Who’s the Boss?

Read Judges 17:1–21:25

5. Micah set up a shrine . . . and he made a sacred ephod and some household idols. Then he installed one of his sons as his personal priest. . . .
18:1. Now in those days . . . the tribe of Dan was trying to find a place where they could settle, for they had not yet moved into the land assigned to them when the land was divided among the tribes of Israel. . . .
11. So 600 men from the tribe of Dan, armed with weapons of war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol . . .
13. and came to the house of Micah. . . .
16. As the 600 armed warriors . . . stood at the entrance of the gate, . . .
17. five scouts entered the shrine and removed the carved image, the sacred ephod, the household idols, and the cast idol. . . .
18. When the priest saw the men carrying all the sacred objects out of Micah’s shrine, he said, “What are you doing?” Judges 17:5; 18:1, 11,13, 16-18

If you have ever ridden in an airplane, you know how much depends on workers’ actions. Suppose the flight attendants decided to watch the movie instead of serve the meals? Or the co-pilot counteracted every move the captain made? Or the captain ignored the air traffic controllers?

Life in Israel at this time of the judges looks a lot like a trip on just such an airplane. They make idols, make war, and make points with cruel and violent visual aids (all against the rules). And why? Look for the very, very strong hint near the end of the story.

During the time of the judges, the people of Israel experienced great trouble because everyone became their own authority and acted on their own opinions of right and wrong (Judges 21:25). If they didn’t like God’s rules, they simply disregarded them.

Our world is similar. Individuals, groups, and societies have made themselves the final authorities without reference to God.

Some of the judges whom God sent to rescue Israel were little better. Men like Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson are known for their heroism in battle; but in their personal lives, they lacked deep commitment to obeying the God for whom they fought.

To be truly heroic, we must go into battle each day in our home, job, church, and society to make God’s kingdom a reality. Our weapons are the standards and convictions we receive from God’s Word. We need to do what is right in his eyes, not ours.