Judges 17

Deceit 1: Men think they have the kingdom of grace in their hearts because they have the means of grace; they live where the silver trumpet of the gospel sounds, they are lifted up to heaven with ordinances. Judges 17:13: I have a Levite to my priest; surely I shall go to heaven…

God has set these political fathers to preserve order and harmony in a nation, and to prevent those state convulsions which otherwise might ensue. Judges 17:6: When there was no king in Israel, every man did that which was right in his own eyes. A wonder (Proverbs 30:27).

Their intention therefore was to worship the true God, but in a way of their own. And in like manner Micah's mother, she dedicated the silver to Jehovah to make a graven image (Judges 17:3), and Micah concludes, ver. last, that now Jehovah would do him good. Yes, Jeroboam himsel…

We will say more about it under the proper names of idols. The LXX. more often retains the word itself, as at Judges 17:5, 18:14, 17; 1 Samuel 15:23. Sometimes they render it as idols, as at Genesis 31:19, 34, 35; and as vain images, as at 1 Samuel 19:13.

II. Of this kind were the teraphim. They are first mentioned among the Jews at Judges 17:5. We said something about them in our exposition of Abrahamic theology, at Genesis 31:19.

For it principally denoted the Priests of Baal and Moloch, and their blackness (as the word is rendered, Job 3:5.) not from the garments they wore, but from the color they contracted in their diabolical sacrifices in the fire. Hence where ever the word [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉…

As if Job had said, let as big a curse fall upon that night, as ever fell from the mouths of those profane fishers, not only when they have been successless in fishing for a Herring or a Sprat, but when after all their pains, and cost they cannot take Leviathan. Micah's mother c…

Thus far reaches the magistrate's duty and authority in things pertaining to the Church. And therefore we find in the Scripture, that when the worship of the true God was so much corrupted and forgotten among the Israelites, that Micah, out of a blind and idolatrous devotion, ma…

(Acts 7:41) They made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol. Again, secondly, Micah and his mother were certainly guilty of idolatry in making and worshipping their images: and yet that they were made to be symbolical representations of the true God, and erecte…

Those that idolize anything in this world, will be greatly discomposed, if they be crossed in it. The money which Micah's mother had, was her God (it is Bishop Hall's note) before it had the shape either of a graven or a molten image, else the loss of it would not have set her a…

But it was because the ordinance and duty was of God, the failing was only in the manner of preparation to it (2 Chronicles 30:18, 19, 20). But if Micah set up an invention of his own in his house, though he may promise himself a blessing in some orderly circumstance of it, (as…

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You that are a murmurer, are in the account of God as a witch, a sorcerer, as one that deals with the Devil. This is a sin of the first magnitude; murmuring often ends in cursing: Micah's mother fell to cursing when the talents of silver were taken away (Judges 17:2). So does th…

They hear and hear and are never the better, like the salamander which lies in the fire but, as naturalists say, is never the hotter. Some satisfy themselves with the having of ordinances (Judges 17:13): then said Micah, now know I that the Lord will do me good, seeing I have a…

They enjoy glorious privileges; they were born within the sound of the church bells, they were baptized, they have been fed with the bread of heaven. Therefore they hope they are in a good condition (Judges 17:13): then said Micah, now I know the Lord will do me good, seeing I h…

Look into the primitive assemblies of Christians (2 Corinthians 3:8, 9, 10), you shall see meekness, humility, and the glorious ministration of the Spirit in outward simplicity. Look into those of this guide, and you shall see them like the house of Micah (Judges 17:5), a house…

I was ignorant, forgetful, hard-hearted, now I understand and remember better, and can sorrow for my sins; if you do rest here, your duties never carried you further than yourself. Do you think after that you have prayed with some life, now I have done very well, and now you do…

The house of Micah (Judges 18) was notably furnished with images of all sorts. Judges 17: he had [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] a house full of Gods, or a chapel adorned with images, for there was in it [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] a carved image, and [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] a s…