Judges 18:1-20

Judges 18:1-6
The disaster of Micah’s idols spills out beyond one family and one Levite priest. Note the refrain of these chapters is repeated in v. 1.


The tribe of Dan has failed to gain its inheritance, they are searching though the land looking for somewhere to call home. The come across Micah’s house and the priest, the seek the Lord’s will from him and are given the kind of guidance they would be pleased to receive. However, contaminated by Micah’s idols nothing will work out well for them.

Judges 18:7-10
The five Danite spies find an unsuspecting group, poorly defended and return to the main body of the tribe reporting success.


The appearance of success can be deceitful, no doubt they think they are on the right road with God blessing them.

Is this not a failing that often falls upon us? We believe that success is the only measure of whether the Lord is pleased with us, whether the Lord is guiding our labours. We can be 'apparently' successful while living in great disobedience. This is not to advise against success, we rightly pray for the Lord to bless our labours in his service, but we need a wider perspective on his blessing than merely what is successful.
 
Judges 18:11-20
As the tribe of Dan go off to defeat this unsuspecting people they pass by the house of Micah. The five spies tell of the worship centre and idols they have seen.


The whole tribe turns aside to see this, and having seen they lay hold of these false idols to take them for their own. And the false priest, proving faithless towards Micah runs down the road after his useless idols. It started in stealing and comes to stealing again. What a mess!
From one man and his idols we now have a whole tribe entrapped in false worship. Do we heed this warning?