Judg 17

Devotion 1 of 1: Judg 17

The Dark Ages of the book of Judges begins from this chapter. A man named Micah steals 1100 shekels of silver from his mother, but then returns it (v.1-2). The mother says she had dedicated the silver to the Lord for her son (v.3a). But the next sentence is shocking. She said it was for making a carved image and a molded image (v.3b)!
The darkness is there because “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (v.6). And it deepens when a Levite from Bethlehem joins Micah’s household and becomes his priest (v.7-13). This setup is completely wrong because Levites were to live in certain towns designated for them. Furthermore, priests were to minister in the tabernacle, not in individual homes.
This can be a picture of what happened to Christianity during the Dark Ages. Images, money, priests, ephods (priestly garments), etc., were used for building a man-centered organization rather than the body of Christ. Israel plunged into blackness as did the church in Medieval Times.
Let’s realize that God is a God of Restoration and has promised in Amos 9:11-12 and Acts 3:19-21 that He will restore the church out of darkness into His light. Let’s thank Him for His wonderful plan for the endtime!

JOHN 3: Free sharing!
Jesus meets and talks with Nicodemus in this chapter. This can be a picture to us of the need to talk with older Christians or those who belong in older Christian denominations who are hungry to learn to help them to understand God’s endtime plan of revival.
One lesson to learn is found in Nicodemus’ words in v.2, “We know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” If we are truly following God’s will in believing in an endtime revival and believing that God is restoring the church to become the glorious LDC, then there should be signs from God that show He is with us!
Let’s seek God for His presence and signs to accompany us so we can help both unbelievers and believers to find God’s will for their lives.