One of the twelve tribes of Israel, Dan, was the first to venture into spiritual darkness, idol worship, and plant the seed for the destruction of the Nation. It is a depressing chapter in the whole bible. (Judges 17:1-13) When God, His Law are neglected, evil, corruption, and false worship will fill the nation.
Curse and blessing: An old mother lost 1100 shekels of silver; she cursed in the hearing of his son Micah, from the tribe of Ephraim. Micah had taken it, and he returned it to his mother. She immediately changed the curse into a blessing.
Justification for stealing: Micah did not repent, but simply handed over the silver. Probably, he gave back, fearing the curse, without repentance. He also mentioned that he had dedicated the stolen silver to the Lord, that to make an image or idol.
Making graven images: Micah’s mother took two hundred shekels of silver and gave it to a silversmith to make an image. The image was carved out from wood or sculptured from stone and overlaid with silver. Some scholars state it was a representation of Jehovah, and others state it was Baal or Ashtoreth. Even if it is of Jehovah, it was a violation of the Second Commandment. (Exodus 20:4-5)
Private worship sanctuaries: Micah established a whole system of worship with an ephod, which was used by priests and teraphim, considered as household gods in ancient times. Instead of going to Shiloh to worship, he created a worship place in his own home.
Priest consecrated: He fulfilled the need for a priest by appointing his own son as priest and consecrating him. Probably, he produced his own sacred oil, anointed his son as priest.
Levites searching for a job: God had ordained that the Levites would not get an inheritance, and the worshippers should support them. God warned Israel not to neglect the Levites in their vicinity. (Deuteronomy 10:9; 14:27) The Levites were neglected as the Nation forgot Jehovah. Instead of being a ‘called’ servant of God, he became a hired servant of Micah.
Do I keep His commandments?