1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Let us pray, and the priest said, unto them, go 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: in peace before the Lord is your way, wherein ye go, 3 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: Judge is eighteen six, Heavenly Father. As I observe my life, 4 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:19,759 Speaker 1: I will make sure that small compromises won't erode my 5 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:23,479 Speaker 1: sense of what's right and wrong. I will not take 6 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:26,600 Speaker 1: what does not belong to me, no matter how appealing 7 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 1: it may be for my life. Help me to discern 8 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:35,080 Speaker 1: what is for me and what needs to exit my life. 9 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: I denounce the shackles of faithlessness that the enemy tries 10 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:43,959 Speaker 1: to tether around me. I will fortify my faith by 11 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: making sure I keep my heart and my eyes fixed 12 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: on you, Lord, my rock and my fortress. I declare 13 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:54,320 Speaker 1: that any false idols that I have set up in 14 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: my life, either knowing or unknowing, are being demolished and 15 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:04,760 Speaker 1: torn for my life. Today, Holy Spirit, show me where 16 00:01:04,800 --> 00:01:08,800 Speaker 1: I am spiritually settling instead of boldly seizing the promise 17 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:14,039 Speaker 1: and personal growth You've destined for me to have. Through 18 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:18,400 Speaker 1: Micah's life, I can see how compromise destroys the very 19 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:21,679 Speaker 1: thing you are trying to keep when you misalign yourself 20 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: with wrong thinking and unfruitful relationships. However, today that will 21 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 1: not be my story, that is not a chapter in 22 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 1: my book of becoming. I declare that I am idle free. 23 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:40,959 Speaker 1: I declare that my heart is more focused than ever before, 24 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: and I declare that your face is all I will pursue. 25 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 1: It is not the time to shrink or settle. It's 26 00:01:50,280 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 1: time for me to take ground in Jesus name. Amen. 27 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: Thank you for making prayer a priority in your day. 28 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: To learn more about the Bible, stay tuned for today's story, 29 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: brought to you by Bible in a year dot com. 30 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:23,079 Speaker 2: Micah, the Levite and the Tribe of Dan. In our 31 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:27,799 Speaker 2: last story, we learned about Samson's weakness for Delilah, leading 32 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 2: him to reveal the secret to taking away his strength. 33 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:34,960 Speaker 2: Samson was bound and captured by the Philistines, and they 34 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 2: gouged out his eyes. Samson, with one final push, with 35 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 2: the strength of God, toppled the Philistine temple and killed 36 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 2: three thousand. In this story, we learn about the dark 37 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 2: ages of Israel, where everybody did what was right in 38 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 2: their own eyes. We follow the life of Micah, a 39 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 2: man struggling to find peace in the tribe of Dan, 40 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:03,640 Speaker 2: a tribes struggling to find home. Inspired by the Book 41 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 2: of Judges. 42 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:10,960 Speaker 3: Hello, I'm Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in 43 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,360 Speaker 3: the Dallas area. With today's episode of The Bible in 44 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 3: a Year. In yesterday's episode, we heard the tragic but 45 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 3: redemptive conclusion of Samson's life story. His failure wasn't final, 46 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:26,280 Speaker 3: and God gave him another chance to finish well in victory. 47 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:29,079 Speaker 3: His sin and his pride got the better of him. 48 00:03:29,120 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 3: He was captured and tortured and mocked. But in the end, 49 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 3: Samson made things right with God and gave himself in 50 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 3: a sacrifice to destroy three thousand Philistine idol worshipers in 51 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 3: their pagan temple. Today we'll hear is Israel once again 52 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 3: descends into darkness, given over to their own desires and 53 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 3: moral relativism, where each person did whatever was right in 54 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:55,400 Speaker 3: their own eyes. We'll hear the story of Micah and 55 00:03:55,480 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 3: his moral and spiritual confusion, and we'll learn about the 56 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 3: tribe of Dan searched for a home, and how one 57 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 3: man's actions led to a whole community of idolators. It 58 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 3: is a story about how something small can grow into 59 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 3: a fire that consumes and destroys everything in its path, 60 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 3: and it is once again a story of God's patience 61 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 3: and undying love for his children. So let's listen now 62 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 3: to today's reading. 63 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:28,480 Speaker 2: The state of Israel was descending into madness. All tradition, devotion, 64 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 2: and prayer was deluded by the worship of false gods. 65 00:04:32,800 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 2: All sense of right and wrong was eroded by years 66 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 2: of small compromise, and the Israelites found themselves in an 67 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 2: apathetic days. It was truly a different form of captivity. 68 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:48,480 Speaker 2: Instead of being chained by an opposing nation, they were 69 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 2: shackled by their own faithlessness. During that time, there was 70 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 2: a man who lived in the hill country of Ephriam 71 00:04:55,880 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 2: named Micah. Micah was a confused but honest man. One day, 72 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 2: he stole one thousand, one hundred pieces of silver from 73 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:08,919 Speaker 2: his mother. When his mother cursed the silver because it 74 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:13,279 Speaker 2: was stolen, Micah quickly returned it. When Micah returned the 75 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 2: silver to his mother, she melted it down and made 76 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 2: a carved image. I dedicate this to the Lord and 77 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 2: to my son, she said. So Micah erected a shrine 78 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:27,279 Speaker 2: for his carved image and placed it there with other 79 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:32,000 Speaker 2: household gods. There on the hills of Israel. Micah began 80 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 2: to build his own little temple for false gods to 81 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 2: mingle with the God of Israel. Micah, impressed with his exploits, 82 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 2: appointed his son as priest over his household. Micah's debased 83 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 2: practice revealed a sickness that plagued the hearts of Israel. 84 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 2: Micah paid no attention to God's law to not create 85 00:05:51,880 --> 00:05:55,520 Speaker 2: any false gods. Instead, he nodded in approval at the 86 00:05:55,560 --> 00:05:58,960 Speaker 2: wonderful work he had done. Little did he know he 87 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 2: was creating attempt of straw waiting to be blown away 88 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 2: by the wind. A young man was passing through the 89 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 2: hill country near Micah. He was a Levite from the 90 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:13,359 Speaker 2: family of Judah. Levites had a home for themselves, serving 91 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 2: God and the people of God. But this man wanted 92 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,480 Speaker 2: to forge his own way and do what was right 93 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 2: in his own eyes. Micah spotted the young man from 94 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:26,719 Speaker 2: Afar and brought him near. Where do you come from, 95 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 2: Micah asked, I am a Levite of Bethlehem. I have 96 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 2: come from far to find my own place and forge 97 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 2: my own path. The young man responded, come in and 98 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 2: stay with me. Awhile, Micah said, I am in need 99 00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 2: of a priest over my shrine. I will pay you 100 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 2: ten pieces of silver a year, and provide you with 101 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:50,520 Speaker 2: a home and food. The Levite agreed, and the two 102 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:53,760 Speaker 2: of them worshiped their idols as well as the God 103 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:57,719 Speaker 2: of Israel. Micah was convinced that having a Levite in 104 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:00,719 Speaker 2: his home would bring him blessings from God, for in 105 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 2: his mind, title was all that mattered. He would be 106 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:09,359 Speaker 2: terribly mistaken. There was no king and no judge to 107 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 2: rule over Israel. Each man and woman wrote their own 108 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 2: laws and lived by their own desires. The tribe of Dan, 109 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 2: instead of bravely seizing the land God had intended for them, 110 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:24,600 Speaker 2: shrunk away and lived without a home. So they wandered 111 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 2: in search of an inheritance. One day, the tribe of 112 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 2: Dan sent out spies to scour the country and search 113 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 2: for land to conquer. On their travels, they stumbled upon 114 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 2: the house of Micah. When they saw that there was 115 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 2: a Levite among them. The men were curious, who brought 116 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 2: you here? They asked, what is your business here? Micah 117 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 2: has hired me as his priest, so I dwell here, 118 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 2: he said. The Danites perked up with curiosity. Levites were 119 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 2: rare and the chosen priests of God. The people of 120 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 2: Israel craved any sort of favor from God they could get, 121 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 2: for their interaction with him was few and far between. 122 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 2: Please ask God if we will succeed in finding land 123 00:08:07,480 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 2: for ourselves. The Danites requested, go in peace. The Levites said, 124 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:16,320 Speaker 2: the Lord will watch over you. So the Danites left 125 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 2: with confidence. The men traveled far and came to the 126 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 2: land of Layish that was inhabited by the Sidonians. The 127 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 2: Sidonians were quiet people. They kept to themselves, intended to 128 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 2: the fields around them. Children played in the grass while 129 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 2: their mothers and fathers farmed and tended to their herds. 