Judges

Judges 17: The LORD deserves faithful worship

Begin in prayer

Before we think about how the LORD alone has the right to shape our worship, let us come to Him together. Ask Him to teach us to worship by His Word and to help us see Christ, who brings sinners to worship the Father.

For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie; and they have told false dreams. They comfort in vain. Therefore they go their way like sheep. They are oppressed, because there is no shepherd.

Zechariah 10:2

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Please open our eyes to see Jesus as the way to You. Teach us to receive Your Word and honor You as You command. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Micah confesses to stealing his mother's silver and returns it, and she blesses him in the LORD's name. She dedicates the silver to the LORD, then uses part of it to have an engraved image and a molten image made. Micah establishes a house of gods, makes an ephod and household idols, and appoints his son as priest. With no king in Israel, everyone follows what is right in his own eyes. A Levite looking for a home accepts Micah's offer of silver, clothing and food to serve as his priest. Micah now expects the LORD to do him good because he has a Levite as priest.

As you read Judges 17, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The LORD alone has the right to shape His people's worship.

Micah's stolen silver returns to his mother with a confession, yet the money becomes material for idols. She speaks of dedicating it to the LORD while paying a silversmith to make an engraved image and a molten image. Micah adds an ephod and household gods, then appoints his son as priest. This is the setting for the chapter's statement that everyone follows what is right in his own eyes. God's command forbids making and serving images for worship (Exodus 20 verses 4 to 6). His appointed priesthood belongs to Aaron's sons, so hiring any Levite cannot make Micah's arrangement faithful (Numbers 3 verse 10). Micah nevertheless expects God's goodness because he now has a Levite serving as his priest. His religious confidence rests on an arrangement he has made for himself.

How does Judges 17 show us that the LORD alone has the right to shape His people's worship?

The LORD's name does not make an idol holy.

Micah's mother blesses him after his confession and dedicates her silver to the LORD. She then uses two hundred pieces to commission images (verses 2 to 4). Her religious words accompany the making of what God's command forbids (Exodus 20 verses 4 to 6).

God's rule is replaced by what seems right to people.

Micah makes his own place of worship and appoints his son as priest. All this happens when there is no king, and everyone does what is right in his own eyes (verses 5 and 6). God's commands must judge these choices, even when the people making them feel secure.

A hired Levite cannot guarantee the LORD's favor.

The traveling Levite accepts silver, clothing and food to become Micah's priest. Micah then expects the LORD to do him good because of this arrangement (verses 10 to 13). The Levite belongs to a tribe, while God's priestly appointment belongs to Aaron's sons (Numbers 3 verse 10).

Memorise

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.

Judges 17:6

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, where am I asking God to bless choices His Word condemns?

The chapter says, “Everyone did that which was right in his own eyes.” Micah's worship joins idols, a hired priest and confidence that the LORD will bless him. Calling an arrangement religious cannot make it pleasing to God.

Jesus Christ brings sinners to worship the Father in spirit and truth (John 4 verses 23 and 24). He obeyed God without sin and bore the sins of His people at the cross. He died in their place and fully accomplished their acceptance before God. He rose to life beyond death's reach and lives as their faithful Savior.

Turn from the sin you have chosen and put your trust in Jesus. Micah trusted a priest he hired, but God has given His own Son as the Priest who brings sinners near. God forgives all who approach Him through the saving work of His Son. Come to God through His Son and let His Word teach you how to worship.

Parent's note

Tell your children that religious habits cannot save them. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Explain why saying the LORD's name does not make Micah's images faithful worship. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for bringing sinners to Himself through Jesus and teaching us how to worship, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:5

Lord God, please forgive the ways we make religion suit our own desires. Show us Christ and bring us to trust His sacrifice. Teach us to hear Your Word and worship You with faithful hearts. Amen.