How False Worship Takes Root - The Idols and Ephod of Micah in Judges 17 thru 18

 

How False Worship Takes Root

The book of Judges gives us insight into the struggles of Israel as they moved into the promised land. The central theme of Judges is confusion, and failure to fulfill the mandate of YHWH to move into the territory and drive out the present inhabitants [Canaanites]. We mostly learn about what went on in those days through the exploits of the judges and deliverers, Samson, Jephthah, Gideon etc. [the Great Man Theory of history].

But at the end of the book... starting with chapter 17... you'll find a series of episodes that give a glimpse into the spiritual and moral condition of the people in the towns and villages. Today we are going to read through the first of these episodes, which is found in chapters 17 and 18. The account of Micah, Jonathan, and the warriors of Dan.

I want to focus on: how false worship takes root. I’ll itemize these as a series of “lessons”

Read on our blog 👉 https://ucgraleigh.blogspot.com/2021/12/how-false-worship-takes-root-idols-and.html

False Images of God Judges 17:1-6

From the beginning Micah is presented to us in an unfavorable light. He has stolen money from his mother. This is the sort of detail the OT writers include to show disapproval of what the person is up to. So, Micah is a thief... but that's a small thing compared to what he and his mother do next.

They melt down the metal and cast it into an idolatrous image... the phrase “cast idol” is often used in relation to making a "golden calf" [Good examples are Exodus 32 or 1 Kings 12:25-33]. In both these cases the idol made of molten metal is intended to represent YHWH. I believe this is the way it should be understood here in Judges as well. The summary provided in Judges 18:30 implies this as well.

The ephod was a special vest worn by the high priest of the tabernacle. Its function and meaning are not clearly spelled out in scripture… but they appear to be connected to the priestly activity of “inquiring of the Lord”.

Micah is not turning to other Gods... rather he is seeking to worship YHWH in false ways. Worship that 1) mixes with and mimics what the pagans are doing... 2) suits his own idea of how worship ought to be done... 3) violates YHWH's specific commands concerning acceptable worship [Exodus 20:4-6, Deuteronomy 12:29-32].

Lesson 1: false worship begins with an improper image and understanding of God.. the who, the what, the when, the where. Using a golden calf to represent YHWH typifies this problem. The modern day equivalent to this is the teaching of the trinity… which is a source of confusion that goes way beyond what God actually says.

Worship Without Unity Judges 17:5-6

Micah makes a place where he can worship in his own home [shrine], he makes a fake ephod and ordains his own son his priest. There are three major problems here:

l The proper place for him to go worship and inquire of YHWH is the tabernacle in Shiloh.

l Exodus 28 and 29 tell us only Aaron and is descendants were to be consecrated as priests. The ephod was for them to wear and no one else. The true priest of YHWH was to serve in the tabernacle located in the place God would designate

l Micah also mixes in some idols [teraphim = household gods, which are probably pagan]. These violate the 1^st commandment.

 The whole set-up appears to be a creation of his own imagination built to serve his own needs.

In making his own household religion and making his son the priest, Micah is rejecting YHWH's authority... his so called "priest" will really be subject to Micah... they want to fool themselves that they are inquiring of YHWH and seeking His will... but really they are trying to force YHWH's stamp of approval on what they do. All the while doing what the please rather than God’s will.

The phrase everyone does as he saw fit reminds us of Deuteronomy 12:9-11. YHWH gave very specific instructions: he wanted them to gather together in the place He chose. YHWH was the true king of Israel... but it says here "there was no king in Israel" at that time because people would not accept God's terms of engagement… or accept His authority. God is not your king unless you do what He says.

Lesson 2: false worship begins when we put aside God's authoritative words on how He wants things  done and replace them with our own... no matter how "Christian, or spiritual" we make stuff look if we are not doing what God clearly says to do, we are looking for trouble.

Corrupting the Ministry Judges 17:7-12

According to God's instruction the Levites were dispersed across the nation to serve the people and promote the ways of God on a local level. The Levite here has left his assignment looking for a better set-up... what we learn about him in chapter 18 confirms that he's willing to minister to whoever is the highest bidder [this approach to ministry is "the error of Balaam"]. Also, in chapter 18 we find out this Levite is a descendant of Moses… so he’s a minor celebrity!

For obvious reasons, Micah is pleased to get this Levite on board as priest. Having an actual Levite as priest will improve the credibility of this humanly devised worship of YHWH, especially a man from a prestigious family… Micah is willing to pay very well for the added prestige… and because Micah's still writing the checks his priest will be subject to him.

The whole OT system of ordination based on family lineage and the use of tithing would have the effect of making the priesthood independent of the wealthy and powerful, an not based on popularity. Churches were the members select their won minister and directly pay them have a built in conflict of interest… the United Church of God uses a system of appointment and indirect payment through tithing which avoids that conflict.

