Day 75 - Judges 17-18, Psalm 74, Psalm 75

During Judges 17, Isreal had no King. The people did as they pleased. This chapter is about a man named Micah from Ephraim. This chapter shows many layers of spiritual corruption. First, Micah steals silver from his mother. Later, he returns it, and she gives him some back to make into an idol (strictly forbidden). With the idol in place, he hires his own son to be a priest (not a Levite). When a young Levite man asks him for a place to stay, he hires him to be his priest to gain favor in God’s eyes. Everyone Did What Was Right in Their Own Eyes (Judges 17:6). Leaning on our own understanding and distancing from God, is where the corruption begins. Long story short: when you see corruption you know that there is distance from God that needs to be addressed.

During Judges 18, again Isreal had no King. The Danites were looking for a place to settle. The Danites were originally given land in the southwestern part of Israel, near the Philistines (Joshua 19:40-48), but they failed to take full control of it. They came upon Micah’s house in Ephraim. They saw he had a Levite priest, and an idol covered in silver. They took both and settled in the city of Laish, changing its name to Dan. This planted a seed of spiritual corruption that was seen for hundreds of years.

Psalm 75 reaffirms the idea that God will bring justice to our lives. Whether the justice be for our behavior or the behavior of others towards us, we can rest in knowing that God has our back.

Psalm 76 praises an impressive warrior. Through his victory he brings peace through God’s power. It is nice to know that God’s goal is always peace.