Sun.’s Devo - In Their Own Eyes

Read: Judges 17:1-18:31; John 3:1-21; Psalm 104:1-23; Proverbs 14:20-21
As a mother, I can’t help but see the error of Micah’s mother. She had put a curse on whoever stole her 1,100 pieces of silver. Her son stole money from her and lied to her. When he confessed his error and gave it back, instead of punishing him or taking away the curse, she honored him, making one of his son’s her personal priest. She made an idol of some of the silver.
They had no king which also meant they had no one to enforce a standard, so they did whatever they thought was right.
This idol became Dan’s downfall which is probably why the tribe of Dan is left out in the book of Revelation when they are listing the tribes. Dan was the first tribe to fall into idolatry in the promised land and build their own idol.
When a young Levite passed through, Micah asked him to stay and be their priest, just because he was a Levite. I want to know why he had left Bethlehem and why he was traveling alone.
When the scouts from the tribe of Dan discovered him and all his priestly things, they asked him if their journey would be successful. He didn’t offer a sacrifice or even stop to ask God, he just answered “Go in peace, for the Lord is watching over your journey.” It sounded more like the reading of a fortune cookie.
They didn’t go in peace. They took 600 men and returned, robbing Micah of his priest and his idol, so his mothers curse found him. The men of Dan went down to the town of Laish and killed everyone, burning the town to the ground.
Interestingly, they didn’t appoint Micah’s priest to be their priest but instead appointed Jonathan, a Gershomite, as their priest and worshipped Micah’s idol.
Both of our scriptures in the Old and New Testament begin with, “There was a man named…” But, the lives of Micah and Nicodemus ended much differently. Nicodemus was a leader of the Pharisees who realized Jesus was a Rabbi and anointed by God. Jesus explained to Nicodemus that it wasn’t enough to know the law, but you must be born again in your spirit.
Jesus saw the hunger in Nicodemus and spent time teaching him about the kingdom of God. Jesus is the good Shepherd who knows whose are his and he knew that Nicodemus was his even if Nicodemus didn’t know at the time.
Lord, thank you for the patience you have for your children. You lead us in our ways of righteousness for your name sake. Thank you that you are our perfect High Priest. Help us to see things through Your eyes.