“No King In Israel”

Text: Judges 17-18

READ Ch. 17:1-13

Place Preached - (Mississauga International Baptist Church)

Date Preached - (06/30/02)

Introduction:   

READ & EMPH. – Judges 17:6 / 18:1 / 19:1 / 21:25

Tonight we will look at some symptoms of a people living without a recognized authority.  (There are Three major problems we can identify).

Also, the best we can we want to see what is the Biblical cure to these problems (attitudes) and to apply the antidote.

ILLUS: If you get bit by a rattler you want to take the anti-venom, don’t you.

SUMMARY of concluding chapters of Judges.

CH. 17-18 (Disregard for the Sanctuary)

Ch. 19 (Disregard for the Family)

Ch. 20-21 (Disregard for Civil Law)

Briefly relate the account of Micah & Jonathan the Levite as found in Ch. 17-18:

Micah had stolen 1100 shekels of silver from his mother vs.2

That’s worth $2500  in today’s money!!

Under the threat of a curse he returns it to his mother vs.2

She takes a portion of that money and commissions the making of a graven image for her son. Vs.4

Micah has a house of gods and consecrates his son a priest vs.5.

Along comes Jonathan (a young Levite). Vs.7-9

Micah persuades him to be his personal priest. Vs.10-12

Micah is falsely confident that he will now be blessed vs.13

What’s wrong with this picture.

Judges 18:31  And they set them up Micah's graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.

In Ch.18 the Danites are seeking an inheritance.

Five of them, chosen men, come to Mt. Ephraim and the house of Micah vs.2-6

They ask counsel of Micah’s priest vs.5-6.

They spied on the peace-loving people of Laish and made plans to possess it for themselves. Vs.7-13

Enroute to the battle they come again to Micah’s house vs.13

They plunder the house of Micah and abscond with his gods and his priest. Vs.14-17

Jonathan offers little resistance and then gladly betrays his master for a price vs.18-21.

All-In-All this is a very sad situation!!

Describe similarities of Israel’s Attitude to our present day:

I. Expediency

EXAMPLES: From ch.17-18

1). Restoration of stolen property vs.2

2). The consecration of one of Micah’s sons as his priest vs.5

3). Jonathan becomes Micah’s priest vs.10-13

4). Jonathan’s departure from Micah’s house 18:14-21

How does it unfold?

Every man doing what is right in his/her own eyes.

“Right” is not governed by absolute truth but by pure relativism.

Everything is relative to self.

Unbridled promotion of self is the result.

Therefore, we end up with disregard for God’s truth, God’s will, God’s house, God’s people, God’s ordained institutions:

(The Family/ Civil Govt.-State / Church-Sanctuary)

We live in an age of expediency…

Politically / Financially / Ethically & Morally

What is the cure to expedient living??

All the things that are not exemplified in Micah and Jonathan.

A. An attitude of Repentance

We see in verses 2-3 that there was no repentance on the part of Micah.

He had stolen from his own mother.

But his attitude was -  I’m sorry I got caught!! – I’m sorry if I offended you!!!

2 Corinthians 7:10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Only under the threat of a curse does he return the stolen property.

B. An attitude of Humility

LOOK at 17:13 – The Lord will do me good! – I’ve got a right to his blessings! 

I deserve it, after all I have a Levite as MY priest!!!

James 4:6  But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

C. An attitude of Submission to God

There was no submission to God on the part of Jonathan or Micah.

The controlling factor or thinking of theirs always seemed to be – What’s in it for me – What is in my best interests

James 4:7  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

D. An attitude displaying convictions of the heart.

Use the EXAMPLE of Jonathan as found in 18:18-20.

He had no true convictions!!

Convictions are those things you are willing to die for.

II. Idolatry 17:4-5

By Extension – Immorality and Anarchy (Chs. 19-21)

A. Micah’s Idolatry 17:5

A house of gods / Ephod / Teraphim

B. Jonathan’s Idolatry 18:30-31

He knew where Shiloh was (He was a Levite!)  But he did his own thing anyway.

C. The Idolatry of the Danites

“No king in Israel” – Yet every man was his own authority, his own king, in a sense his own god!!

Exodus 20:3-5  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

5  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

III. Instability 18:22-27

No security – Misplaced or unfounded trust.

Relate briefly the account of Micah’s disappointed trust in his own way.

What lessons do we have to learn here?

A. When your trust is in the fallible/finite temporal it is easily lost.

Vs. 24 “What have I more?”

What sad words!!

You had better make sure that what you are living for is worth dying for!!

B. In the end false gods demand more than the true god. Vs.25-26

C. Principle of sowing & (delayed) reaping.

1 Timothy 5:24  Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.

Micah – Judged quickly

Danites – Judgment delayed vs.30

Conclusion:     (Review)