Sermon Title: Counterfeit gods
Scripture: Judges 18:27-31 (NIV)
Contributed by Wade Pursell
In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. —Judges 17:6
In recent weeks we have seen external threats to Israel’s security and the leaders God raised up to rescue them. In chapters 17 and 18 the focus shifts to the internal state of the nation and the religious and moral decay that was weakening it from within. This week we meet a man named Micah and his mother who seem to have no idea of what being Israelites is supposed to look like. As we read on in the story, it becomes clear that these two individuals, Micah and his mother, are representative of Israel in that day.
First let’s summarize the story. Micah steals from his mother and his mother blesses her son supposedly for admitting that he stole it. Then she said, “I solemnly consecrate my silver to the Lord for my son to make an image overlaid with silver… she took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to a silversmith, who used them to make the idol. And it was put in Micah’s house” (17:3-4). Micah builds a shrine with idols, an ephod, and household gods used for divination and then he chose one of his own sons to preside as priest. When a roaming Levite comes along, Micah deposes his son and pays the Levite to live in the family and perform rituals. The Israelite tribe of Dan enters the story. They are not content with the allotment of land given them so they look for another land to take over. The Danites have Micah’s Levite do a little divination, they steal Micah’s shrine of idols, and then convince the Levite to go with them, leaving Micah to proclaim, “what else do I have?” (18:24).
How many of God’s express commandments have been broken so far? There is stealing, creating and worshiping graven images, a non-Levite installed as a priest, a disconnected Levite out on his own, divination, the discontent of the Danites, more stealing, murder “a*gainst a people at peace and secure*” (18:27), and so many more. When the Danites were resettled, “they continued to use the idol Micah had made, all the time the house of God was in Shiloh” (18:31).
Judges 17 and 18 are full of religious words, objects, activities and people, but none of it is consistent with God’s Law as ordained for His chosen people. They have made up their own religious approach to God. For example, because of the shrine Micah says, “now I know that the Lord will be good to me,” (17:13) and the Levite is “very pleased” to trade his “priesthood” over one man’s household for a “tribe and clan” (18:20). They have forgotten the Lord their God, because “In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes” (17:6 NLT). We shouldn’t be surprised by the tragedy in these chapters. Anytime a person or a tribe places his faith in a self-made shrine (18:24) rather than in the Living God, we know the story won’t end well. The presence of God cannot be stolen.
Religion is natural, deep and intrinsic in our humanity. God has placed an awareness of his existence in each human being along with a great hunger to connect with him. That is why religion is universal and so chaotic. Experts have estimated that there are between 4,000 and 10,000 religions worldwide! All of them, in unique ways, are generally attempting to reach out to the God they are aware of but do not know. They all have their own ‘means’ of human effort that hopes to ‘earn’ God’s favor. Sadly, they all end tragically as Micah’s homemade religion ended.
Christianity is NOT a religion as defined by those terms. We are incapable of doing anything to ‘earn the favor’ of a holy, righteous and perfect God. But there is Good News. Paul tells us, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ…” (2 Cor 5:18). There is no other way, no religion, that ‘gets us’ to God but Jesus.
Consider—
╬ Are you trying to earn favor with God through things you do (or don’t do)? Rest in the truth that He loves you more than you can ever imagine and your works can’t cause Him to love you any more. AND your mistakes can’t cause Him to love you any less.
╬ The only thing we ‘do’ to know God’s favor is believe in the power of the cross and the empty tomb. During Lent, refresh your heart and life by submitting to Him and His Word.
╬ Father, Son and Holy Spirit, forgive me when I forget the truth of Jesus’ precious words from the cross – “it is finished.” There is nothing more that I have to do to earn your favor. Show me the idols in my heart and life that I trust more than the all-encompassing love of God through Christ the Son, and by the Spirit of Truth. It is in Jesus’ precious name that we pray. Amen.