Morning Manna | Judges 17:6 | Right in his own eyes

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.

This is a phrase that is repeated throughout the book of Judges. This particular verse comes from the Story of Micah, a rich man from the tribe of Ephraim. There was no king to enforce the Law of God, but they were not without the law of God. In a sense, the church in this current dispensation is in the same state that Israel was at this point in their history. They were without a king but not without a King. They were a theocracy, that is God was their King and this was how it was supposed to be. 

The Problem was not the lack of an earthly king but that every man did that which was right in his own eyes. God had established a covenant with them, and as a nation, they had bound themself to live according to God’s word. At this point, they had long forgotten the Word of the Lord. It wasn’t only society and families that began to look like the culture around them but even worship was twisted into idolatry. They had a culture that looked good from their point of view but was horrendous to God, They had a worship that looked good and ticked all their boxes but was an affront to God. It was right in their eyes but that did not make it right in the least. 

Micah made himself a shrine, an ephod, a teraphim, and a molten image. When what he believes is fate brings along a Levite, his religion is complete. We see this same sort of religion being crafted in the hour that we live. Even by the end of the New Testament Jesus is rebuking those churches that have mingled lies with the truth, lasciviousness with holiness, and cold duty with fervent devotion. 

Fast forward 2,000 years and it is hard to tell any difference in what is called church and the pagan culture around us. The churches do what is right in their own eyes, Pastors look like rock stars, and churches look like nightclubs or coffee shops. Men and women mark their bodies with tattoos of scripture, they have mingled worship of God with the music of the culture around us, they’ve mingled life with the culture around us, every aspect of Christendom seems dictated by the world around us, and the no one is upset about it, as far as they can tell it is right, and is from their point of view it is. We are living in the days of the Judges when every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Get yourself a smoke machine, a glass pulpit, a rock band, and hire some unholy, unknowing, Levite that will settle for 10 shekels and a shirt, and there you have it, a “church.” A church that is more akin to Micah’s house of gods, than The New Testament house of God. 

 Right now we are in the middle of the Book of Judges and while they are without a king now, their king is coming. He’s going to set worship in order, and he is going to bring peace. Israel will be holy again, no longer will they do what is right in their own eyes but God’s king, David is coming to rule and reign and set it all in order. Dear Christian, in the days of Judges, don’t get caught up in the idolatry taking place around us, the mixing of pagan worship with the worship of our God. Also, keep in mind that our King is coming! Jesus is coming and he is going to right all the wrongs, he will set up his kingdom and establish order and worship and peace in this world. While we may be in the days of Judges and without a king, our King is coming and the King of kings will be our Spiritual leader and physical leader in a few short chapters. Press on it won’t be very long!