What Not to Do

Passage: Judges 17-18

Judges is a confounding book. It’s full of stories that just seem off somehow. One of the things that trips us up about Judges is that there aren’t simple ways of applying its lessons. We’re accustomed to looking for one-to-one correspondences between Bible characters and us. We read about Abraham and assume the lesson is, “Kids, be like Abraham.” This approach works less often than you might think. As you read through the Old Testament, you have a harder and harder time finding characters after whom you'd want to model your life. Judges introduces us to too many people who are just plain messed up.

Take, for example, Micah, who is introduced in Judges 17. The first thing we know about Micah is that he has recently stolen a significant amount of cash from his mother. She has just cursed the unknown thief when Micah presents himself and says, “It was me. I’ll give your money back.” His mom is so glad that she says, “As an expression of my gratitude to God, I’ll have the money made into an idol.” She does so, and before you know it Micah has a little shrine in his house. News of Micah’s shrine spreads, and travelers take to stopping by for a prayer or two. One such traveler turns out to be a Levite. Micah thinks, “What luck, my very own personal priest!” He hires the young man. His operation is almost legit.

The next group of travelers belong to the tribe of Dan. They’re out prospecting – looking for unsuspecting villages to sack. They check into the chapel to get God’s blessing on their burning and looting. Micah’s Levite takes one look at the raiding party’s swords and brass knuckles, and says, “Go in peace – everything’s going to go your way.”

They go on their way, all the while thinking, “Hey, we could use a shrine and priest. We’ll have to stop back in here on our way to the raid.” So they do. When they come back with their army, the Danites steal Micah’s idols and his priest. Incensed, Micah runs after them; threatens them with violence. But, as they have established, they’re better equipped for violence than Micah. He recognizes that he’s outclassed, and turns back, defeated.

So what in the world is the point of the story? If we place it in the broader narrative of Judges, we recognize that the story of Micah’s idols is full of examples of the way Israelite society has deteriorated. Micah, his mother, the Levite and the Danites cling to fragments of true faith in God – a phrase here; an idea there. They refer to “Yahweh” (or, “the LORD” in our translation), the one true God. They ask “the LORD’s” guidance and blessing. At the same time they build shrines to idols made of silver. Micah remembers that the Levites are set apart as God’s special servants. Micah genuinely believes that putting a Levite to work in his pagan shrine will legitimize it. The Danites ask this sham Levite to speak to them on God’s behalf. They all believe God is speaking when he pronounces blessing on their mission – to slaughter a village of unsuspecting Israelites.

The point of all this is that God isn’t in any of it. The author cautions us to look carefully for signs of God’s presence and absence. In this story, the characters may belong to God’s historic people. They may even know some of the religious lingo and lore of God’s people. But they are in no way, shape or form living as God’s people. They have effectively ceased to be God’s people.

If you wish to locate yourself in this story; if you wish to apply the lesson of Judges 17-18 to your life, do the following: Examine your language and habits for the religious lingo and lore of God’s historic people. Do you talk about God? Do you invoke God’s name? Do you ask God to bless and guide you? If so, do you do this selectively? Do you ask God to bless desires and designs that are, in fact, at odds with what God wants for his people and his world? Do you belong to a community of people who ask for God’s approval and blessing, but are unwilling to commit their lives to him? God’s people cease to be God’s people when their religious life is reduced to lingo and empty ritual. God wants a relationship. God wants you. All of you. Judges is a warning against empty religion and trying to maintain commitments to multiple gods. It’s an ever-unfolding lesson in what not to do.