Judges 17-18

In chapter 17, we see God giving ministers a direct warning to never let their need for support to compromise their calling to speak to people about sin. We also see a warning to the church to not just employee a minister who will accommodate their sin.

Chapter 18 continues with warnings to both the minister and the church. To clergy, to be wary of the temptation to improve their vocational position and forsake their calling to certain a church in a certain city. Meaning, clergy should not move from church to church, from town to town as if the ministry is a career for the purpose of advancement. Clergy is a calling, not a career. By the same token, a church should not be so quick to rob a sister church their leadership simply to benefit their own house, insensitive to the leadership void left behind. When either disregard calling for selfish motivation, they should not be surprised that suffering soon follows...we cannot out run reciprocity!

I also want to point out a connection with these texts with Revelation 7:4-8. Here in Revelation, we see a listing of tribes represented in heaven, but both Dan and Ephraim are missing. We find why in regards to Dan here, they abandoned God's ways, embracing idolatry, forsaking Him. Is this a reference to Dan's sin causing them to loose their salvation or the loss of their place of honor within heaven? I will leave that to wiser theologians, but for me, I do not want to risk either!

Pastor Fred