Micah & The Levite: Homemade Religion

INTRO

He was so excited to get his new GI Joe action figure!

PRAYER

A - Almighty God of the universe, You could never fit into a box, a bag or even be contained within our imaginations. You are God, infinite, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, perfect, and unchanging. All that you are, you always have been and you always will be.

C - We confess that in our finite state we are unable to grasp all that you are, and therefore we often miss-represent you even within our own hearts. We create idols of our own. They may not be made of precious metals but we are tempted to bow to them all the same.

T - Thank you Lord that you are patient and long suffering with us in our feebleness. Thank you for condescending to us to bring us your Holy Word and your Beautiful Son as our savior.

S - Our father in heaven as we turn to your text this morning we would ask that you would send your Spirit to fall on us. Illuminate and rejuvenate our hearts and minds this morning. Give us eyes to see the truth in your word and how to apply it today we pray.

False Religion Premiers in the Heart

(Jdg 17.1-6)

Judges 17:5 “5 And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household gods, and ordained one of his sons, who became his priest.”

Micah steals from his mother, then builds a shrine with the stolen silver.

He creates his own “religion” with idols, priests, and rituals—yet no repentance.

Principle: Spiritual compromise often starts small and personal before it spreads wide and public.

Quote: “The human heart is a perpetual Idol factory” - John Calvin

Jeremiah 17:9 “9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

Romans 1:25 “25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.”

Galatians 1:10 “10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Matthew 10:36–37 “36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”

Illustration: Like a counterfeit bill that looks genuine, homemade religion may feel spiritual but has no real value.

Guard your heart with the truth of Gods Word!

Read / Study / Memorize / Pray!!

Take your thoughts captive

Examine your motives / beliefs

Root out false teachings / small sins… Do not compromise !!

False Religion Produces False Teachers

(Jdg 17.7-13)

Judges 17:12 “12 And Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.”

Micah hires a wandering Levite to legitimize his idolatry.

The Levite accepts the job—not because it’s right, but because it’s comfortable.

Principle: When people reject truth, they’ll find teachers who affirm their desires.

Jeremiah 5:31 “31 the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?”

2 Timothy 4:3 “3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions,”

Revelation 13:14 “14 and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.”

Application: Be wary of leaders who serve self-interest more than God’s word.

If you buy it they will sell !!

if there is a market for false teachers there will be false teachers

Lazy people make good consumers

Do you crave a message of honey alone?

False Religion Promises False Victories

(Jdg 18.1-26)

Judges 18:5–6 “5 And they said to him, “Inquire of God, please, that we may know whether the journey on which we are setting out will succeed.” 6 And the priest said to them, “Go in peace. The journey on which you go is under the eye of the Lord.””

Judges 18:17 “17 And the five men who had gone to scout out the land went up and entered and took the carved image, the ephod, the household gods, and the metal image, while the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the 600 men armed with weapons of war.”

Judges 18:19–20 “19 And they said to him, “Keep quiet; put your hand on your mouth and come with us and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and clan in Israel?” 20 And the priest’s heart was glad. He took the ephod and the household gods and the carved image and went along with the people.”

Judges 18:25–26 “25 And the people of Dan said to him, “Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall upon you, and you lose your life with the lives of your household.” 26 Then the people of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his home.”

The tribe of Dan seeks new territory because they refused to fight where God called them.

They steal Micah’s idols and priest—building a religion of convenience and conquest.

Principle: When we reject God’s will, we justify disobedience with spiritual language.

James 1:22 “22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Judges 16:20 “20 And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” And he awoke from his sleep and said, “I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.”

Matthew 7:21–23 “21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Psalm 42:10 “10 As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?””

Illustration: Like soldiers carrying empty weapons, Dan marched confidently but without God’s power.

Christianity is a war time religion

fight the good fight

armor of God

die to self

defend the faith

Go / deploy / spread / take… no retreat / no surrender !!

False victories

False Religion Perverts Many

(Jdg 18.27-31)

Judges 18:30–31 “30 And the people of Dan set up the carved image for themselves, and Jonathan the son of Gershom, son of Moses, and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land. 31 So they set up Micah’s carved image that he made, as long as the house of God was at Shiloh.”

The Danites set up their stolen idols, and this counterfeit worship lasts for generations.

Idolatry becomes institutional—sin hardens into culture.

Principle: What one generation tolerates, the next will normalize.

Exodus 32:3–4 “3 So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!””

Matthew 7:22–23 “22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Matthew 24:5 “5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.”

Matthew 24:24 “24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.”

Application: Guard your heart and your home—compromise today can become corruption tomorrow.

The danger of religion is that it can make you feel close to God while keeping you far from Him.

Do we take these warnings seriously?

what would a letter from Paul contain if it were written to churches today?

MANY will fall away !!

What are we doing to be the few??

Conclusion:

When we make God in our image, we lose the God who made us in His. Israel’s story is our warning: God cannot be replaced. True worship begins not with our preference but with His presence.

Group Questions

Micah’s “homemade religion” began in his own house. What are some small ways spiritual compromise can begin in our hearts or homes today?

John Calvin said, “The human heart is a perpetual idol factory.” What are some modern “idols” (good things turned ultimate) that can quietly take God’s place in our lives?

Galatians 1:10 challenges us to seek God’s approval rather than man’s. Where do you find it hardest to live for God’s approval alone?

How can we tell the difference between a faith that is genuine and one that is merely “homemade”—built around comfort, culture, or convenience?

In Judges 17, the Levite accepts Micah’s offer for selfish reasons. How can we guard ourselves from leaders or teachings that tell us what we want to hear rather than what we need to hear?

James 1:22 warns against deceiving ourselves by hearing without doing. What are some ways we can make sure our obedience keeps pace with our knowledge of God’s Word?

The tribe of Dan used religious language (“inquire of God,” “go in peace”) to justify their disobedience. In what ways might we use spiritual language to cover up a lack of true surrender?

Judges 18 shows how sin became a system—the idols lasted for generations. What are some ways we can help ensure faithfulness is what passes down in our families or church, not compromise?

I said, “The danger of religion is that it can make you feel close to God while keeping you far from Him.” How can someone tell when their spiritual activity is drawing them to God—or merely keeping them busy?

In conclusion I stated, “True worship begins not with our preference but with His presence.” What would it look like for our church—or for you personally—to make worship more about God’s presence than personal preference?