WEEK 12 HOMEWORK · ©2020 Ken Miller Momentum, a ministry of Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas 76107 WEEK 12: Judges 17-18 Everyone Did What Was Right in His Own Eyes:

©2020 Ken Miller Momentum, a ministry of Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas 76107

WEEK 12 HOMEWORK

• Read Judges 19-21 These final three chapters will bring the book of Judges to a close, and it is going to end on a rather somber and disturbing note. They contain one of the most disturbing stories found in the entire Bible. If we had to issue a viewer rating, it would be R for sexual content and graphic depictions of violence. It is important to remember that this story takes place before the period of the judges. The people of Israel have conquered the majority of the land of promise, with the help of Joshua. But he has since died and, as the book records in chapter two, “the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord” (Judges 2:11 ESV). - Look at verse 1 of chapter 19. Why does Samuel raise this point yet again? What is the

significance of Israel having no king?

- Read Isaiah 43:15. When Samuel states that the Israelites had no king, what is the real indictment he is making against them?

- Read Judges 19:1-9. What do you see going on in this story that sheds light on the spiritual state of the people involved?

- In verses 10-21, we have the story of the man and his concubine seeking refuge in the Israelite city of Gibeah. According to verses 22-30, what happens during their stay in Gibeah?

- Once again, what does this reveal about the spiritual condition of the nation of Israel at this time? What kinds of characteristics mark the people of God?


• Chapter 19 ends with the Levite dismembering the body of his dead concubine and sending the severed parts to the various tribes of Israel. According to verse 30 of chapter 19, what was the conclusion of all the people when they received the “package” and the news of what had happened in Gibeah?

- Chapter 20:1-17 records the tribes of Israel banding together to bring justice for the slain concubine by demanding the deaths of the perpetrators. But the tribe of Benjamin refuses to turn over the culprits. This results in a civil war. According to verse 18 of chapter 20, what did the people of Israel do right?

- Why is this an important point?

- Compare Judges 20:18 with Judges 1:1-2. What do these two passages reveal about the tribe of Judah?

- Read Genesis 49:8-10. According to Jacob’s blessing on his son, Judah, what is going to set his descendants apart? See Revelation 5:5.

- Read Judges 20:24-28. In what ways do these verses provide a slim ray of hope in the darkness that makes up the book of Judges?

- Verses 45-48 provide the summary of the civil war between the tribe of Benjamin and the rest of the Israelites. How devastating do you think all this was to the people of God?

• Chapter 21 seems to show the 11 other tribes trying to rectify what had happened as a

result of their defeat of the Benjaminites. But in what ways was their solution worse than the problem?


WEEK 12: Judges 17-18 Everyone Did What Was Right in His Own Eyes: When the godly become God-less

• The Israelites: God’s chosen people

- This entire book is about the Israelites - The chosen people of God

Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation. – Exodus 19:5-6 NLT

- But their lives were marked by godlessness

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. – Judges 21:25 ESV

• No King - They had repeatedly rejected God as their King - And they had been doing so for years

…they have rejected me from being king over them… – 1 Samuel 8:7 ESV

…today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, ‘Set a king over us.’” – 1 Samuel 10:19 ESV

- Without God as King, everyone did what was right in their own eyes - This is the key to understanding the book of Judges - The inverse would be: “Everyone did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord” - And it was wide-spread - That is the message of chapters 17-21


In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. – 17:6 In those days there was no king in Israel. – 18:1 In those days, when there was no king in Israel. – 19:1 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. – 21:25

- Judges 17 picks up where Judges 1 left off - These five chapters are not in chronological order - Samuel rewinds the narrative back to the beginning of the book

The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain. – Judges 1:34 ESV

- He provides an up-close and personal look at just how bad things were before the first judge appeared

- These chapters establish why God had to send judges in the first place Judges 17-18 – Covers what happened to the tribe of Dan Dan represent the northern kingdom of Israel Judges 19-21 – Involves the fate of the tribe of Benjamin Benjamin represent the southern kingdom of Judah


• Judges 17: A Quick Overview - Micah is a Jew living in Ephraim - He steals 1100 pieces of silver from his mother - She issues a curse on the thief - In fear, Micah confesses and returns the loot - His mother tries to counteract the curse by pronouncing a blessing - Micah returns the silver and his mother dedicates it ALL to God - But with 200 of the pieces she has an idol made - Micah set it up in his home, complete with a shrine and other household gods - Then he appoints his own son to be his priest - One day a young Levite shows up - Micah convinces him to accept the job as his personal priest - And Micah assumes that all is well because he has a Levite for his priest

And the Levite was content to dwell with the man, and the young man became to him like one of his sons. And Micah ordained the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. Then Micah said, “Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest.” – Judges 17:11-13 ESV

• Judges 18: A Quick Overview In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the people of Dan was seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell in, for until then no inheritance among the tribes of Israel had fallen to them. So the people of Dan sent five able men from the whole number of their tribe, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to explore it. – Judges 18:1-2 ESV - The Danites send out five men to spy out a new homeland - They discover the Levite living with Micah - They ask the “godless” priest for “godly” insight - Encouraged by his words, they travel 125 miles and find the land of Laish - They liked what they saw, so they returned home with the news - They eventually return with 600 armed men - They stop by Micah’s house and steal his idols and his priest - Micah attempts to stop them, but walks away empty handed - The Danites return to Laish which they ransack and burn to the ground - They rename it Dan and set up Micah’s false gods there

• The Descent of Dan: A Tribe on a Downward Trend

And the people of Dan set up the carved image for themselves, and Jonathan the son of Gershom, son of Moses, and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the day of the captivity of the land. So they set up Micah's carved image that he made, as long as the house of God was at Shiloh. – Judges 18:30-31 ESV - What’s wrong with this story? Everything!


o Micah was a thief o His mother was syncretistic o He proves to be completely idolatrous o The Levite was disobedient

§ He was probably too young to be a priest § He was not living in a Levite city § He was motivated by greed and gain § He abandoned Yahweh for false gods

o Micah mistook a priest for the presence of God - The Danites had rejected their land allotment - They were operating outside of God’s will - They were idolatrous - They were out of touch with God

“God has given it into your hands!” - 18:10 - They were thieves and murderers - And they did what was evil in the eyes of God

• The Decay of a People: A Sober and Sad End to the Story

- Samuel finally reveals the Levite’s name: Jonathan Yĕhownathan – From Yĕhovah (Jehovah) and nathan (to give) Literally: “Jehovah has given” o But Jonathan had…

…taken liberties with his Levitical role …robbed God of glory through idolatry …hijacked the hearts of the Danites

- We also get his heritage: He is a descendant of Moses - Israel was unhappy with all the God had given

o They were marked by ingratitude o They were characterized by unfaithfulness o They were addicted to disobedience o They were prone to godlessness o And they were destined to suffer the consequences

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: • As God’s chosen people, what are some ways in which our lives can be marked by

ingratitude, characterized by unfaithfulness, addicted to disobedience, and prone to godlesness?

• Of all the bad decisions made in this story, which one(s) stand out to you and why? • Go back and read Exodus 19:5-6. Discuss the ways in which Israel failed to live up to their

calling?

Documents

WEEK 12 HOMEWORK · ©2020 Ken Miller Momentum, a ministry of Christ Chapel Bible Church, Fort Worth, Texas 76107 WEEK 12: Judges 17-18 Everyone Did What Was Right in His Own Eyes: