otjudges17

Caution to students of God's Word - Please remember two things when using our studies: #1. Our commentary is not God's Word. It is only our interpretation or understanding of "His Word" and even though we try our best to be accurate we may or may not be correct. #2. The King James translation, or any other translation, of the original Hebrew text has some words which were given different translations at different places probably because of the interpreters preconceived ideas of what they think God meant to say. For example: According to the notes in the "Dake's Annotated Reference Bible" the Hebrew word hayah in the KJV is Trans. (became) 67 times, (becamest or came to pass) 505 times, (become) 66 times, and (come to pass) 131 times, but for some reason in Genesis 1:2 it is translated (was)! That sure changes the way a person perceives the original creation of the earth, doesn't it? Gen. 1:2 And the earth was (became) without form, ... Having said that, let us continue with our "Key Knowledge" lessons. These are pamphlets containing knowledge, we believe, you must have to fully and accurately unlock and understand the Word of God.

John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

John 16:13-14
[13] Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. [14] He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

This Bible Study was originally written by Roger Christopherson,
published at http://www.theseason.org/

Without the leading by the Holy Spirit, there is no understanding of the truths, for all the truth of the Scriptures are revealed to us by God's Spirit.

When we ended the sixteenth chapter of Judges, it concluded the times of the judges, for Samson was the last of the thirteen judges. So the remainder to the book of Judges is kind of an appendix to the first part.

When Joshua died, God said that he would not cleanse the sanctuary again until the end of this dispensation which is the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. On that day Jesus Christ will return to cleanse it with a rod of iron.

Revelation 19:14 "And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean."

Revelation 19:15 "And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God."

So we will see here in these next chapters where the people themselves will drift away, and even though they want to do right, by their own ignorance they do wrong. It was no different then as it is now, the people like to play church, set their own rules, and pretend that those forms of idolatry are from God. So that is what these next chapters are about, the people forming their own system of religion and playing church with it.

This "Micah" is not Micah the prophet. The name "Micah" means "who is like God?"

Judges 17:2 "And he said unto his mother, "The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it." And his mother, "Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son."

The mother of Micah had committed eleven hundred shekels of silver to the True God, and when the silver came up missing, she had placed a curse on the one that took it. Micah heard of this curse that his mother had placed on him, and he went to her and let her know that it was he that took it.

The last time we read of this eleven hundred pieces of silver was in reference to the betrayal of Samson by Delilah. That is the amount of money that this harlot sold the secrets of Samson for. The one that paid this bribe was the government of the Philistines, the enemies of God. Remember that the number of "eleven" means a "defective administration" in Biblical numerics. In that case the eleven hundred pieces of silver brought down a government, while this eleven hundred pieces of silver will bring down a religion.

Let this draw our attention to the beast of Revelation 13, the first head is political and the second one is religious. The second one rises up out of the death of the first.

Revelation 13:2 "And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority."

Though the one world political system is in place, and functioning as a governing body, after it is considered reliable, something will come about to bring down that government.

In the Song of Moses of Deuteronomy 32:5, the leopard's spots are what is shown to be different than that of God's children's spots. The elect of God know their Messiah, whereas those who are not sealed in their minds simply cannot tell the difference between the two. Jesus or Satan. This system is controlled in all ways by the Kenites, the offspring of Cain. Their control is through the four hidden dynasties or hidden governments, which are focused on Economics [banking, trade and industry], Education, Politics and Religion.

The political beast has the feet of a bear, and we know that has to be Russia [Esau] which means red. The mouth of the beast is the mouth of a lion, which will tare it's prey with his lies and deceitfulness. "And the dragon gave him his power," and we know the dragon from Revelation 12:9 is Satan; "And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan, which deceived the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."

The driving force within this "one world system" is Satan the dragon. Satan is at the foundation of every agency under the control of the United Nation, so when we understand this, we can better understand why the system does what it does. The first head of this world system is the political head.

Revelation 13:3 "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast."

