Walking with Jesus
"If the LORD delights in a person's way, He makes their steps firm; though they stumble, they will not fall, for the LORD upholds them with His hand." (Psalm 37:23,24)
Walking with Jesus

The Grand Narrative: (Judges 17 & 18) “Good People, Bad Choices”

“Good people Bad choices?” (Judges 17 & 18)

 

Published 22 October 2025

Scroll down for “Lessons Learned…”

Designed for Personal Bible Study or for Bible Teaching

⚠️ Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Mistakes

  1. 1️⃣ Confusing inheritance with entitlement—Micah justified stealing from his mother (Judg 17:1–2).
  2. 2️⃣ Misusing God’s name to bless sin—his mother “blessed” her thief son (Judg 17:2).
  3. 3️⃣ Turning devotion into idolatry—silver reshaped into a false god (Judg 17:3-4).
  4. 4️⃣ Installing self-made priests instead of seeking God’s appointed way (Judg 17:5).
  5. 5️⃣ Allowing culture to define worship—“Everyone did as they saw fit” (Judg 17:6).

💥 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Failures

  1. 1️⃣ Failure of discernment—religious zeal without truth breeds deception (Judg 17:5).
  2. 2️⃣ Failure of leadership—Levite compromised calling for comfort (Judg 17:7-10).
  3. 3️⃣ Failure of accountability—no one confronted the idolatry (Judg 17:6).
  4. 4️⃣ Failure to recognize God’s absence—assuming His favor amid rebellion (Judg 17:13).
  5. 5️⃣ Failure to guard influence—sin in one house infected a whole tribe (Judg 18:30-31).

🚫 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Sins

  1. 1️⃣ Idolatry—replacing God with man-made silver gods (Judg 17:3-5).
  2. 2️⃣ Deception—religious appearances masking rebellion (Judg 17:12-13).
  3. 3️⃣ Greed—Levite and Danites exploiting religion for gain (Judg 18:18-20).
  4. 4️⃣ Spiritual plagiarism—stealing what belonged to God alone (Judg 18:24).
  5. 5️⃣ Contempt for true worship—rejecting the tabernacle at Shiloh (Judg 18:31).

🏆 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Successes

  1. 1️⃣ God exposes hidden sin—He allows stories like Micah’s to warn us (Rom 15:4).
  2. 2️⃣ The covenant still stands—God’s standards never change (Ex 20:3-5).
  3. 3️⃣ Truth remains accessible—the tabernacle still shone in Shiloh (Judg 18:31).
  4. 4️⃣ God uses even dark history for light—Scripture preserves failure to teach holiness (1 Cor 10:11).
  5. 5️⃣ Repentance always remains open—the way back is obedience (Isa 55:7).

🌱 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Spiritual Growth Lessons

  1. 1️⃣ Compromise starts small—one idol leads to many (Jas 1:14-15).
  2. 2️⃣ Syncretism blinds discernment—truth diluted becomes deception (Matt 6:24).
  3. 3️⃣ God honors purity of worship—not mixture (John 4:23-24).
  4. 4️⃣ Accountability is grace—God disciplines to rescue (Heb 12:5-6).
  5. 5️⃣ Guard the heart’s altar daily—keep idols from creeping in (Prov 4:23).

🧭 Lessons Learned – The 5 Greatest Leadership Principles

  1. 1️⃣ Lead from integrity—example outweighs influence (Tit 2:7-8).
  2. 2️⃣ Guard doctrine—truth unprotected invites corruption (1 Tim 6:20-21).
  3. 3️⃣ Resist people-pleasing—seek God’s approval, not applause (Gal 1:10).
  4. 4️⃣ Value substance over symbols—avoid empty religion (2 Tim 3:5).
  5. 5️⃣ Anchor communities in God’s Word—the only safeguard against drift (Josh 1:7-8).