Peter Barnes | Judges 17
SERMON NOTES
RIGHT GOD, WRONG WORSHIP (Judges 17)
– probably early in the book of Judges (18:30; 30:27-28)
– spiritual decline, then moral decline, then political decline.
1. A light view of sin.
– 17:1-2; he steals a huge amount, his mother seems to keep 900 of the 1100 shekels she had dedicated
– 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25 – very modern ring to this
2. Worshipping God the wrong way.
– 17:3-5a; violates Exodus 20:4; look at Judges 18:24 – he made his own gods! See Acts 19:19, 26
– priests had to come from the tribe of Levi (Num.3:5-10); Thomas Chalmers was preaching from 1799 but only converted in 1811
– Levites were not meant to roam but to live in one of 48 cities provided for them (Num. 35; Josh.21).
3. A superstitious complacency.
– 17:13; like indulgences in Martin Luther’s day.
– Matt.7:21-23