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APPENDICES
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25
Judges 17:1-6

Hosea 4:6-10

 

“…because thou has
rejected knowledge,

I will also reject thee…”

 

APPENDICES
 
The final five chapters (17-21) of the book of Judges do not highlight the work of any judge or man that God used, but rather, give a general view and understanding of life during the times of the judges. We are going to consider them as appendices before looking at the life of Samuel the last judge. These appendices highlight for us the reality of a failed nation and system. Some of the issues were raised in the introductory parts as we considered the times of the judges. The first of the two appendices (Judges 17-18) presents to us the failure in the domestic system. What ought to be remembered and taken into account is that the religion of Israel was one that permeated every aspect of their lives, and so the failure of the domestic system was also a failure of the religious life (since religion and the fear of the LORD was to be taught at home).
 
“…And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son” (Judg 17:2). This family is introduced to us in the middle of an ongoing crisis in which a large amount of money had been stolen. The story begins with the identification of the thief, Micah, who confessed to stealing from his own mother. The confession was most likely predicated on the curse that the mother had cast upon the loss of the money. But the events that followed the confession and restoration of the amount reveal that the family was devoid of any spiritual understanding. First, the mother seemed to seek to reverse the curse by pronouncing a blessing on her son and making a graven image. Second, the mother said, “I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD” (Judg 17:3), and yet when the silver was restored, only 200 out of a total of 1,100 were used for the graven and molten images. The lack of the fear of God is clear in this domestic picture. Stealing, making of graven images and the taking of the name of the LORD in vain are expressly forbidden by the LORD. The history of the nation and the golden calf incident could not have been so soon forgotten and, as such, the actions and events clearly evidence the ignorance of this family as to the ways of the LORD.
 
THOUGHT: Man’s problems stem from rejection of Wisdom.
PRAYER: Father, grant me wisdom and understanding that I may live godlily.

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