Lesson 3: false worship begins when people begin searching around for other ministers who will teach what they want to hear.

Micah also seems to think that lavishing lots of money on this project will give him favor with God. But he is wrong... praising God is nice but what God really wants is obedience [1 Samuel 15:22-23].

Lesson 4: false worship begins when lavish display and praise are used to cover over disobedience; music, decorations, facilities etc.

Dan Makes a Plan Judges 18:1-6

The men of Dan are having a hard time establishing themselves in the territory allotted to them by God [a nice parcel of land right in the middle of Israel]. At this time the people of Dan are hiding in the hills conducting guerrilla warfare against the Philistines. {A more thorough record of these troubles are found in the record of Samson's period of judgement].

So, the men of Dan send spies out to find easier pickin's somewhere else!

This seemingly trivial detail about the sending out of spies is an interesting literary allusion to further indicate disap proval of what these people were doing: just as the spies Joshua sent into Jericho ended up in a house of prostitution [Rehab's Inn]... these spies from the tribe of Dan end up in a house of spiritual prostitution... Micah's house! Judges 8:27 the use of a false ephod is specifically referred to as prostitution.

What these men of Dan are planning to do is not part of the commission God gave them. God had spelled out the lands they were given, told them He would support them, and commanded them to go forth. But... they are struggling... mostly through their own lack of faithfulness towards God [as noted in the record of Samson]... and so, Dan comes up with an alternate plan.

Just as Micah's household shrine sought the appearance of credibility through installing a high profile   Levite as priest... the Danites seek the authority and blessing of this illegitimate priest. Using his bogus ephod and assorted teraphim idols he tells them "God is with you"… which I’m sure pleased the men of Dan!

Note: this proclamation by a false priest should not be accepted as a record of YHWH's actual approval of their plan... rather based on the circumstances it should be seen as activity which the scriptures disapprove!

Lesson 5: false worship [false teaching] begins when someone has already decided in their heart what they want to do... then goes looking for some sort of proof that its God's will. Once again, this could be:

l searching about for a self proclaimed minister who agrees...

l perhaps plucking some proof text from the bible… taking it out of context… and using it to validate a plan you already had in mind...

l example of fasting?

Adding to God's Commands Judges 18:11-25

The warriors of Dan set out to attack and take over Laish which is at the very northern tip of the promised land. To my eyes it appears to be territory outside the lands God promised Israel [refer to map].  

Sidon is usually mentioned as a way of indicating the norther border of the promised land {Sidon basically corresponds to modern day Lebanon].  There is one verse in Joshua mentioning Sidon that could be read as including them among the people to be driven out… but I think the matter is debatable.  

According to Judges 1:31 Asher was supposed to drive out any Sidonians in their territory but the land of the Sidonians to the north is not included in the lands promised to Israel. All things considered… what the men of Dan were doing was on the fringes… the main point is THIS WAS NOT PART OF THEIR COMMISSION…. instead of fulfilling their original mandate [which was down in the middle of the promised land] they went somewhere else.

Notice also that the Levite who Micah installed as priest is pleased to go where the money and prestige are.

This whole project cooked up  by the Danites is cast in a very negative way by the writer who put the book of Judges together.

Lesson 6: false worship [and teaching] begin when we add to what God has commanded with concepts and ideas of our own imagination. I believe more deception and error is created by "adding" to God's word than by "taking away". Although both are wrong.

Judges 18:27-31 

The scripture emphasizes that the people of Laish are "peaceful and unsuspecting”, isolated from the powerful towns, secure, and prosperous. The description makes them sound like the innocent victims who are treated badly by the vicious warriors of Dan.

Another possible indication that what the warriors of Dan were up to was problematic is the conspicuous absence of any reference to God's influence, guidance, or presence with these people when the attacked Laish… the only guidance they get is from the false priest who is mixing idolatry in with look-alike copies of true YHWH worship.

The summarizing statements about this episode is that the false worship and the false priesthood set up in Laish… were the precursor to the "sins of Jeroboam" who divided the kingdom after the days of king Solomon, formally instituted the image of the golden calf, changed the dates of God’s appointed feast, and appointed a completely bogus priesthood filled by men who were looking for easy money.

Here is where we learn that he Levite in question here happens to be one of the grandsons of Moses...

Conclusion:

Dan's false worship center was done in defiance of God... it was a system of human design... human reasoning from start to finish... and so it is with most false worship and false teaching.

False worship stems from a false understanding of who and what God is… from replacing god’s instructions with ideas of our own… from searching for ministry who will tel us what we want to hear… from substituting lavish display for obedience… from using scripture to validate ideas of our own imagination… and from adding to what God says

From beginning to end God’s word tells us to be alert and on guard against false worship and false teaching. I hope this helps.