Guided by convenience rather than conviction
April 13, 2020
Commentary
We have now completed the history of the Judges. This portion of scripture gives us a full picture of what it was like to live in a day of moral and political disorder before there was a king in Israel (v. 6). Micah was regarded as a religious man. He had “a house of gods” (v. 5). Yet he stole a huge sum of money from his mother, only to return it without any explanation (vv. 1-2). His mother had theoretically dedicated this money to the Lord, but she did not hesitate to give a sizable portion of it for the fabrication of idolatrous images (v 3). Micah then set up a little pagan idol in his home and designated one of his sons as head of his shrine (vv. 4-5). Probably similar things were done in other parts of Israel as it says, “every man did that which was right in his own eyes” (v. 6).
Next, we meet a young man from Bethlehem who was looking for a job. His name was Jonathan, son of Geshom, son of Moses (18:30). This story illustrates how Israel’s moral decay affected even the priest and Levites. For the sake of security (salary) he was content to serve as a priest to Micah for ten shekels of silver per year (v. 10). He agreed to serve as Micah’s priest (vv. 11-12). Micah thought this was a smart move to have a Levite as his priest rather than his son. After all, wouldn’t God honor him if this religious Levite was in his home (v. 13). In the process we see both men disregarding the revealed will of God. They were guided by convenience rather than conviction.
Application
I need to be asking myself the question, what controls my decisions? Is it that which seems momentarily helpful or that which glorifies God?
Judges 17:1– 13 (NET)
1 There was a man named Micah from the Ephraimite hill country. 2 He said to his mother, “You know the 1,100 pieces of silver which were stolen from you, about which I heard you pronounce a curse? Look here, I have the silver. I stole it, but now I am giving it back to you.” His mother said, “May the Lord reward you, my son!” 3 When he gave back to his mother the 1,100 pieces of silver, his mother said, “I solemnly dedicate this silver to the Lord. It will be for my son’s benefit. We will use it to make a carved image and a metal image.” 4 When he gave the silver back to his mother, she took 200 pieces of silver to a silversmith, who made them into a carved image and a metal image. She then put them in Micah’s house. 5 Now this man Micah owned a shrine. He made an ephod and some personal idols and hired one of his sons to serve as a priest. 6 In those days Israel had no king. Each man did what he considered to be right.
7 There was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah. He was a Levite who had been temporarily residing among the tribe of Judah. 8 This man left the town of Bethlehem in Judah to find another place to live. He came to the Ephraimite hill country and made his way to Micah’s house. 9 Micah said to him, “Where do you come from?” He replied, “I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah. I am looking for a new place to live.” 10 Micah said to him, “Stay with me. Become my adviser and priest. I will give you ten pieces of silver per year, plus clothes and food.” 11 So the Levite agreed to stay with the man; the young man was like a son to Micah. 12 Micah paid the Levite; the young man became his priest and lived in Micah’s house. 13 Micah said, “Now I know the Lord will make me rich, because I have this Levite as my priest.”