130 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 2: The Danites saw that the land was rich and the 131 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 2: Sidonian people were weak. Like a wolf licking its chops 132 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:45,199 Speaker 2: at a helpless lamb, the Danites planned their attack. Six 133 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 2: hundred men from the tribe of Dan rose against the 134 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 2: Sidonians with weapons of war and hatred. They marched towards 135 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 2: the hill country and passed by the home of Micah 136 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 2: once again. The five men that spoke to the Levite 137 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 2: approached the home with their weapons. While Michael was gone, 138 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:04,960 Speaker 2: they burst through the door and took Micah's shrine, his 139 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 2: carved image, and his household. Gods then they turned to 140 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 2: the Levite. He cowered in the corner, afraid of what 141 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:15,720 Speaker 2: they might do to him. The five men approached him 142 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 2: with their swords in hand. Slowly, one of them brought 143 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 2: his sword to the Levite's chest and said, tell me 144 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 2: what is better. A sly grin arose from his face, 145 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,320 Speaker 2: to be a priest to one man or to a 146 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:31,560 Speaker 2: whole tribe. It took a moment for the Levite to 147 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:34,320 Speaker 2: understand what the man was saying, but when he did, 148 00:09:34,720 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 2: his frown was replaced by a smile. The men embraced 149 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 2: and laughed. The levite packed his things and left with 150 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 2: the six hundred men, leaving Micah's home ransacked and emptied 151 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 2: of all its gods. Micah discovered that his possessions had 152 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 2: been taken, so he gathered surrounding men to ambush the 153 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 2: tribe of Dan. They ran towards the six hundred men, 154 00:09:57,520 --> 00:09:59,719 Speaker 2: sending the children out in front of them so Dan 155 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 2: not attack first, using children as a human shield. Micah 156 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 2: spoke with a booming voice filled with anger, how dare 157 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:10,440 Speaker 2: you take what is mine? What is wrong with you 158 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:12,960 Speaker 2: that you would take my gods and my priest? He 159 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 2: shouted the men of Dan turned around and stared at 160 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 2: Micah in his small army of children and villagers. They 161 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:24,520 Speaker 2: posed no threat to them. Shut up, they yelled, turn around, 162 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 2: or you will lose your life along with the lives 163 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:30,240 Speaker 2: of your household. The people of Dan turned their backs 164 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 2: to him and walked away. Micah, now cooling down from 165 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 2: his rage, realized that he was no match for them. 166 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:41,320 Speaker 2: Ashamed and stripped of his false sense of holiness, Micah 167 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:45,360 Speaker 2: wandered back to his broken home alone. The sun was 168 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:48,199 Speaker 2: setting and the people of Dan looked upon the land 169 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 2: of leysh The city was quiet. 170 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:52,640 Speaker 1: A subtle whistle. 171 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 2: Of the wind blew through the valley. The tribe of 172 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 2: Dan descended down the hills into the valley. They passed 173 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 2: each home quickly and struck down each member of the 174 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:05,040 Speaker 2: city with the edge of the sword. Not a scream 175 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 2: could be heard, for their swords swung swiftly and in 176 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 2: total surprise. After the men had struck down every soul 177 00:11:12,840 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 2: with their blades, they set the city on fire for 178 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 2: good measure. The flames illuminated the skies. Dan rebuilt the 179 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 2: city and inhabited it. They named the city Dan, and 180 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:29,440 Speaker 2: their families thrived in their new home. They set up 181 00:11:29,440 --> 00:11:32,240 Speaker 2: the carved images they stole from Micah and set them 182 00:11:32,280 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 2: in the house of God. What began as small idolatry 183 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:39,360 Speaker 2: for Micah turned into the idolatry of an entire tribe 184 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 2: of Israel. The entirety of Dan knelt down to the 185 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 2: silver image that was formed by Micah's mother, and their 186 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:51,959 Speaker 2: descent into more madness continued. God looked upon them, still 187 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:56,080 Speaker 2: loving and still patient. He remained waiting for a moment 188 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 2: to deliver his people once again. 189 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 3: We begin today's reading with Micah, a young man in 190 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:07,679 Speaker 3: Ephraim and right out of the gate our protagonist and 191 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 3: mitched a theft. He seems to be convicted by his 192 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 3: own conscience when he hears his mother curse the silver 193 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:17,079 Speaker 3: that was stolen, so he tells his mother that he 194 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 3: had stolen it and gives it back to her. Micah's 195 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:23,360 Speaker 3: mother then melts some of the silver and has it 196 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:27,720 Speaker 3: turned into a graven image, an idol, which she dedicates 197 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:31,440 Speaker 3: to God and her son. Micah in turn, places the 198 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:33,720 Speaker 3: image in a shrine in his house, filled with other 199 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 3: religious symbols and household gods. Clearly, the culture of Israel 200 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 3: has gone off the rails. Micah and his Mother, give 201 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:46,400 Speaker 3: us a picture of this syncretism, a blending of different religions, 202 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:49,080 Speaker 3: the dedication of things to God that do not worship 203 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,120 Speaker 3: him and him alone. It is a picture of the 204 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 3: culture all around them. And we then hear these words 205 00:12:56,200 --> 00:13:00,200 Speaker 3: in Judges seventeen six. In those days there was no 206 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 3: king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his 207 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 3: own eyes. There perhaps no more dangerous words for a 208 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:14,080 Speaker 3: society than that last sentence. Everyone did what was right 209 00:13:14,280 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 3: in his own eyes. That is a recipe for a disaster. 