Study the Word

Pastor Thom Keller: The dangers to a society when it slides into moral anarchy. That's next on Study the Word with Pastor Tom Keller.

Nature abhors a vacuum. It must be filled. If you turn from the truth because it interferes with your morals, you're not left with being neutral. You're left with what is false and the terrible consequences of it. I'm sure that's not your desire, nor is it God's.

Today on Study the Word, we'll continue in the Old Testament book of Judges and learn of the moral anarchy that existed then and the result. Though it's a difficult lesson, it's an important one that will equip us to engage our culture. So let's jump right in. From Judges chapter 17, here's Pastor Tom Keller.

The Word of God is no longer accepted as authority. Prior to this, the law was broken, but now the foundational system of authority is rejected. And each one decides individually what they're to do.

I looked up the word anarchy. It's from from the Greek and it means having no ruler. A state of lawlessness due to the absence of governmental authority. It means having no ruler. There was no king in Israel. And each man did that which was right in his own eyes. There was no king in Israel. Anarchy, having no ruler.

As I thought about this, I thought, if you're going to take two definitions of two words side by side. If you're going to put moral anarchy and anarchy side by side, when we start living lawlessly as a society, it will lead to the failure of a government. Which is technically an anarchy within the government, where there's no government. But see, that will never last. There will never be a long-lasting anarchy.

Because an anarchy is a vacuum that someone will run into and claim power. Some despot, some power, some government will shine. But an anarchy will not last. It won't. Someone will come in quickly and try to take that position. There may be embattlement and fighting for it, but it's a vacuum. But see, moral anarchy is different. Moral anarchy can last. Moral anarchy can go on for a period of time, but it will end in anarchy. It almost has to end in anarchy.

Judges is like a time clock recording of the hour by hour slide of a culture. Go back with me as you think about what we've studied. Remember when they first came across into the promised land, they did pretty well, didn't they? They worshiped God, they set up the temple.

Do you remember in the very beginning in Judges, Reuben, Gad and Manasseh, they they went back across the Jordan River, which they were okay to do, but they built an altar. Remember? They built a large altar. And when the other tribes found out they did it, they were going to go kill them because God said not to put an altar anywhere but where the temple was to be, or the synagogue was to be. Right?

They were that concerned about obeying God's word that they were willing to kill three tribes. That's how they started. Then we see prosperity setting in. And we start to see the pursuit of prosperity. Do you remember they would not drive out the people from the land because they took them as slaves and because they traded with them? They started to make compromises for the sake of prosperity.

And that resulted in the pursuit of idols. An idol is anything you put ahead of God. They put that ahead of God. That then led to lust and sensuality among the people and the leaders. Samson, right? Remember that? I mean, it was just decadent, and it's in the leadership.

That leads then to today moral relativism. Micah, changing the rules. Trying to be comfortable with what God with this life that we have. I don't want to live under these restrictions.

Next week we're going to see homosexuality violently defended by the culture. It's the same story that takes place back in Sodom and Gomorrah with Lot. Men of the city come in to break down the house to forcibly rape a man. It's the next step in a moral slide.

Do you know, do you know that the violent defense of homosexuality is almost the last stage of a culture going down? Do you know that? Do you know why it is? Because in Romans 1, it says, Romans 1 says that God tries to hold a man back. And the picture in Greek is of God having his hands in the back of someone's belt. And he's trying to restrain them, and they're pulling forward into sin. And he's trying to restrain them, and it's his conscience that does that.

It's God's conscience in the heart of that man that causes him to be restrained. That's a pull that he feels in his belt. He has that conscience, there's something wrong with this. But when a man pulls against that long enough, when he fights God long enough, God lets go.

And when he does that, Romans 1 says of all the things it could say in Romans 1, that that man will fall into. All of the sin, think about all the sin in this world that a man could get into. The thing that it singles out is homosexuality. That women will burn with lust for women, men will burn with lust for men.

And it says that that's a reprobate, someone whose conscience is seared, someone who no longer cares at all about God's moral code. And it is the last vestige of a culture, and we're going there.

I don't believe it's going to be long. I really don't, until we hear of men and women, men being forcibly raped by groups of men. I believe that day is coming. I really do. It first has to come out of the closet and then has to be violently defended and it's the next step. Do you think we're going to be immune from that? It's coming.

And the last step is God's, listen to the second word, sudden judgment. God's sudden judgment. What about our culture? Where are we? I don't need to explain that.