One of the ten countries in the leadership of the this beast, "were wounded unto death". How does a office, or governmental agency or country die? That political system falls apart. That government then comes back to life. Why? The whole world comes to its defense to prop it's government up. The American taxpayer's money is taken and given over to the Russians to prop it up, all in the name of the United Nations [this political system]. This thievery can be done easily because the whole world belongs to the same "one world government" that is now in control by charter of all the nations of the World. It was the beast that healed the wounded government.

Revelation 13:4 "And they worshipped the dragon which [because he] gave power [his authority] unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?"

Even the Christian world will worship Satan the Antichrist [the dragon] and his one world system, because they will think that Satan is Christ. Many today are giving themselves over to this world system for humanitarian reasons, and with the acts that they do, the credit and stamp of approval goes to the United Nations system, and not to the person or nation giving the support. The leaders of the United Nations, and it's agencies have the "teeth of the lions", and they try to use that grinding force where ever they can. This verse is alive today, and it is in operation through the many treaties and trade agreement that have locked us into their system.

The political beast has another head, and it's leader is also the head of this beast's religious head. The authority behind this political beast is going to arrive on earth very shortly, and the entire world will call him "savior". That authority, as given in verse two is Satan, the dragon, and he will be cast onto the earth by Michael. The head wound is not to a person, but to a political system, and from it will come this religious order. It is then that Satan will sit in Jerusalem, and commit that abomination of desolation, by declaring himself to be God, and the entire world will believe him, all that is except God's elect. God's elect are those that know the word of God and have it sealed in their minds, so that they cannot be deceived.

So within this chapter in Judges we will see a little bit of a type of what is coming upon us now. Remember that the first eleven hundred shekels of silver brought down a political government, and the second went to the destruction of a religious house. The son stole the money, and because of the curse placed on him, he now wants to return it. When he did his mother forgave him completely, restored the money to him and even blessed him.

Judges 17:3 "And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, "I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee."

It is important to understand here that the mother had truly dedicated the money to the Lord, YHVH, the sacred name of the Lord. In the name of God, she swore that she would give this money to him for the honor and glory of God, but in doing so she has given it over to idolatry. The money is given over to build idols and the making of graven images. Did you get what is happening here? When she feels that she would like to do something religious, in the same manner as the people that are biblically illiterate. She rushes out and makes something that she can see and feel spiritual about. She has no idea in that world what pleases God, so she is going to make something that pleases her, while she is trying to convince herself that this act is pleasing to God. She wanted to do something for our Heavenly Father, so she break the very laws that pleases Him.

Exodus 20:4 "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth."

Exodus 20:5 "Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the father upon the children unto the third and forth generation of them that hate Me;

So "in the name of God", this mother has broken these very laws governing our worship of God. Take a look around you today at all the religions that think that they are serving God, yet in their ignorance they are doing those very strange things that God hates. This mother meant well, just like many of the churches of today, but she fell short because or her understanding of what God said in his Word that pleases Him.

Judges 17:4 "Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah."

The number "two hundred" in biblical numerics means "insufficiency", and it truly was. This money was not brought to God, not to the Levitical priest as an offering to God, but to the founder, the man of the world who will set up his standard, and make their form of worship. The founder is the silversmith, or goldsmith that pours the hot metal into the form of the images to be worshipped out of the raw materials.

The laws of God, five out of the ten commandments are gone and broken, and all in the name of God. So ask yourself, do you think that anyone that violates God's laws is going to be blessed by Him? Of course not. This gets to the question that we should as ourselves; is our church systems teaching the things that conform to the Word of God, or are those teaching just the customs and traditions of men? If you are accepting the forms of men over the Word of God, you are placing your eternal soul in jeopardy. It is from His Word that we get our instructions and wisdom to govern our lives, to be able to receive God's blessings.

Judges 17:5 "And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest."

