Rev. Matt Wietfeldt, director of admissions and director of the Christ Academy program at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, IN, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Judges 17:1-13.
The lengthy epilogue to the book of Judges presents two episodes from Israel’s history that show how rotten life had become when everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Though they thought they could see, the people had been blinded by their idolatry, not truly knowing who the LORD was. As the first episode begins, the LORD’s commandments are blatantly ignored left and right. A man by the name of Micah steals from his own mother; she then misuses the name of the LORD both in cursing the thief and in attempting to reverse it only when discovering her son was behind it. Together, they use the money for idolatrous purposes. Micah’s son serves as a false priest for a time, until a Levite comes along. Surely a Levite should have known better, but even this sojourner from Bethlehem in Judah is deceived. He agrees to serve as Micah’s personal priest for hire, and Micah thinks that such outward actions will guarantee the LORD’s favor. The text shows how idolatry has blinded the LORD’s people; only the true knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ can give sight.
“Rebellion and Rescue” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the book of Judges. This book is characterized by a familiar. As the generations after Joshua forget the LORD and what He has done for Israel, they fall into idolatry. The LORD gives them over into the hands of their enemies in order to bring them to their senses. When they cry out to Him in repentance, He sends a judge to rescue them and give them rest for a time, until they relapse into idolatry once more. In this cycle, we see a picture of our own Christian life. Daily, the old Adam in us is drowned in contrition and repentance, and the new man emerges in Baptismal forgiveness to live in righteousness and purity before God forever.
