SHIELD 241212 Judges 17

ACCOUNTABILITY FOLLOW UP

12/04/2024 Judges 16: A: △: ▽: T:

Stephen Ezell: 12/04/2024 Judges 16:26–28 A: Do you really live like you believe this? △: Borrowing Ceirra’s Bible - need to purchase a new one ▽: Ceirra not progressing T: Sophia

Tom Hess: 11/21/2024 Judges 15:18 A: He is a servant of the Lord - be more God aware △: Post it up ▽: Bitter not fair T: Kiddos wife

Lonnie Larson 11/21/2024 Judges 15:14-15 A: Spirit enabled tasks are possible △: Continue reading ▽: Won’t succeed T: Boys

Lyle Larson: 12/04/2024 Judges 16:10, 28 A: Made a fool of by the hiring guy - wants revenge but knows that is wrong △: Tell the guy so doesnt do it to another person ▽: someone else impacted T: Alaine, Lonnie

Keith Morgan: 12/04/2024 Judges 16:17 A: Discerning what to speak about △: ▽: T: Ilene

Mike Morgan: 12/04/2024 Judges 16:15 A: Don’t have to talk about all things - cant convince Julie △: Can go to the Lord anytime ▽: Trials overwhelm T: Julie (values honesty and integrity)

Mark Organ: 12/04/2024 Judges 16:23-24 A: When a man of God falls then his God is mocked - dont fall either privately or publicly △: Continue keeping away from fire/poison ▽: God is mocked T: Rachael and the boys (DONE)

CONTEXT of Judges 17

In chapter 16 we saw Samson’s fall. He consorted with a prostitute and a woman named Delilah that was overt in her attacks on Samson. Nonetheless he foolishly told her about God’s empowerment and she took advantage of him

He was shorn, captured, blinded, humiliated and made a mockery of

But when this man prayed to God, God heard him and empowered him one final time to take vengeance upon the Philistines for the loss of his eyes

TEXT ANALYSIS

I. The Ephraimites’ Idolatry Judges 17:1–6 | 1 Now there was a man of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Micah. 2 He said to his mother, “The 1,100 pieces of silver which were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse and spoke of it in my hearing, behold, the silver is with me; it was I who took it.” And his mother said, “Blessed be my son by Yahweh.” 3 And he then returned the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother, and his mother said, “I wholly set apart the silver from my hand as holy to Yahweh for my son to make a graven image and a molten image; so now I will return them to you.” 4 So he returned the silver to his mother, and his mother took 200 pieces of silver and gave them to the silversmith. And he made them into a graven image and a molten image, and they were in the house of Micah. 5 And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household idols and ordained one of his sons, and he became his priest. 6 In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.

Takeaway: It was not just the overt creation of an idol that strikes us here but the fact that he was willing to steal to have it. Breaking God’s Law is a good indicator of what we idolize

II. The Levites’ Idolatry Judges 17:7–13 | 7 And there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he was sojourning there. 8 Then the man went from the city, from Bethlehem in Judah, to sojourn wherever he might find a place; and as he made his journey, he came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah. 9 And Micah said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to sojourn wherever I may find a place.” 10 Micah then said to him, “Remain with me and be a father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, a suit of clothes, and your sustenance.” So the Levite went in. 11 And the Levite was willing to remain with the man, and the young man became to him like one of his sons. 12 So Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in the house of Micah. 13 Then Micah said, “Now I know that Yahweh will prosper me because I have a Levite as priest.”

Takeaway: The Levite was purchased with prestige, possessions and power - He too is an idolater. You cannot love God and mammon

What Does This Text Say About:

God: The Father, Son, Spirit | People: Believers/Unbelievers

My attitude or behavior - What is the Holy Spirit convicting me about

What is one change that I can make | What is a consequence of not making the change

Who can I teach?

Stephen E. v___ A:_______________△:_______________▽:_______________T:_________

Lonnie L. v___ A:_______________△:_______________▽:_______________T:_________

Lyle L. v___ A:_______________△:_______________▽:_______________T:___________

Keith M. v___ A:______________△:_______________▽:_______________T:___________

Mike M. v___ A:_______________△:_______________▽:_______________T:___________

Mark O. v___ A:_______________△:_______________▽:_______________T:__________