This Micah had a whole church full of his idols and false gods. Micah set up his own form of worship, he has made the robes to go with his house of false gods. He has even set aside one of his own sons to become the priest of this false church. Do you get the joke that is presented here? The father is suppose to teach the son, and now it is the son doing the teaching. You know that if Micah's mother knew nothing, and he was ignorant of God's laws, how in the world would the son have any wisdom of God either? This ignorant father looking to an equally ignorant son, both sitting there in the house of idols claiming to be a men of God. Do you see how foolish this all is?

Judges 17:6 "In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes."

We are not far from this same positions that Israel was in following the death of Samson. People claim that their church is of God, doing the will of God, and yet they carry on in their church houses with no understanding of His Word, and they simply don't care to know. Their pastors and priests tell them that they don't need to read and know the parts of the Scripture that pertain to them, for they have told the congregation that "The church will be gone." "Haven't you heard, the rapture is coming first." How stupid, no wonder they will be swept away at the first sign of Satan's coming. No wonder the church is not mentioned after the third chapter of Revelation. They will have run to Satan at his coming, and are all part of that one world system. Friend, it is time to pay attention to what God says, for that is the only place that will prepare our generation for what is going to fall upon us.

Judges 17:7 "And there was a young man out of Bethlehem-Judah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there."

Don't get confused here, this man was of the tribe of Levi, and of the tribe of Judah, for the Levites did not have their own lands and territory, but were scattered through all the tribes. Each of the tribes of Israel had a certain number of Levites that were given to them to be their priests. This man here was a Levite that was staying over night with a family of the tribe of Judah, he was not living there, but traveling through, and resting there. This Levite was looking for a place to fulfill the duties of the priest.

Judges 17:8 "And the man departed out of the city from Bethlehem-judah to sojourn where he could fine a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he journeyed."

So here we have this unemployed priest looking for a job as a priest. At this time in all of Israel, there would be very few Levitical priests that would not have a good grasp of God's law, but this priest did not have one.

Judges 17:9 "And Micah said unto him, "Whence comest thou?" And he said unto him, "I am a Levite of Beth-lehem-judah, and I go to sojourn where I may fine a place."

This Levite's only credentials are that he is from the big city of Beth-lehem-judah, and he is looking for a place to practice his religious duties.

Judges 17:10 "And Micah said unto him, "Dwell with me, and be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals." So the Levite went in."

This Levite priest is now a hireling, employed in the service of Micah for the sum of ten shekels a year, plus room and board and an apparel [clothing] allowance.

Judges 17:11 "And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons."

Micah treated this Levite priest just like he treated one of his own sons. Remember that he had already made one of his sons a priest for his religious house of idols.

Judges 17:12 "And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah."

Can you see what is wrong with this? This Levitical priest is a priest of Micah, and not a priest of God. He is on Micah's payroll, and he must do what Micah wants him to say and teach. Be very careful when you call anyone your preacher [an hireling], for the only true preacher is the one that is completely led by God. What is your preacher teaching, is it from the entire world of God? Does he document what he says from the Word of God, or do you even check him out? Does he teach you so that you can be saved and grow in the Word of God, or is he trying to make you good boys and girls, depended on him? This is what this chapter is for, God is telling us to be careful who you call a priest, a minister, or an evangelist of God. Is the message from God, or is a message from his own mind? If any preacher is teaching for money to please man [a hireling], and that is the purpose of his ministry, then look out for what he has to say.

Judges 17:13 "Then said Micah, "Now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest."

In the Hebrew text, Micah has used the sacred name here, "YHVH", for he truly believes that what he is doing for God. Any time a Levite priest would go into a "house of gods" [idols] and set up his shop of ministry, he has a problem to start with.

To study the Bible is the noblest of all pursuits; to understand it, the highest of all goals. We pray that with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you accomplish both.

doctrine of many of our Christian churches, (The Man on a White Horse)
political direction of our country, (The Man on a Red Horse)
economic direction our country has taken, (The Man on a Black Horse)
and teaching of our schools and media, (The Man on a Pale Horse)

The Four Hidden Dynasties of the New World Order Revelation 6:1-8
"The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse"
Did you know all four are being ridden by Satan?