Judges 17  We are introduced to a man named Micah.  It seems that Israel is so far from God that they don't even understand right from wrong.

The first thing we learn about Micah is that he stole from his mother 1100 pieces of silver.  He heard her utter a curse about this, but when he told her that he took it, she blessed him! Then, when he returned the silver she makes this statement, " I wholly dedicate the silver from my hand to the Lord for my son to make a graven image and a molten image, and they were in the house of Micah."   
What confusion and apostasy!

Micah makes a shrine and takes his idols and sets up a place of worship.  He makes his own ephod, the holy garment meant for a priest and then to top it off, he enlists a Levite from Bethlehem to be his own priest.  He thinks he is doing so well that the Lord will bless him!

Chapter 18  For the second time these words were written, " In those days there was no king of Israel" ( 17:6; 18:1)   Because there was no king, every man " did what was right in his own eyes."  And because there was no king, the tribe of Dan decided it was finally time to find their own land.  Now, this was not true, because they had an inheritance described in Joshua 19.   They just wanted something different.  They sent 5 men out to spy out the land.  These men happened to stop by Micah's house and recognized the voice of the Levite. They asked him to inquire of the Lord for them. Whether he actually knew the Lord or not, we do not know, but he told them that they were going the right way, the way the Lord approved.  They found a quiet peaceful place with some people who were far away from others that might fight for them, and decided that they would come back and take it.

The army of Dan consisted of 600 armed men.  They headed back to Laish to take it for themselves.  They stopped back at Micah's home and took his idols, his ephod, and his priest!  When Micah came after them, he could not do anything.  For they were too strong for him.  They went to Laish and overcame it, burnt it down, rebuilt it and made it their own.  Then they set up the idols there.

This passage shows just how far the people of Israel had strayed from the Lord.  They did whatever they wanted to and called it right.   This reminds me of our own nation.  Men and women today want to call their actions right, ignoring the Word of the Lord that condemns such actions as sin.  Just because you want to live your own way and do your own thing, doesn't mean that God approves.

The Lord judges sin.  He condemns those who are wicked, those who do not keep His commandments and ignore and reject His Word.  Molten and graven images are not the only idols! Whenever men choose to worship anything except the One True God, the way that He has proscribed... they are choosing condemnation on themselves.  Israel would ultimately pay the price for their sins of idolatry.. they would go into captivity.   God will keep His Word .  He will do what He says He will do.  And that includes destruction of the wicked. 

Father in Heaven, forgive us our sins!  Turn our hearts back to the Truth and to You and bring Your Kingdom here.  Oh Lord, may our nation repent from the ways we are going.  May our leaders fall to their knees and beg forgiveness.  Break those stubborn hearts that want their own way.  It is wrong!
It is sin.   Let us recognize the Truth of Your Word.. and acknowledge You as God and King forever.
Help us we pray.  Amen.