May the mumbling commence!
What should be done with an idol? In those days, Israel had no king (so everyone did as they saw fit). In Judges 18, five Danite spies get the tribe of Dan into a precarious position, though the writer(s) of Judges make no comment on it (other than “In those days, Israel had no king”). Spies seem to cause no good. Why continue to use them? Read this interchange between the Danites and the Priest Micah from Judges 18:
Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land (that is, Laish) said to their comrades, "Do you know that in these buildings there are an ephod, teraphim, and an idol of cast metal? Now therefore consider what you will do." So they turned in that direction and came to the house of the young Levite, at the home of Micah, and greeted him. While the six hundred men of the Danites, armed with their weapons of war, stood by the entrance of the gate, the five men who had gone to spy out the land proceeded to enter and take the idol of cast metal, the ephod, and the teraphim. The priest was standing by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war.
When the men went into Micah's house and took the idol of cast metal, the ephod, and the teraphim, the priest said to them, "What are you doing?" They said to him, "Keep quiet! Put your hand over 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 person, or to be priest to a tribe and clan in Israel?" Then the priest accepted the offer. (Verses 14-20a)
Apparently, the Danites thought that the proper thing to do was to steal the idols. Yeah, let’s break two commandments at once – do not steal and do not worship idols. Maybe they wanted the idols because of the favorable answer the priest gave them. He wondered what they were doing. The Danites bought his silence with a better offer. Why be priest for one man when you can be priest for an entire tribe of Israel? And the priest was ready to “move it on up.” So much for loyalty to people or to the Lord!
It is the way of humanity without the influence of the Lord. Look a little further in chapter 18, and find the equation that might equals right. It, too, is the way of humanity without the influence of the true King. Read this excerpt from Judges 18:
He replied, "You take my gods that I made, and the priest, and go away, and what have I left? How then can you ask me, 'What is the matter?'"
And the Danites said to him, "You had better not let your voice be heard among us or else hot-tempered fellows will attack you, and you will lose your life and the lives of your household." Then the Danites went their way. When Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his home. (Verses 24-26)
Look at Judges 17-18. You will find no mention of the Lord at all. It is an auspicious absence. Is the Lord, our King, absent from our relations with other people? Take note. Moving up in the world at all costs is not right – neither does might make right. Might only amplifies the wrong.
Then, the chronological Bible that I am reading sends me back to Judges 3-4. In these chapters, the early pattern of disobedience and persecution and rescue is clear. I note that each time Israel strays from the Lord the time of persecution grows – from eight years to eighteen to twenty. The periods of peace due to the men (and women) that the Lord raised up to save Israel also grows – from forty years to eighty.
These people of God are called judges in most translations, but leader or messiah (lower case “m”) is as good a translation. Think about this in connection to Jesus, and you will begin to understand the Jewish people’s expectations for Jesus as Messiah (capital “M”).
I also note that the leaders that God raised up were increasingly ones that Israel would overlook. The first leader was Caleb’s nephew. He had good family connections! Then, there was Ehud, the left-handed leader. Those who are left-handed were considered evil. (I am sorry Anita.) Then, the third leader was Deborah with an assist from Jael (who violated the Middle Eastern laws of hospitality in a disturbing and brutal way). Were women fit to lead? Not in a patriarchal society?
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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