See, we don't want a king. We don't we we don't want anyone telling us what to do. We want to live under a culture that has the benefits of living under God's moral code. But we ourselves want no restraint. We want to live in a culture that has peace, a society that has peace, justice, protection, where my children are safe, where my assets are safe and secure. But I myself, I want no restraint because I want no limitations. My limitations are right. Just protect my stuff. Protect my family.

The Talmud, which is an explanation of the Old Testament by the rabbis. The Talmud tells a story about a group of passengers who boarded a ship. While they're on the ship, one of the men takes a drill and begins drilling a hole under his seat. The other passengers complained to him, they say, what do you think you're doing? His response was, what is it to do with you? Am I not making the hole under my seat? Do you get the point?

See, we can't let these things go on in our culture and think the boat's not going to go down. Proverbs 11:11 says, the good influence of godly citizens causes a city to prosper. But the moral decay of the wicked drives it downhill. Let's go on. Verse 7.

One day a young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah arrived in that area of Ephraim looking for a good place to live. He happened to stop at Micah's house as he was traveling through, where are you from, Micah asked him. He replied, I'm a Levite from Bethlehem and Judah, I'm looking for a place to live. Stay here with me, Micah said. And you can be a father and a priest to me. I will give you 10 pieces of silver a year, plus a change of clothes and your food. Levite agreed to this and became like one of Micah's sons.

So Micah ordained the Levite as his personal priest, and he lived in Micah's house. I know the Lord will bless me now, Micah said, because I have a Levite serving as my priest. Micah's confidence here is based in superstition. He thinks because he has a priest, he's in God's good favor. It's like thinking that because your name's on a church roll somewhere, you have a special place in God's heart. It's like saying because I have I sent this prayer cloth into this place and they're going to pray for me, that God's I've earned some special favor, it's all superstition.

There is no relationship with God outside of a personal relationship with God. There's anything we can say about Micah. We can say he's utterly sincere. But he is utterly wrong. He believes totally in a in a lie. Let's go into 18.

In those days, Israel had no king, and the tribe of Dan was trying to find a place to resettle. For they had not yet driven out the people who lived in the land assigned them. So the men of Dan chose five warriors from among their clans who lived in the towns of Zora and Eshtol, and they're going to be traveling up through Ephraim, through the hill country of Ephraim, and they're going to encounter Micah.

When these warriors arrived in the hill country of Ephraim, they came to Micah's home and spent the night there. Noticing the young Levite's accent, they took him aside and asked him, who brought you here and what are you doing? Why are you here? The priest, he told them about his agreement with Micah and that he was Micah's personal priest. Then they said, ask God whether our journey will be successful. They're going up here to spy out this land to see if they can take it. Ask the Lord whether our journey will be successful. Go in peace, the priest replied, for the Lord will go ahead of you on your journey.

Isn't that just like what Satan would say? Is it true? Well, kind of, maybe. But he didn't he didn't say they're going to be victorious. He said the Lord's going to go ahead of you. What does that mean? They made it they made it mean what they wanted.

So the five men went under the town of Laish, where they noticed the people living carefree lives like the Sidians. They were peaceful and secure. The people were also wealthy because their land was very fertile. So they see this place as secure and they really have no fear. This is about a 100 mile journey, and again it's very fertile because this this is between two ranges in here. It's a very fertile area because of the river. Verse 8.

When the men returned to Zora and Eshtol, their relatives asked them, what did you find? So now they came back, we're back down here again, these five spies. When the men returned to Zora and Eshtol, their relatives asked them, what did you find? The men replied, let's attack, we have seen the land and it is very good. You should not hesitate to go and take possession of it. When you get there, you will find the people living carefree lives. God has given us a spacious and fertile land. Nothing is lacking.

So 600 warriors from the tribe of Dan set out from Zora and Eshtol. They camped at a place west of Kirith Jerim in Judah, which is called Mahanadan to this day. They then went up into the hill country of Ephraim and came to the house of Micah. These 600 warriors are heading back north again and they come to Micah's house.

The five men who had scouted out the land around Laish said to the others, there's a shrine here with a sacred Ephod, some household idols, a carved image, and a cast idol. It's obvious what we ought to do. Now, wouldn't you think, if you stopped right there, wouldn't you think it's obvious what What would you think he means by it's obvious what we ought to do? Destroy it, right? Wouldn't you think that? Okay, this one guy had it all wrong, but surely 600 men from the tribe of Dan in the very heart of the Jews would have got this right. It's obvious what we ought to do.

