Judges 18
Chapter 18 continues with Micah, his priest and his place of worship. I think it is interesting that chapter 18 begins with “there was no king in Israel.” On the surface, it should be obvious there is no king because a series of people had been judging Israel.
On a deeper level, “no king” had layers. There was no leader. There was no mission. Complacency and mediocrity ran wild. The Israelites wandered down the path that seemed best. The rest of the chapter focuses on the wandering of the tribe of Dan, who is looking for their specific place in Israel.
As I read through this chapter, I wrote down four questions.
How did the Danites recognize the voice of the young Levite? The text doesn’t give us any further details about the recognition, and I wondered if there was an accent or specific nuances to his language that signaled him to be a Levite. There was a commonality between the Danites and the young Levite that include their identity and purpose. How do you and I recognize the voice of God when we are close to it? In Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation, Ruth Haley Barton wrote that a person continually hears three voices – ours, God’s and the enemies. It is our job to spend enough time with God to know when we hear his voice and when the enemy is trying to deceive us. I believe silence is an important spiritual discipline that allows us to hear God’s voice better. Take some time to silence the noise around you and listen for God.
Did the Danites inquire of the priest because of his family or his personal reputation? I think it’s important that we invite others to seek God on our behalf and allow others to walk through life with us. I think it is equally important that we are very careful in the selection of those people. When I invite another person to walk through a spiritual situation with me, it is because their person walk with Christ can help me press forward in my walk with Christ. Be careful! Church attendance does not automatically indicate that a person is walking with Christ well. Church leader or pastor does not automatically indicate the same thing, it should but does not always.
Did the Danites what to find a purpose that could keep them in isolation? In verse 7, the Danites found a place that would allow security and had no dealings with anyone. When Jesus is the king of our life, he gives us a mission and purpose. Our mission always includes touching the lives of other people. Further, our mission often calls us away from our comfort and security. If you have found yourself to be in isolation, break the cycle. Ask God to pull you out the self-security you have created and get around other people. That is the place where there is mission and purpose.
Did the Danites miss a blessing because they took what belonged to another group? The Danites took their new home by force because it looked good and was appealing to their senses. It wasn’t a gift. Additionally, they took images and a priest that belonged to Micah. Forcing a situation to change before it is time might bring a temporary gladness, but the long-term blessing could have look quite differently. Stick to the mission God has placed on you. If you aren’t living in God’s mission, I encourage you to find the path God has for you.