JUDGES 18

We seek God everywhere but from the right channel, without considering the instructions of 1 John 4:1-2,
which tells us to test every spirit, prophecy, and decree. We make mistakes by not following the Spirit of God, our errors stem from either ignorance or laziness-we miss out on God’s best for us, when we choose to do, have and plan outside of God’s will and words.
The tribe of Dan didn’t conquer the territory allocated to them because of laziness and cowardice, Judges 1:34, now they are roaming around looking for a place to settle. So many Christians are operating in the vagabond spirit, no place to settle or call a home church for their own flimsy excuses. It’s even worse that they found a vagabond Levite to enquire of the Lord for them, without actually seeking God Vs5. The priest on the other hand never sought the Lord in any form-his response was quick, instant, and positive (the words the Danites wanted to hear, just like so many of us).
We must be careful not to be quick in accepting whatever prophecies, and word that comes from “man of God”, especially a man of God that is not where he is supposed to be- This priest was serving as one man’s priest for payment, instead of being in the temple, a priest that had stolen from his mother (17:2)one that had a metal graven image that he serves and bows to.
The priest happened to be in the right place at the right time for the Danites to enquire of the lord but not the Lord. The enemy will always set counterfeit in our paths to derail us from the original that God has for us.
Test all spirits, test all prophecies and word to know the source, any word that does not align with God’s word or that is outside the expectations and truth of the scripture is not of God and should be questioned and discarded.
The old prophet and the man of God in 1 Kings 13 is another fitting example of knowing the source. God gave the man of God a direct instruction, but he allowed the old prophet who claimed to have heard from an angel to deceive him, which is higher? God or angel?
the Danite chose to seek direction from a pagan god-something the Lord had strongly warned them against, then they made matters worse by talking the false priest into being their priest and took the idols along to bow down to.
When we look for answers and directions outside the Lord and want a quick fix for whatever we are looking for, we end up accepting anything that sounds good and plausibly spiritual. “Go in peace, your journey has the Lord’s approval.” was the priest’s response to the Danites. When did he consult the Lord? How did he receive this revelation from God? Where did the message come from? Why would the Lord counter His instructions of land inheritance given in Joshua 19:40-48? The Danites failed to walk into their inheritance and all the Lord had prepared for them because they couldn’t be bothered to do their part. We always have a role to play in whatever the Lord tells us to do, if we know the Lord, we will know the source.
Shalom