Judges 17-18

Introduction

1. Let’s turn to Judges 17:1.

2. Imagine the trust it took for Fred Haise, Jack Schwagart, and Jim Lovell in Apollo 13 in relying on the ground crew to get them back home.

3. Can God be trusted?

a. You’re probably wondering why I could even ask that question.

b. I ask it because even though we might not say it, we live like he can’t be trusted!

4. We are continuing in our study of Judges.

a. We are beginning to wind down for there are no more Judges to study.

b. We will be looking into the social of the nation seeing there continued disintegration.

5. Tonight, I want us to see that God can be trusted!

I. Israel gets involved in false worship through self-centered actions.

A. Micah turns from the faith to embrace idolatry.

1. Micah creates a rival religion in the mountains of Ephraim to the true faith.

·        There was no king in Israel to stop this violation (Deuteronomy 27:14-15).

2. Micah hires a Levite to be his priest

3. Micah assumes he will be blessed in his endeavor

·        The writer reminds us that there was no king in those days.

B. The tribe of Dan decides to move from their God given allotment to one they prefer.

1. The tribe of Dan sends out spies to find a new inheritance in the land (18:1-9).

·        Their inheritance was along the sea coast including the cities of Joppa and Ekron, a Philistine city (John 19:40-48).

2. The tribe of Dan sends out 600 warriors to take Laish (18:10-17).

3. The warriors take the ephod and priest of Micah (18:18-26).

4. The children of Dan settle in the North and set up a rival religion (18:27-32).

II. Can God be trusted?

A. Like Micah we can participate in self-styled worship.

1. There are many ministries that apparently want to do things there own way.

a. The Episcopal Church has ordained a practicing homosexual as Bishop causing several congregations to consider what it is that God wants them to do.

b. The Metropolitan Community Churches have removed homosexuality as a sin.

c. Churches are experimenting with egalitarianism, icons, etc.

2. Jesus tells us that we are to worship in spirit and truth (John

3. We can trust God in the area of worship; no innovations are required.

·        There may be cultural innovations but not theological ones are necessary.

B. Like Jonathan, the Levite, we can be involved in self-determined service.

1. The Levite, Jonathan, was tempted to leave to serve a whole tribe rather than a family.

a. This temptation is not unknown in the body of Christ.

b. Pastor’s have been known to move every few years to larger congregations.

2. Kent Hugh’s mentions in his book that numbers (financial and personnel) are not the indicator of success.

3. God can be trusted with where he has us in the body of Christ – I like CC Syracuse!

C. Like the Danites, we can be caught up in self-seeking security.

1. The Danites didn’t like their provision; does God care for us in our situation.

2. Unless the Lord builds a house and keeps a city (Psalm 127); I’m not worried about Hillary!

3. We can trust God with our daily lives and safety.

Conclusion

1. Israel gets involved in false worship through self-centered actions.

2. We can trust God in the sacred, in our service, and in our security.