TAKING AWAY BY FORCE THE TWO IDOLS OF MICAH AND THE PRIEST If the story of Micah, hiring the young Levite, reveals what dwelt upon Israel of spiritual blindness on the level of the individual and the families; The story of the tribe of Dan, taking away by force the idols of Micah and the priest living with him, reveals what is worst, which is that the blindness has dwelt on the level of the whole congregation, on the level of the tribes; when the tribe of Dan intended to have for themselves a god, and a priest, even by force. 1- The tribe of Dan seek an inheritance 1 - 2 2- The spies in Micah’s house 3 - 6 3- The spies return to Eshtaol 7 - 10 4- The Danites take away Micah’s Ephod and the priest by force 11 - 26 5- The Danites settle in Laish 27 – 31 1- THE TRIBE OF DAN SEEKS AN INHERITANCE: “ In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking an inheritance for itself to dwell in; for until that day their inheritance among the https://coptic-treasures.com/ tribes of Israel had not fallen to them” (1) “In those days there was no king in Israel”; That was after the death of Joshua, at the beginning of the era of the Judges. …………. Rejecting God as their king, and having no earthly king, “everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (17: 6), on the individuals, families, and the tribes level; there was no leader, seer, nor a counselor. At that time the children of Dan saw that the portion which was given to them as an inheritance was counted as nothing, compared to their huge number; and “until that day their inheritance among the tribes of Israel had not fallen yo them” “So the children of Dan sent five men of their family from their territory, men of valor from Zorah and Eshtaol, to spy out the land and search it. They said to them, “Go, search the land.” So they went to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, and lodged there” (2) 2- THE SPUES IN MICAH’S HOUSE: “While they were at the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young Levite. They turned aside and said to him, ‘Who brought you here? What are you doing in this https://coptic-treasures.com/ place? What do you have here?’ He said to them, ‘Thus and so Micah did for me. He has hired me, and I have become his priest’ So they said to him, ‘Please inquire of God, that we may know whether the journey on which we go will be prosperous’ And the priest said to them, “Go in peace. The presence of the LORD be with you on your way’.” (3 – 6) The spies probably recognized the young Levite (3), because of a previous encounter in Bethlehem, for his way of talk as a Levite, or they heard him ministering in Micah’s house, and knew that he was a priest; or he might have passed before by them seeking work. They sought from him to inquire from God concerning their mission, and he gave them the answer they hoped for. It is a portrait that reveals the simplicity of many, yet without wisdom nor spiritual understanding……… They long to be delivered into the hands of God, and thirst for taking refuge in Him; but their partnership with the pagans has corrupted their minds. 1- THE SPIES RETURN TO ESHTAOL: Considering the words of the young Levite, that was more like a blessing and encouragement, was to them as a divine council, and a prophecy, they set forth to Laish (meaning a lion); (Leshem), known nowadays as ‘Tel El-Kadi’, was a Canaanite town in the northern part of Philistine, in Valley of Beth-Rehob; If ‘Laish’ means (a lion); although it represents the kingdom of the devil that carry a terrifying name, yet is actually very weak, without a true king, nor anyone to support it. …….. https://coptic-treasures.com/ I wish we have no fear of the devil, nor be disturbed by him; for he only seem terrifying by deception; but if we hold fast to our crucified Lord Jesus, we can force our way into his kingdom, to find him very weak. About that St. John Chrysostom says: [The devil is not the cause of our sufferings, if we are aware of him; ……..The weak of will, the lazy, and those who are not ready, will fall, even if there was no devil; they will fall by themselves in the depth of evil ……..]; And he also says: [Do not fear the devil, even though he is a spirit without a body; for nothing is weaker than him who cannot have authority on us without being allowed by God]. 2- THE DANITES TAKE AWAY MICAH’S EPHOD AND PRIEST BY FORCE: “So the five men departed and went to Laish. They saw the people who were there, how they dwelt safely, in the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and secure. There were no rulers in the land who might put them to shame for anything. They were far from the Sidonians, and they had no ties with anyone. Then the spies came back to their brethren at Zorah and Eshtaol, and their brethren said to them, “What is your report?” So they said, “Arise, let us go up against them. For we have seen the land, and indeed it is very good. Would you do nothing? Do not hesitate to go, and enter to possess the land. When you go, you will come to a secure people and a large land. For God has given it into your hands, a place where there is no lack of anything that is on the earth.” https://coptic-treasures.com/ “ And six hundred men of the family of the Danites went from there, from Zorah and Eshtaol, armed with weapons of war” (7 -11) It was the custom for the men of war to go to war to conquer, then they go back to bring their families to possess. But those men, so despised the inhabitants of Laish that they counted possessing it a matter of fact that need no battle nor effort; they therefore, took with them their women, children, and goods to posses. It is a living portrait of the spiritual strife, when man, as a warrior (with a strong spirit), sets forth, and with him his wife (his body), his children (his spiritual fruition), and all his goods (his energies) ………. To