Judges 18 continues the shocking story of Micah’s false religion from chapter 17. We’re reminded that Israel had no ruler to unite the people in godly service or punishing evil. Yet Israel always had a King in the Lord, but not one like themselves. In wanting a human king, Israel rejected God (1 Sam 8:5, 7). Israel’s problem was in wanting self-rule apart from God (Gen 3:1-7), proven even when Jesus rode into Jerusalem and was rejected (Mt 21:1-11).

I. Look (Judg 18:1-6). The Danites failed to colonize the land God gave them along the coast north of Philistia, but hid in the harsh hill country (Judg 1:34-36). Rather than obey the Lord, five spies were sent out to find an easier place to conquer than what God provided. They didn’t want the route of obedience; self-will was easier. Trouble and suffering can twist our emotions so we think we’re out of God’s will; that God’s will is always easy. But trials can be evidence of being in the center of God’s will (Jn 16:33; 2 Tim 2:3-4; 3:12; 1 Pet 4:12-13).
The spies came to Micah’s home, and one recognized the voice of his Levite priest. The un-named Levite acknowledged he was a priest for hire willing to say anything to anyone. The Danites were like the Levite, searching outside of God’s command. Micah’s priest blessed them in YHWH’s name. Religious words and rituals from a religious man was all that was needed. Ritual and worship without truth is paganism.

II. Took (Judg 18:7-29). The Danite spies found the city of Laish on the Jordan River north of Galilee. The people of Laish were rich, the land productive, and the city unprotected. Greed and ease were on the minds of the spies.
As the Danite army moved to Laish, it stopped at Micah’s home and took his idols (Judg 17:2; 18:17, 18, 20, 24, 27) and offered the false priest a huge promotion as priest to all Dan. His acceptance proved his loyalty wasn’t to Jehovah or even Micah, but only to himself and his personal gain.
With his idols and priest gone, Micah saw himself with nothing left (Judg 18:24). An idol which can fall down, need repair, or even be stolen or destroyed is not god (Mt 6:19).

III. Forsook (Judg 18:30-31). This event took place early in the Book of Judges, while the tribes were conquering Canaan and show how quickly and easily Israel forsook the Lord and slid into apostasy. The Danites were not heathen Gentiles; they were Jews, mightily redeemed out of Egyptian slavery and brought by God into a land of milk and honey.
The Danites used the idols and Levite to establish a permanent rival religion, making Dan a center of paganism for the entire nation for more than 650 years (1 Ki 12:29).
The Danites believed they were worshipping the One true God. When we become ungrounded from Scripture alone as our rule of faith and practice, we will believe our false worship is also legitimate and godly. Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), must be more than a motto or a tradition, but our practice.
The most shocking revelation in this chapter is that the Levite was named Jonathan, the grandson of Moses! Godliness is not inherited. Salvation isn’t genetic, passed from generation to generation or person to person. Salvation is a gift from God given to whom He chose from eternity (Jn 1:12-13; Eph 1:4). Jesus must be believed upon in every generation and thus the gospel must be preached in every generation even to the ends of the earth (Mt 28:18-20). No one is a Christian by birth or choice, but by God’s will by new birth through faith in Jesus.