IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Everyone Did As They Saw Fit

Date: Jan. 3, 2018

Passage

Judges 17:1-13  (ESV)

There was a man of the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah. And he said to his mother, “The 1,100 pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it.” And his mother said, “Blessed be my son by the LORD.” And he restored the 1,100 pieces of silver to his mother. And his mother said, “I dedicate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a carved image and a metal image. Now therefore I will restore it to you.” So when he restored the money to his mother, his mother took 200 pieces of silver and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into a carved image and a metal image. And it was in the house of Micah. And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and household gods, and ordained one of his sons, who became his priest. In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. And the man departed from the town of Bethlehem in Judah to sojourn where he could find a place. And as he journeyed, he came to the hill country of Ephraim to the house of Micah. And Micah said to him, “Where do you come from?” And he said to him, “I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to sojourn where I may find a place.” 10 And Micah said to him, “Stay with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year and a suit of clothes and your living.” And the Levite went in. 11 And the Levite was content to dwell with the man, and the young man became to him like one of his sons. 12 And Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. 13 Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest.”

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 17:6

1. Micah's idol and shrine (1-6)

This story interestingly begins with Micah of Ephraim stealing a large amount of silver from his mother, who then put a curse on the silver, and thus, he decides to return the silver rather than to risk the curse. His mother, in turn, blesses him and gives the silver to a silversmith to cast an idol which they put in Micah's home. He adds a shrine, an ephod, and a priesthood -- and starts his own religion. Without God, people succumb to greed, superstition, and idol worship. Without knowing the Bible or having a spiritual leader, everyone did as they saw fit (6). It was spiritual chaos.

2. Micah's priest (7-13)

When a Levite passed through Ephraim looking for a room, Micah invited him to live with him and hired him as his priest. This implies that Micah was not satisfied with his idolatry and false religion. He was looking for a shepherd to lead him to the true way of being blessed by the Lord (13).

Prayer: Lord, I repent my greed that leads me to idolatry. Help me to follow your words and grant spiritual leaders who guide us into your truth.

One Word: A dire need for the truth and shepherds

Daily Bread

Plagues of Frogs and Gnats

Exodus 8:1-19

Key Verse: 8:19

Read More

Intro Daily

Today's Question

What are we specifically taught in the first commandment by the words before me?

See answer and references