The False Religion of Dan

Judges 17:1-13; 18:1-31

INTRODUCTION: In this lesson, a false religion is born. It is born of greed and opportunism. It mixes some elements of true religion with rank idolatry. It is a malady of those who have left the true teachings of the word far behind. God’s people always need to beware of the mixing of truth and error.

1. MICAH MAKES A HOUSE OF GODS (17:1-6)
   1. Micah Restores the Stolen Money (v.1-2)
      1. He lived in mount Ephraim (v.1)
      2. He had stolen 1100 shekels of silver (v.2; compare Judges 16:5); to understand the great value of this silver, consider that the Levite agreed to ten shekels of silver a year as his salary (v.10)
      3. His mother had cursed concerning the theft (v.2)
      4. He admitted his theft to his mother (v.2)
      5. He received a blessing from his mother (v.2); as a rule curses in the Old Testament cannot be removed by a blessing (see Esau in Genesis 27:33-35)

   2. Micah’s Mother Makes Images (v.3-4)
      1. His mother had dedicated the silver to the Lord (v.3)
      2. She offers to give it unto Micah (v.3)
      3. Micah insists on restoring the money (v.4)
      4. His mother makes two images with 200 shekels (v.4); what happened to the other 900 shekels?
         1. A graven image (carved out of wood, etc.)
         2. A molten image (formed from molten metal)

   3. Micah Establishes a False Religion (v.5-6)
      1. He makes a house of gods (v.5)
      2. He makes an ephod (v.5)
      3. He makes teraphim (v.5); human-shaped images, sometimes quite small
      4. He makes a priest of one of his sons (v.5)
      5. He does right in his own eyes (v.6) ; key passage – compare with Judges 18:1; 19:1; 21:25

2. MICAH TAKES A LEVITE AS PRIEST (17:7-13)
   1. A Levite Seeks a Place (v.7-8)
      1. He wanders from Bethlehem-Judah (v.7)
      2. He seeks to find a place (v.8)
      3. He journeys to mount Ephraim (v.8)

   2. Micah Makes the Levite an Offer (v.9-10)
      1. Micah questions the Levite (v.9)
      2. Micah offers him a position (v.10); he is an hireling (John 10:12-13)
         1. A place to dwell
         2. A position as father and priest (see Matthew 23:9)
         3. An income of ten shekels of silver a year
         4. A suit of apparel
         5. A supply of food

   3. The Levite Stays with Micah (v.11-13)
      1. The Levite accepts the offer (v.11)
      2. Micah consecrates him as priest (v.12)
      3. Micah expects the Lord to bless his choice (v.13); similar to Israel expecting a victory because they brought out the ark of the covenant (1Samuel 4:3-7)

3. THE DANITES SEEK A NEW INHERITANCE (18:1-10)
   1. They Send Spies to the North (v.1-2)
      1. To seek a new inheritance (v.1)
      2. Five men of valor (v.2)
      3. To the house of Micah (v.2)

   2. The Spies are Blessed by Micah’s Priest (v.3-6)
      1. They recognize the voice of the Levite (v.3)
      2. The Levite explains his position (v.3-4)
      3. The Danites ask counsel of the Levite (v.5)
      4. The Levite sends them in peace (v.6)

   3. The Spies Discover the City of Laish (v.7-10)
      1. They find the quiet people of Laish (v.7)
      2. They bring good report to their brethren (v.8-10)

4. THE DANITES STEAL MICAH’S GODS (18:11-26)
   1. They Come to Mount Ephraim (v.11-13)
      1. With 600 men of war (v.11)
      2. They pitch in Kirjathjearim (v.12)
      3. They come to the house of Micah (v.13)

   2. They Take the Gods of Micah (v.14-18)
      1. The allure of Micah’s gods (v.14)
      2. They approach the house of the Levite (v.15-16)
      3. They steal the gods of Micah (v.17-18)

   3. They Take the Levite to be their Priest (v.19-21)
      1. They offer the Levite a better deal (v.19)
      2. The Levite goes with them (v.20)
      3. They put their children and cattle in safety (v.21)

   4. They Repel Micah with Threats (v.22-26)
      1. Micah pursues after the Danites (v.22)
      2. Micah accuses them of stealing his gods (v.23-24)
      3. The Danites threaten Micah and his family (v.25)
      4. Micah fails to recover his gods (v.26)

5. THE DANITES TAKE LAISH IN THE NORTH (18:27-31)
   1. They Defeated the City of Laish (v.27)
      1. They found Laish quiet and secure
      2. They smote the city with the sword
      3. They burned the city with fire

   2. They Built the City of Dan (v.28-29)
      1. They found it a place of safety (v.28)
      2. They built a city for themselves (v.28)
      3. They gave it the name of Dan (v.29)

   3. They Set up the Graven Image (v.30-31)
      1. They set up the image of Micah (v.30)
      2. They established the priesthood of Jonathan (v.30)
      3. They rivaled the true tabernacle in Shiloh (v.31; 1Samuel 1:9)

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