep down he knew that his idolatry was false and meaningless and he hoped that this would make it legitimate.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your sustenance</span></b>: So, for <b><span class="c3">ten shekels</span></b> and a <b><span class="c3">suit of clothes</span></b>, the Levite hired himself out to the idolatry of Micah. The Levite was a perfect example of a hireling, someone who served God (or an idol) for what it could give him, instead of serving to glorify the <span class="c6">Lord</span>.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. There are many different ways that hirelings get what they want. The monetary hireling is obvious, but there are also emotional hirelings who get into the ministry because of their insecurities and their need for approval.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Then the Levite was content to dwell with Micah</span></b>: The arrangements seemed perfect to everyone and Micah felt he had gained a son.</p>
|
|
<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Jdg',17,'12-13');">12-13</a>) A false consecration and a false confidence.</p>
|
|
<p class="c2">So Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and lived in the house of Micah. Then Micah said, 'Now I know that the <span class="c6">Lord</span> will be good to me, since I have a Levite as priest!'</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">So Micah consecrated the Levite</span></b>: Micah's consecration meant nothing at all. He had no authority from God to declare a renegade Levite as set apart by God to the service of this idolatrous shrine.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. In this tragic account, each person is guilty of terrible sin. But we could say that the Levite was more guilty than Micah was. We can say this because the Levite was at least <i>supposed</i> to know the Word of God.</p>
|
|
<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Now I know that the <span class="c6">Lord</span> will be good to me, since I have a Levite as priest!</span></b> Micah's confidence was just as false as his consecration. They were both based on superstition, not on God's Word.</p>
|
|
<p class="c5">i. We can say Micah was utterly sincere - but totally wrong. Sincerity is nice, but gets you nowhere if it is not coupled with truth. A person who sincerely thinks they can swim across the Pacific Ocean will drown just as surely as the person who isn't as sincere.</p>
|
|
<script src="./js/Comms/DG_Footer.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|
|
<script src="./js/MainFooter.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
|