Spiritual Condition in Israel During the Judges II

Levite For Hire

Judg 17 7 Bethlehem is not a Levite city

Joshua 21:5 LEB

The remaining descendants of Kohath received by lot ten cities from the families of the tribes of Ephraim, Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

moved there from his city

Moved again and settled with Micah / priest for hire

he was not satisfied with the arrangements that God had given him

V 9 I’m looking for a job

18 4 he hired -I am priest

16-20 got a better offer

18 30 Johnathan Gershom Moses NIV

remained a priest until captivity

Don’t disregard the Levite

Deuteronomy 12:19 LEB

Take care so that you do not neglect the Levite all of your days on your land.

this young Levite possibly had to go on the road because he was not taken care of

Nehemiah 13:10–11 LEB

And then I came to learn that the food of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, the doers of the work, had gone back each to his field. So I quarreled with the prefects, and I said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” And I gathered them and set them at their station.

the first thing of neglecting God is the neglect of God’s men

200 pieces of silver for idol 10 for priest

Doing the Priestly Thing

18 3-6 told them what they wanted to hear

brought God’s name in for “anointing power”

2 Timothy 4:3–4 LEB

For there will be a time when they will not put up with sound teaching, but in accordance with their own desires, they will accumulate for themselves teachers, because they have an insatiable curiosity, and they will turn away from the hearing of the truth, but will turn to myths.

taking care of the Idols

keeping the ephod clean

doing what society dictated

A Better Gig

18 14 - 20

went to Beth- Ephraim now Dan bigger and better

stole Micah’s spiritual power (Idols)

never satisfied/ the world never satisfies

prosperity preachers they don’t mind stealing from you

Conclusion

most have been a jab at the ungodly preacher

but to you

be careful who you listen to

hold your pastor to God’s standard

take care of your pastor

pray and support