Read Judges
18-19 & Luke
10:25-42
To discover:
As you read consider in what ways the Danites display
unfaithfulness.
To ponder:
Israel
hit rock bottom. The Danites’ lack of faith is already seen in the fact that
they have failed to “come into their inheritance.” Indeed, contrasting Caleb’s
confidence in encouraging Israel that with the LORD’s help they can overcome
the most terrifying peoples, the Danite spies have confidence only to speak
these words for a “peaceful and unsuspecting people,” whose city they attack
and burn down. The suggestion is that these people should have been offered
peace terms (Deut 20v10-15), not displaying the wickedness that warranted God’s
judgement on the others.
Again
and again, Micah’s carved image, ephod, household gods and cast idol are
mentioned. They are central. Not only do the Danites plunder a fellow
Israelite, but they covet and steal his means of idolatry, and threaten Micah
and his neighbours when they protest. And the priest shows no concern for his
former master, being “glad” to serve a tribe, because it means a higher status
(18v19-20). There is warning here for ministers who seek advancement through
compromise.
So Micah’s
assumption that “the LORD will be good” to him (17v13) because of his idols and
self-employed priest is proved delusionary. As is the priest’s declaration that
the Danite spies journey “has the LORD approval.” It is all too easy to tell
oneself one’s actions please God or find someone who will tell us that. But scripture,
here God’s law, is the measure of such things.
The
story ends noting that Moses’ grandson and his descendents then acted as
priests with the idols until the captivity – presumably by Assyria
(722BC). The mention of Moses’ grandson suggests these events must have taken
place early in the time of the judges, perhaps before Othniel (1v34, 2v10, 3v7).
Out
of all Israel
the Levites should have known better. But not only was Micah’s priest a Levite,
so is the subject of the most appalling event that follows. A concubine was a
sort of second class wife. Perhaps hinting to her husband’s character, she
leaves him. But the striking thing as her husband seeks to get her back, is her
father’s generous hospitality in contrast to what follows. Having eventually
left, the Levite refuses to stay amongst the Jebusites because they are not
Israelites, preferring Gibeah. But there, no-one displays the expected
hospitality by taking them into their home, despite the fact they would not
need provision. Eventually an “old man” does, only to find the men of the city
acting just as those in Sodom did
when warranting God’s judgement (Gen 19v2-9). Moreover, the host himself
suggests offering the two innocent women instead of the men, which the Levite
does, causing them to be raped and abused all night. The next morning he then
callously tells his concubine to “get up,” but she is dead. He then has the
gall to self-righteously cut her into twelve and send the parts throughout Israel
as a testimony against what happened.
This
is sickening. And it is supposed to be. 19v30 tells us it was the most
appalling thing that had ever happened. And the words: “Think about it!
Consider it! Tell us what to do!” speak to the reader. The answer is actually
hinted at four times in chapters 17-21: “In those days Israel
had no king” (17v6, 18v1, 19v1, 21v25). Israel
need to cry out to God for a righteous king to administer God’s law, and with
appropriate justice to keep people faithful to it. More than that, they need God
to circumcise their hearts so that they can actually obey it (Deut 30v6). There
is therefore warning throughout of how far a culture that has rejected Christ can
fall. Without the objectivity of his rule and the renewal of his Spirit, it
should be no surprise when chaos reigns.
Praying it home:
Praise God for the righteousness,
order, stability that stems from Christ’s rule. Pray that as our nation
experiences the chaos that stems from rejecting him, people would see their
need of it.
Thinking further:
None today.
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