READING FOR FEBRUARY 17, 2025: JUDGES 18, MATTHEW 11, PSALM 8 JUDGES 18 Micah, the hired Levite, and the Tribe of Dan, and their false religion.
This is complicated. In Joshua 19:41-46, the original allotment for the Tribe of Dan is described. Cities listed include Zorah, Eshtaol, Gibbethon, and Jehud (see southwest corner of map). For some reason, that allotment did not work out for them, and they were searching for another homeland. While five Danite men were spying out land, they ran across Micah’s Levite priest. They asked this fake priest for a word of guidance from the Lord. The fake priest said keep looking. When they reached Laish (northeast), they noticed good land and peaceful residents living near no powerful oppressors or allies. The Danite spies returned to their tribe and convinced them that it was God’s will for them to conquer Laish. (It wasn’t.) Enroute to take the land, they again stopped at Micah’s house. There they took his idols and made his priest a better offer. Micah pursued the Danites but realized they were too strong to defeat. When they reached Laish, they burned it and killed its unsuspecting residents. They renamed the city Dan and set up Micah’s idols for them to worship. What began with a son stealing silver from his mother ended up in the idolatry of an entire tribe. Such is the power of sin to spread evil and to separate from God.
MATTHEW 11 After Jesus sent out his disciples to various cities, Jesus went to these same cities to support the effort by preaching and teaching, likely in the local synagogues (13:54). His great advance man, John the Baptist, by now was in prison. John sent some of his disciples to double check to see if Jesus really was the promised Messiah. Jesus responded by telling them to report exactly what they saw, which was exactly what was prophesized in Isaiah 35:5 and 61:1.
Jesus used the Bible to respond to John the Baptist here, just as when responding to Satan, the Pharisees, and many others. Roger Nicole, a famous Swiss theologian, commented that about 10% of Jesus’s words in the Gospels are either allusions to or direct quotations from the Bible. If we wish to conform to the life of Jesus, we would be wise to do likewise as appropriate. Jesus then offers John the Baptist an astounding tribute, calling him more than a prophet and as great as any man who ever lived up until then. After that upmost complement, he
READINGS FOR FEBRUARY 17, 2025 CONTINUED: MATTHEW 11, PSALM 8 immediately says the least in the kingdom is greater than John. How could both statements be true? Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost might provide a clue: “Repent and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). The indwelling of the Holy Spirt, available to believers on Pentecost, was not available in this same sense to John the Baptist before Jesus rose from death. It is available to us today when we belong to Jesus through faith (Rom. 8: 9-11).
Another shocking statement by Jesus is His saying that John the Baptist is Elijah. Does Jesus believe in reincarnation, just like the actress Shirley MacLaine and adherents of Eastern mysticism? The angel of the Lord explains this to Zacharias in Luke 1:17. John came in the spirit and power of Elijah and indeed was the fulfillment about Elijah’s coming to precede Jesus (Malachi 4:5-6). So, we should be really humble in our expectations about how God will fulfill his promises to us about the future. Jesus goes on to say that God often does the very opposite of what we expect. Fully believe in His promises. Trust Him with the details.
Jesus provides interesting information about levels of judgment for cities based upon their response to the amount of God’s activity/truth they witnessed/heard. Since we are studying the entire Bible, a really good thing, keep in mind we will be accountable for how we obey all His Word when we stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10). Some great news for us, though, is we don’t have to be geniuses. Just believe what the Lord shows us in His Word (Matt.11:25-27). Unlike the many silly rules the Pharisees added, Jesus’s burden is light, and yoke is easy. Walking with Jesus is totally doable for any who desires to follow Him. It’s a joy!
PSALM 8 The Psalmist begins by saying the Lord, who made a stunning universe the size of millions of light-years, is also our personal Lord. He is expansive beyond belief yet closer to us than our breath, if we have confessed Him as our Lord and obey HIs Word. (Of course, we can always do our own thing, if we think we know better.) In God’s wonderful plan, the babbling of little babies stops the efforts of our evil enemy. Jesus took this statement to include the little children praising Him in the temple (Matt 21:16). Let’s not worry about babies crying in the church service. They may be our secret weapon against the devil.
The question about man reminds us that we alone are made in God’s image and have been delegated stewardship responsibility (remember Gen.1-2). We still have it as we struggle with how to manage the earth’s resources. In Hebrews 2 we learn God the Son was also made man. By His death He was crowned with ultimate glory and honor because He tasted death for us. O LORD, OUR LORD, HOW MAJESTIC IS YOUR NAME!
