JUDGES 17:1-18:31
Chapters 17-21: The total decay of the Church (or an Individual)
MICAH: His name means "who is like Jehovah?" He is a thief and stole his own mother's silverware! She had consecrated the silver for a graven image for Micah - and so she gave it back to him for that purpose. Now he had his own gods, his own temple, and his own priest, which shows a perversion of Truth and a church (or individual) that sets their own standards without counsel of the Word of God.
THE "REAL DEAL" (the LEVITE/PRIEST: His name was Jonathan (see 18:30). He became Micah's priest, not the Lord's and Micah perverted him to idolatry.
CHURCH POLITICS (THE DANITES): When the tribe of Dan moved into Micah's territory, Micah's idolatry contaminated the whole tribe. When Dan offered Micah's priest a job working for them, he took it because it was a promotion to a much bigger church - a harlot principle. The Danites took Micah's gods and his priest, then threatened to kill him if he tried to get them back! The whole time the house of God was in Shiloh, Dan had their own church - an alternative to the Presence of God.
JOHN 3:1-21
NICODEMUS: He was a religious leader and didn't know God. His name comes from Gr: "nike", which means "victorious". Let's trace his victory, shall we?!
John 7:45-53 Progress. He is now a follower, and even stood up to the Sanhedrin in Jesus' defense.
John 19:38-42 Boldly now, in public profession, Nicodemus brings the spices for Jesus' burial and helps Joseph dress the body and entomb it, while the 11 stayed away. So Nicodemus had the honour of wrapping His sacred body in linen with 100 pounds of myrrh and aloes.
Apocryphal writings reveal that Nicodemus witnessed before Pilate, lost his religious position and was banished from Jerusalem by angry Jews. He was baptized by Peter and John and his remains were said to have been found in a common grave along with those of Gamaliel and Stephen.
DEFAULT POSITION: "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:18 There is no neutral position - by not choosing, the choice is made for you. Jesus is Light and His message is full of Light (which is another word for "Truth"). Evildoers don't want to hear the truth, and don't relish exposure either. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the ones I have talked to HATE the Truth!
RESPONSE: Year ago, when So. St. Paul, Minnesota was a leading livestock market, the railroad cars used to line up at the stockmarkets for "hanging beef". That's beef that's been butchered into quarters and hung on hooks in refrigerated cars. On the outside of those special railroad cars it is labeled, "PERISHABLE". At one time, one of those cars was accidentally "lost" on a side-track, disconnected from its electrical source. Everything inside the car "PERISHED". The pictures in the newspaper showed men wearing special protective clothes and masks to unload the cars. We humans are perishable. If we lose our connection with God, we will perish - lead a wasted, rotten life, good for nothing but to dispose of. We don't have to "PERISH". If we "believe" - or give ourselves in utter abandonment - in Jesus, and all He did to redeem our lives from perishing - we will have "LIFE". PSALM 104:1-23
THE LORD OF CREATION: This Psalm declares God's goodness and greatness - He is "pavilioned in splendor". God is present in the midst of His creation. Life arises and vanishes in total dependency on God. "In wisdom hast Thou made them all; the earth is full of Thy riches." This Psalm follows Genesis chapter 1.
Psa 104:2 (Day 1 - light)
Psa 104:2-4 (Day 2 - Firmament divides the waters)
Psa 104:5-13 (Day 3 - land and water distinct)
Psa 104:14-17 (Day 3 - vegetation and trees)
Psa 104:19-23 (Day 4 - sun, moon, light, dark - time)
Psa 104:23-26 (Day 5 - creatures of sea and air)
Psa 104:21-24 (Day 6 - animals and man)
Psa 104:27-30 (Day 6 - food for all creatures)
PROVERBS 14:20-21
Social standing is improved with wealth, but a GOOD neighbor is merciful to everyone.
RESPONSE: When we need to add to our repertoire for worshipping God, Psalm 104 is a good one for practice. We have to teach ourselves how to worship God, especially because our natural minds don't have it in them. This Psalm gives us vocabulary and teaches us how to put our praise and thanksgiving into words. Praise and thanksgiving to God for His greatness and goodness will lift us above our circumstances and into His Presence. It will also calm our hearts and teach us to trust Him above everything else.
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