Beginning with chapter 17 and going to the end of the Book of Judges,

We are picking uppicking up some incidents that happened much earlierearlier,

Right after the death of Joshuadeath of Joshua.

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An early date is indicated by the presence of the grandsons of both Moses and Aaron and by reference to the ark at Bethel. Possibly the events in chapters 17-18 took place in the days of Othniel, the first judge.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.

Judges 17 1 And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah. 2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my son.

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See how fast men fallmen fall into depravity withoutwithout good leadership good leadership.

When every man does what is right in his own his own eyeseyes, sin reigns and chaos rules.

Micah had stolen 1100 shekels of silver from his mama.

Is it any wonder that God says, "The love of money is the root of all evil."

1 Timothy 6:10

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1 Timothy 6 9 But they that will be rich (want to be rich) fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

Micah loved money enough to stealsteal from his mama.

She loved money enough to curse the thiefcurse the thief, not knowing it was her own son.

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Money is a tooltool, meant to be used for good.When it becomes a godgod, it is destructive.

It has become a godgod when we just can'tcan't get enough.

It hurtshurts to spend it, even for a purposepurpose that you planned it forplanned it for.

3 And when he had restoredrestored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the Lord from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee. 4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah.

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She saidsaid she had dedicated it all for his house of gods, but she only gavegave 200 shekels.

Mama said, "I had dedicated that money to the Lord (Jehovah, Eternal One)."

"to make a graven image and a molten image"

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She gave it back to Micah.

Then he gave it back to her.

See the evilevil here: Trying to mix worship of the True True and Living Godand Living God with idolatry and superstition.

5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest.

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Micah has turned his home into a temple, supposedlysupposedly worshipping

God, but using idolsidols and religious artifactsreligious artifacts.

He just appointedappointed one of his sons as priest.

How did things get this bad?

6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

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Without goodgood and godly leadershipgodly leadership, people will go their own wayown way and do their own thingown thing.

People must followfollow good leadership, or fallfall into sin and chaos.

In a family, God has appointed the husbandhusband to lead his family, to provide for them, and protect them.

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Ephesians 5 22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your ownown husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even aseven as Christ is the head of the church: and He is the savior of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christsubject unto Christ, so let the wives wives bebe to their own husbands in everything to their own husbands in everything. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himselflove his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence reverence herher husband husband.

When a man failsfails to provide goodgood and godlygodly leadership in his home,

His home falls into chaos and sinchaos and sin.

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When a woman rebelsrebels against the godly leadershipgodly leadership of her husband, the result is confusionconfusion and iniquityiniquity.

The cement that holds it all together is

Ephesians 5 25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himselfgave Himself for it;

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All that he does is for the welfarewelfare and blessingblessing of his family.

Nothing he does is for his own egohis own ego or any other selfish benefitselfish benefit.

Titus 2 4 That they (older women) may teach the young women to be sober (minded), to lovelove their husbands, to love their children, 5 To be discreet (self-controlled; moderate), chaste (clean, pure, innocent), keepers at home, good, obedientobedient to their own hus-bands, that the Word of God be not blasphemed.

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Proverbs 14 1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.

Many women have torntorn their homes apart, because they would not benot be the wives God

commanded them to be.

Just as a family requires good leadership, so a so a nationnation must be led by good and godly men.

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Proverbs 29 2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

Every nation needsneeds government , or else there will be anarchyanarchy.

But we need good governmentgood government.In the U.S. we choosewe choose our leaders.

If we don't choose goodgood and godlygodly men, we suffersuffer the consequences.

(NIV) Romans 13 1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The author-ities that exist have been established by God. 2 Con-sequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

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Government was Government was establishedestablished by God. by God.Don't rebelDon't rebel against government; electelect good people.

Our nation has a peacefulpeaceful means of changing our governing authorities, when they are evilevil.

Just as a family and a nation needs good leader-ship, so a churchso a church must be led by godly men.

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1 Peter 5 1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 FeedFeed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversightoversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lordsNeither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

1 Peter 5 5 Likewise, ye younger, submit your-selves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

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Hebrews 13 17 Obey your spiritual leaders and be willing to do what they say. For their work is to watch over your souls, and God will judge them on how well they do this. Give them reason to report joyfully about you to the Lord and not with sorrow, for then you will suffer for it too. (TLB)

There is no way that a pastor or the elders can do do their jobtheir job, without the supportsupport of the congregation.

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Philippians 4 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, dodo: and the God of peace shall be with you.

It takes everyone, leaders and congregationleaders and congregation, working togetherworking together to have a church.

Each person doing his own thinghis own thing just creates confusion and iniquity,

And the church And the church willwill fail. fail.

After Joshua died the nation of Israel was in a mess.

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6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

The people backslidbackslid into idolatry and depravity.

Be it Be it familyfamily, a , a nationnation, or a , or a churchchurch

Nothing goodNothing good can be accomplished without good leadership that is backedthat is backed

by willing and obedient people.