take over the place which was dwelt before by the devil, to settle down to reign with his spirit, body, and his spiritual fruition, and all his holy possibilities. “Then they went up and encamped in Kirjath Jearim in Judah. (Therefore they call that place Mahaneh Dan to this day. There it is, west of Kirjath Jearim)” (12). “Kirjath Jearim”, namely (village of the forests), one of the four cities of the Gibeonites (Joshua9: 17), on the border of Judah and Benjamin (Joshua 15: 9, 10; 18: 14, 15), called (the village of Baal), a portion of Judah; most probably nowadays (the village of grapes), called ‘Abaghosh’, 9 miles west of Jerusalem. They dwelt in that village for some time, to be called ‘Mahalet Dan’ by their name (12), probably on the border or behind the limits of the village; for it was the custom of the authors to call the east (in front), the West (behind), the North (the left), and the south (the right). https://coptic-treasures.com/ “And they passed from there to the mountains of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah” Then the five men who had gone to spy out the country of Laish answered and said to their brethren, “Do you know that there are in these houses an ephod, household idols, a carved image, and a molded image? Now therefore, consider what you should do.” So they turned aside there, and came to the house of the young Levite man—to the house of Micah—and greeted him. The six hundred men armed with their weapons of war, who were of the children of Dan, stood by the entrance of the gate. Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land went up. Entering there, they took the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molded image. The priest stood at the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men who were armed with weapons of war. When these went into Micah’s house and took the carved image, the ephod, the household idols, and the molded image, the priest said to them, “What are you doing?” And they said to him, “Be quiet, put your hand over your mouth, and come with us; be a father and a priest to us. Is it better for you to be a priest to the household of one man, or that you be a priest to a tribe and a family in Israel?” So the priest’s heart was glad; and he took the ephod, the household idols, and the carved image, and took his place https://coptic-treasures.com/ among the people” (13 – 20). A painful portrait of the concepts of the people in those days; as well as that of the priest whose heart became glad (20) to know that he will be a priest to a large congregation rather than to be a priest to one household. The priest took his place among the people to take refuge against Micah’s household. He found what would satisfy his own greed; and whom would protect him from men; but not what would satisfy his depths, nor what would take away his shame. “Then they turned and departed, and put the little ones, the livestock, and the goods in front of them” (21) They walked as carnal men; for the spiritual man would go forth by the spirit ahead of his body (his wife) and his gifts (his children). The spiritual man would walk with his body under the subjection of the spirit; not to have the body go ahead of him; and the spirit submit to the evil desires of the body, or proud with the gifts (the children) “When they were a good way from the house of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house gathered together and overtook the children of Dan. And they called out to the children of Dan. So they turned around and said to Micah, ‘What ails you, that you have gathered such a company?’ So he said, ‘You have taken away my gods which I made, and the priest, and you have gone away. Now what more do I have? How can you say to me, ‘What ails you?’’” https://coptic-treasures.com/ And the children of Dan said to him, ‘Do not let your voice be heard among us, lest angry men fall upon you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household!’ Then the children of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house” (22 – 26) 5- THE DANITES SETTLE IN LAISH:. “So they took the things Micah had made, and the priest who had belonged to him, and went to Laish, to a people quiet and secure; and they struck them with the edge of the sword and burned the city with fire. There was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon, and they had no ties with anyone. It was in the valley that belongs to Beth Rehob. So they rebuilt the city and dwelt there. And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born to Israel. However, the name of the city formerly was Laish (27 – 29) They set forth to ;Laish’, namely to (the lion), rebuild it anew, and called it ‘Dan’ ……. They represent the believer who descends into the water of baptism, so that, by the crucified Lord Christ, he would destroy the devil, and take his evil works off himself, as though burn it with fire, to bear the new man, after the image of his Creator. And instead of ‘Laish’ which belongs to the devil, he sets https://coptic-treasures.com/ ‘dab’, that refers to the condemnation of sin by the cross, and through the burial of our Lord Jesus. “Then the children of Dan set up for themselves the carved image; and Jonathan the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land. So they set up for themselves Micah’s carved image which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh” (30 – 31) It was befitting, however, of the children of Dan, having burned ‘Laish’ with fire, and built ‘Dan’ instead, to live for the Lord; but, unfortunately, they set up for themselves the carved image …………..By that they represent the believers who, after enjoying the new man, they perverted to sin, away from the godly life of faith, to live according to their evil desires.
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