April 3 – Judges 18:7-20

April 3 – Judges 18:7-20

Then the five men departed and came to Laish and saw the people who were there, how they lived in security, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and unsuspecting, lacking nothing that is in the earth and possessing wealth, and how they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with anyone. And when they came to their brothers at Zorah and Eshtaol, their brothers said to them, “What do you report?” They said, “Arise, and let us go up against them, for we have seen the land, and behold, it is very good. And will you do nothing? Do not be slow to go, to enter in and possess the land. 10 As soon as you go, you will come to an unsuspecting people. The land is spacious, for God has given it into your hands, a place where there is no lack of anything that is in the earth.”

11 So 600 men of the tribe of Dan, armed with weapons of war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol, 12 and went up and encamped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. On this account that place is called Mahaneh-dan to this day; behold, it is west of Kiriath-jearim. 13 And they passed on from there to the hill country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.

14 Then the five men who had gone to scout out the country of Laish said to their brothers, “Do you know that in these houses there are an ephod, household gods, a carved image, and a metal image? Now therefore consider what you will do.” 15 And they turned aside there and came to the house of the young Levite, at the home of Micah, and asked him about his welfare. 16 Now the 600 men of the Danites, armed with their weapons of war, stood by the entrance of the gate. 17 And the five men who had gone to scout out the land went up and entered and took the carved image, the ephod, the household gods, and the metal image, while the priest stood by the entrance of the gate with the 600 men armed with weapons of war. 18 And when these went into Micah's house and took the carved image, the ephod, the household gods, and the metal image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” 19 And they said to him, “Keep quiet; put your hand on your mouth and come with us and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one man, or to be priest to a tribe and clan in Israel?” 20 And the priest's heart was glad. He took the ephod and the household gods and the carved image and went along with the people.


Here we see the Danites choose Laish for expansion because they found it to be a safe and prosperous area. They gathered an army of 600 men to take possession of the area. On their way, the men take Micah’s shrines for themselves.  Further, the Levite goes with them.

This is a sad example of greed, idolatry, and even a threat.  It’s easy to think, those foolish people!  Yet, sometimes we act in similar manners.  Take time to consider how you spend your time and money or what you consider important.  Are we faithful to study God’s Word?  Do we give selflessly of our time, money and resources? What distracts us from serving God and working to seek and follow God’s will.  Spend time considering what is most important to you and ask God to reveal what other matters are keeping you from being “full in” for Christ.


Heavenly Father,

How sad it is when we choose be prosperous rather than righteous.  The enemy knows how to get our attention away from You, Father.  How quickly my head can turn when something catches my eye.  Forgive me when that happens.  The desire of my heart is to stay focused on You and the plan You have for me, but I know that too many times I get distracted by the love of the world.  Help me, Father.  I am too weak.  Any strength I have comes from You.  Keep my eyes focused on truth.  You are truth.

In Jesus’ name.

Amen!           

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