So the five men went over to Micah's house where the young Levite lived, and greeted him kindly. As the 600 warriors from the tribe of Dan stood outside the gate, the five spies entered the shrine and took the carved image, the sacred Ephod, and the household idols, and the cast idol. When the priest saw the men carrying all the sacred objects out of Micah's shrine, just picture that, he sees all all his artifacts, all his tools being taken out. He says, what are you doing? Be quiet and come with us, they said. Be a father and priest to all of us. Isn't it better to be a priest for an entire tribe of Israel than for just the household of one man?

The young priest was quite happy to go with them. What happened to his contract, huh? So he took along the sacred Ephod, the household idols and the carved image. They started on their way again, placing their children and livestock in the front of them. Why do you think they did that? I guess as they expected Mike to come from the rear. And they put the children in the front so that they would be at the rear to defend when that attack came. You do not normally put your children and families in the front.

When the people of the tribe of Dan were quite a distance from Micah's home, Micah and some of his neighbors came chasing after them. These were 600 warriors, they're prepared for war when they go up into this region of Dan. So, you know, these guys aren't to be messed around with. They were shouting as they caught up with them. The men of Dan turned around and said, what do you want? Can you picture that? Just kind of quick picture you 600 soldiers just marching and Micah and his neighbors come running up behind, these guys in military gear and these guys, you know, ragtag little group of neighbors. And they expect this to happen. You know, and these mighty men, 600 men. And so Micah and his neighbors come running up, you know, you can see the dust in the street kind of flying as they get there. And you picture it and I just picture it like a row of of 10 guys in the back. You know, maybe 60 rows of 10 guys. And so this Mike comes up and says, "Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing? What do you think you're doing? You took my idols." And I just picture one guy turned around. They don't even stop walking. One guy turns around and said, what do you want? You got a problem? You got a problem? You know, because that's kind of what takes place here. That's that's the scene.

They were shouting as they caught up with them. The men of Dan turned around and said, what do you want? Why have you called after these men and chased after us like this? What do you mean, what do I want, Mike replied? You've taken away all my gods and my priest. I have nothing left. Do you know nobody can take away your God? Isn't that cool? Nobody can take away your God. Nobody, you're never got to chase after anybody to get your God back. Do you know that? Nobody can take away your God. But if you have another God, you will have to guard that with a jealous guarding because someone can always take that from you. That could be a boyfriend, a girlfriend, a husband, a wife, a child. And I'm not kidding. You can have one God.

The men of Dan said, watch what you say, some of us are short-tempered. They might get angry and kill you. The the Greek means they're chafed in their minds. When it says that we they're short-tempered, chafed in their mind. You know, it means kind of their minds are rubbed a little sore. You know, some of us are short-tempered, they might get angry and kill you and your family. So the men of Dan went on their way. They turned around and went back. When Micah saw there were too many of them for him to attack, he turned around and went home. And Micah has to rescue his own God.

Then with Micah's idols and his priest, the men of Dan came to the town of Laish, whose people were peaceful and secure. They attacked and killed all the people, burned the town to the ground. There was no one to rescue them. Again, they're up in this area here. There was no one to rescue them, for they lived a great distance from Sidon and had no allies nearby. This happened in the valley near Beth Hob.

Then the people of the tribe of Dan rebuilt the town and lived there. They renamed the town Dan after their ancestor. Israel's son, but it had originally been called Laish. Here's key. They, the tribe of Dan, they then set up the carved image and they appointed Jonathan, son of Gerscham, the son of Moses as their priest. This family continued as priests for the tribe of Dan until the exile.

So Micah's carved image was worshiped by the tribe of Dan as long as the Tabernacle of God remained in Shilo. Listen to that one more time. So Micah's carved image was worshiped by the tribe of Dan, as long as the Tabernacle remained in Shilo. You know how long that was? They estimate that that was about the time of Saul's death. And if that's true, this event occurred around 1350 BC, David assumed the role of king at 993. So for over 350 years, 1/12th of the Israelite nation worshiped this carved image. 350 years.

Now, you may say, well, that's interesting. But let me tell you what it says. It means that for 350 years, they lived in absolute, total disobedience to God's most basic laws. 350 years. For 350 years, they worshiped their created God. You say how foolish. Well, you saw those idols. Many people in the world worship those as our Christians. How foolish they were. We wouldn't do anything like that, would we? Would we?

