Read Judges 18, Relativism!

Perhaps you are familiar with William Golding’s Lord of the Flies.  It was a story about a group of British boys who were deserted on an island and who had to figure out how to live together in a situation with “no king.”  I read it years ago.  One can learn from it.  But I do want to say that the description in the Bible, of what it’s like when everyone does what is right in their own eyes, is profound in that it is from the omniscient God who made heaven and earth.  He knows us.

For example, in the present story, how did people determine right and wrong.  In Judges 17, the mother seems to be directed by her feelings for her son.  When she finds out he stole the money, she no longer wants him to be cursed.  What moves her to deny the second of the Ten Commandments (no graven images)?  It is her strong feelings for her son.  Look at the confusing statement: “I wholly dedicate to the LORD (Jehovah, who said to make no graven images) money for my son to make a graven image.” 

What about the Danites?  How did they determine what actions to take?  First, they began with unfaithfulness to the LORD.  God had promised the tribes that He would help them settle their tribal areas.  But the Danites were seeking another tribal area because the one given to them was too hard to settle.  It had not fallen to them (18:1).  The decision was based on what was easy.  Indeed, they were looking for an area where the people had no defense and no thought they should fear others. Easy pickings.  It must be God’s will!

Why did they take Micah’s “priest” away?  On the one hand, they clearly were not devoted to God.  Yet, they apparently saw the need for the religion of Israel.  At the time, the tabernacle was in Shiloh.  It was at a point after which the Levites had been dispersed to their cities.  Time had passed, because the Levite in this story had left his allotted place (Bethlehem), and was seeking another place to live.  Micah had made the image and was proud to now have a “religious” man to officiate for him.  The Levite was also proud to have such a position, while at the same time, having a place to live and his needs cared for in full.  His pride is also evident in his willingness to break his agreement with Micah and to go off to a “bigger church”, so to speak.

In all of this, what drives people?  Pride, yes!  The greatest of pride, by which men will approach God on their terms rather than on His terms.  In so doing, men become “gods over God”!  A practical definition of what it means to be “god over God” is just this: doing what is right in your own eyes! 

Why does Islam promise virgins to martyrs?  Why does Mormonism offer the opportunity to be a “god”?  Why do Universalists insist that all will be saved?  Why does the atheist deny the existence of God?  The answer in each case is that they have defined God in a way that pleases them.  Micah told the Danites God would bless them in their disobedience to God.  That was the kind of priest the Danites would want to have, and they jumped at the opportunity!