210 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:23,560 Speaker 3: This is a recipe for judgment. That is where Israel 211 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:27,400 Speaker 3: finds itself, looking not to God for governance and guidance 212 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 3: or morality, but to whatever seemed right to every person. 213 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 3: It was moral relativism. With his newly erected shrine, Micah 214 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 3: searches for a way to legitimize his worship, and a 215 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:44,040 Speaker 3: traveling levite seems to be just the answer. Micah assumes 216 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 3: that this man of a priestly lineage has the right 217 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:50,320 Speaker 3: title to bring him the blessings of God. Together, Micah 218 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 3: and his priests engage in idolatry, clearly violating God's law. 219 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 3: But as we've already seen, established Israel wasn't looking up 220 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:02,040 Speaker 3: for guidance or governors. They were looking around and looking 221 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 3: to themselves. We then meet the tribe of Dead, a 222 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 3: tribe living without a home because they lacked the courage 223 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 3: to seize the land God had given them. They wandered 224 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 3: around looking for land to take as their inheritance, and 225 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 3: when they came upon Micah's household, they met the Levite 226 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:22,280 Speaker 3: priests and sought the lord's favor from him. The priest 227 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:24,720 Speaker 3: told them to go in peace, that God would watch 228 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:28,000 Speaker 3: over them. This filled them with boldness, and they left 229 00:14:28,040 --> 00:14:31,240 Speaker 3: in search of land. They traveled far away and found 230 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 3: the land that they could easily take. And as they 231 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 3: marched out toward the conquest, they passed by Micah's home, 232 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 3: entered it, and stole the carved image of Silver and 233 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 3: the other gods. And then they called the Levite priest 234 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 3: to join them. He gladly left for what he thought 235 00:14:46,360 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 3: was greener pastures. When Micah discovered the theft, he assembled 236 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:53,120 Speaker 3: an army to take back what was his, but his 237 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 3: efforts were futile. He was no match for the Danites, 238 00:14:56,280 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 3: who marched on into the land they wanted, killed its 239 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:02,800 Speaker 3: inhabitants and burned the city they rebuilt the city built 240 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,080 Speaker 3: the House of God, but filled it with other gods, 241 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 3: including Micah's silver idol. How crazy does this seem that 242 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 3: these people were fighting over false gods and carved images. 243 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 3: It's a tragedy. God's people have sinned and strayed so 244 00:15:17,720 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 3: far from him that he was considered just another among 245 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 3: all these false gods. Let's pray together. Lord. We know 246 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 3: the dangers of moral relativism and any faith that looks 247 00:15:31,320 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 3: to anyone else but you. We know that we are 248 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:38,320 Speaker 3: to guard our hearts, O God, and not build idols 249 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:43,120 Speaker 3: in our hearts or worship anything or anyone but you. Lord. 250 00:15:43,160 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 3: We thank you for your son, Jesus Christ, who is 251 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 3: the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And we know 252 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:53,080 Speaker 3: according to John fourteen six, that no one comes to you, 253 00:15:53,200 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 3: Oh God the Father, except through Jesus, and we pray 254 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 3: in his name. Amen. Thank you really listening today to 255 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 3: the Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas, 256 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 3: pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church. Download Theprey dot com app 257 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 3: and make prayer a priority in your life. And if 258 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:15,520 Speaker 3: you enjoy this podcast, share it with others people that 259 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 3: you love and care about people who want to know 260 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 3: the Bible. Help them understand the Bible as well. This 261 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 3: podcast can make a huge difference in someone's life. If 262 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 3: you want more resources on how to tap into the 263 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 3: power of Jesus Christ in your life, then be sure 264 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 3: to visit Jack Graham dot org.