Because we reject the King of Kings in our lives, it brings about that each man does that which is right in his own eyes. So it follows then that no one has the right to say, you shouldn't be having sex outside of marriage. It follows then that no one has the right to say, you can't judge me for doing pot. It follows then that no one has the right to say, what do you mean to tell me I have to follow a particular sexual orientation?

See, who sets the laws if we don't accept God's laws? May I tell you where moral relativism will lead you? Just like Micah, you're going to end up running after your God down the street. Watch it. You're going to chase after that little G, little God as your life falls apart and as that idol goes away from you. It will never support you. And it won't deliver you.

Comfortable? The pleasures of sin last a season. I met with a man every week for prayer for probably 15 years. Just a godly man. And he had this saying. I wrote it in the back of my Bible. Sin, sin will take you lower than you want to go. It'll keep you longer than you want to stay. And it'll cost you more than you'll ever want to pay.

When that happens, we have fallen under the hypnosis of what the Bible calls the deceitfulness of sin. We no longer see. We no longer see the truth. And you know, if you choose to get under the Lordship of Christ instead, do you know what you'll get? Do you know what you'll receive if you give up this comfortable life that you choose instead of obedience to God? Listen to what Ephesians 3 says. By his, by God's mighty power and work within us, He is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of, infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts or hopes. Infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires or hopes.

Let me tell you the rest of my college, my made up girlfriend story. In college, I went to school that was ratio of seven guys to one girl. I don't know if I would have gotten there if I would have known that at the time I went, but it was. And I didn't date at all in college. Well, maybe a little bit, very little. And I went into this kind of a depression about the subject and I thought there's no one in the world for me. You know, there's just no one. I'm going to end up all alone. If any of you've ever been there, but I was.

And one day I went to the Lord and I said, God, I give this to you. I said, I surrender. I said, I don't want to deal with this anymore. I said, it's like, there's this picture over on the wall and I've been in there in the frame of that picture trying to drag a girl in. I've been trying to find her and pull her in that picture frame so it can be that nice snapshot of husband and wife. And I said, I'm done. I said, I give this to you. I said, if you want me to be married, that's fine. You don't want me to be married. That's fine. And that's a critical piece that don't put conditions on God. If you want me to be married, that's fine. You don't want me to be married. That's fine. If you want to bring a girl to me with one eye in the middle of her head, that's exactly what I said. You want to bring a girl to me with one eye in the middle of her head, that's okay, just so I can love her and she'll love me. That's all I ask.

You know what God did? You know what God did? He led me to a girl from Lebanon County, yes, a cheerleader, who was blonde, from Lebanon High School. And whose first name was Susan, infinitely, abundantly, beyond my highest dreams, prayers, hopes. I never could have imagined there was a girl like that. Never. But see, I had to stop chasing my little G God, and I had to give it to the God who could do what I could not do. And you know what he has done, he has confirmed year after year after year that he is able to bring a blessing in your life that will remain a blessing. You may think something's a blessing when you're 20, but it may not be a blessing when you're 30.

He alone knows your future. He knows everything about you. He knows how a blessing can be a blessing. You don't. You don't. What idols of disobedience are you holding on to? Because if you're holding on to anything, it's holding you back from receiving blessings from God. Real blessings. Are you willing to give that up to God? He doesn't mean it has to go. It just means you surrender the right to God to do with it. If it's something disobedient, it's going to have to. But out of that will come a greater blessing. Or God is not God.

Pastor Thom Keller: If you want God's best for you, total surrender is what's required. This is Study the Word with Pastor Tom Keller of Calvary Chapel Lebanon. We're studying the book of Judges right now. To hear this message again, simply go to CCB.com and look under resources. We're at CCB.com. If you'd rather have a CD copy, call 717-507-7862. That's 717-507-7862. And for those that give to the ministry this month, we'll say thanks by sending you Pastor Tom's entire study of Daniel. There are 22 messages in this helpful series, and we put them onto a flash drive. Get the entire study of Daniel for a gift of any amount by calling 717-507-7862. Or write Study the Word, 740 Willow Street, Lebanon, Pennsylvania 17046. If you live close by or will be visiting the area soon, drop on by. For service times and more information about Calvary Chapel Lebanon, turn to CCB.com. And download our free Android app. Search Calvary Chapel Lebanon in the Google Play Store. We'll get back into Judges next time on Study the Word with Pastor Tom Keller. And may God richly bless you as you study the Word.