Judges 17:6-13

Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking him to meet you and speak to you.

Bible Reading

In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.

A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, who had been living within the clan of Judah, left that town in search of some other place to stay. On his way he came to Micah’s house in the hill country of Ephraim.

Micah asked him, “Where are you from?”

“I’m a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah,” he said, “and I’m looking for a place to stay.”

Then Micah said to him, “Live with me and be my father and priest, and I’ll give you ten shekels of silver a year, your clothes and your food.” So the Levite agreed to live with him, and the young man became like one of his sons to him. Then Micah installed the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in his house. And Micah said, “Now I know that the Lord will be good to me, since this Levite has become my priest.”

– Judges 17:6-13

Devotion

Yesterday we saw the spiritual pulse of the Israelites and today we see why that is. Israel had no king and everyone did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. Today we read about a Levite that agrees to become the priest of a false idol. If Jonathan is typical of God’s servants in that time of the Judges, then it is no wonder the people of Israel were living in such sin. As a Levite, Jonathan was a chosen servant of God who was supposed to assist the priests in their ministry, teach the Law to the people and help with the musical worship in Israel. The Levites were supposed to be spiritual leaders! Jonathan was leading people to worship a god made by hands not the one, true God in Yahweh. When we don’t step into the calling that God has given us, our relationship with God and others relationship with God suffers. God has called us to specific tasks. Let’s not live as the Israelites with no king lived, but as followers of Christ who submit to the authority of God who is their loving, personal king.

The Big Question

What has God called you to do that you are knowingly avoiding? What do you need to do today to step out and obey God’s calling for your life?

Conclude in prayer and silence reflecting on what you’ve learned.