86 - No other gods before ME

No other gods before ME

Chareen's Thoughts

• Even though the Israelites had taken possession of the land they failed to drive out all the inhabitants in the land.
• After the initial generation who crossed the Jordan died the new generation arose who did not know the Lord and what he had done.  They chose to worship foreign gods and as a result the Lord handed them over to other nations.
• I from now on will also not drive out from before them any of the nations which Joshua left when he died, That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk in it, as their fathers kept it, or not. So the Lord left those nations, without driving them out at once, nor had He delivered them into Joshua's power. Judges 2:21-23 it was a test.
• NOW THESE are the nations which the Lord left to prove Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not previously experienced war in Canaan; It was only that the generations of the Israelites might know and be taught war, at least those who previously knew nothing of it. Judges 3:1-2
• There was 40 years of peace after Othniel led the people back to the Lord. Then he died.
• Eleazar the high priest died and Phinehas took over.
• The Israelites turned away from the Lord again and after their captivity they cried out and were then given Ehud as a new judge to deliver them.
• Micah makes an image and a place in his house to worship idols with a priest etc. He employed a levite to be a priest in his idol temple
• The tribe of Dan seek a place to make their own territory and discover Micah, his levite priest and his idols.

I was a little shocked to read this story !  Wow he makes an idol from the money his mother consecrates to God and then because a Levite knocks at his door he thinks this is a sign of God's approval.  Yet scripture clearly states no idol worship!  I now realise he is interpreting rather than obeying.

Blessings
Chareen