Spiritual Derangement (Part A)

The church would possess its allotments of the church. The church is not an entertainment center but a place to put Band-Aids on Google's only got to cater to the culture of the society and the people serve God.

The assembly of believers would possess their allotments to be more honorable, more effective, there are churches that do do this because they hold up the word of God.

This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher. Rick asked Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Rick is currently teaching through the book of Judges. Please stay with us after today's message to hear more information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in Judges chapter 17 as he begins his message spiritual derangement.

Judges chapter 17 spiritual derangement.

That's what were going to look at this evening.

Couple of types of spiritual derangement. There is that type that thinks it's giving honor to Christ by acting on God. That just takes attention away from Christ and makes people say you are all odd and then there is what we have here which will let the story tell itself. I mentioned that when we got to Samson. Sampson was like a little book unto itself of four chapters devoted to the one champion of Israel.

This section from chapter 17 through 21 in the book of Judges is in appendix. It really is a book to itself also but it belongs right where it is and is masterfully set right here it is at the end of the book, breaking with chronology. It's it doesn't follow the story of Samson doesn't pick up where Sampson left off it goes all the way back to the first chapter and then somewhere else in between. We know that because when we get to the 20th chapter it's going to tell us that Phineas was still ministering in Israel and that takes us back to the first chapter, there are other a few other timestamps but that's big enough that one along and so this is actually again. Contrary to following chronology. It goes back and if you're not a Bible student is a good place to start to start learning that there are lessons to be had from the Scripture that you would miss out.

Would you you wouldn't get if you were not applying yourself and being around others who also applied themselves. No pastor enters the pool.

With knowledge, all of his own yes to benefit from countless teachers over the centuries to help him understand what they struggle to understand while Sampson is of course the last judge's the last God appointed leader. So the book of Judges is a book about God sending leaders to help his people survive in an environment where they were trying to be destroyed and this section that we come to now is likely long before the 40 year rule of the Philistines because the events that unfold would've been very difficult if not impossible to take place if the Philistines were in such power and what will get in these last five chapters, what we have here in this scoundrel name Micah and his mom and then the tribe of Dan and the Levite involved in all that just crazy religion in them in the in chapters 19 through 21 we get this vulgar story of savagery and slaughter and that the tribe against tribe brother against brother.

What we get up from this these last five chapters is that God's word was not important to the people who claimed his name is, they insisted upon claiming Yahweh is their God and they trampled in his face everything he had to sit it brings to life this verse from Psalm 138 speaking about Yahweh. You have magnified your word above your name. Your word is what matters more than what your name if that people just dropping your name and not honoring your word. You have demonic activity Satan understands the covenant name of God, still Satan and these last two stories. Both of them involved Levite or Levitical failures.

The Levites are in both these stories and they are shameful. They had an opportunity to stop this stuff, but they actually were very much a part of it and the historian who put judges together likely writing from the age of the kings are right before the Kings or as the Kings were coming into interplay in Israel's history that the historian is highlighting the near anarchy that moved through the land because of the idolatry.

Because there was a failure with the pastors.

It was a failure with the people and therefore there was a failure in society and that formula does not change all through his re-Jesus dealt with it when he confronted the Pharisees and the Sadducees were the religious leaders and so that the apostles as they move forward.

And then of course we had all of the infiltrators try to come in and take over the church and kill it. That would've that was their goal to kill Christianity.

Whether they knew it or not, Satan was trying to do is so corrupt the church that he destroyed it completely.

And he almost pulled off.

Look at the dark ages find entire doctrines of Christianity, that we may take for granted were gone.

The doctrine of salvation was nonexistent in the minds of people during the dark ages except for remnants of people. Satan enjoyed the ignorance of the popes brought on all of Europe.

So this idolatry does creating gods in your own image or the image of something other than what he is.

That is what idolatry is it brings failure of the worst kind. Because it hurts lives and inserts them severely moral collapse due to reducing God to a mascot. That's what God was reduced to in this very first of the five chapters God is simply a mascot, a lucky charm that goes before the people to serve them quite the meaning that we have in mind we come to the gospel of Mark and Jesus as the Son of Man came to serve. He is God. The servant looking to bring souls into a glorious eternity and not rich them with the finite things of this cursed world. And so the logic of placing these two stories in the last five chapters without making much of a comment against the anarchy is genius in that he lets the story tell itself to read these stories and you would have to be pretty wicked to smiling grand and think there was nothing wrong with it. In this chapter we find a corrupt man a confused and also corrupt mother compromise minister internal breakdown of what the Bible meant to them. Now how rich is that for us was the Bible mean to us will most of you I know what the Bible means to you. It is the high word of God.

It is the voice of the creator to you. It is what the Savior has to say to souls that love being saved, but not everyone feels that way that's missing is avoided as an emptiness. There is a damning on the soul because it's not there and this section. This appendix gives to us the bizarre and the insane religious behavior that makes us ask, is this a joke. This really happen are people in this stupid that many of them this stupid at one time. Listen, we've seen evil take over entire nations, Imperial Japan, Nazi Germany, demons took over those nations globally. Right now we live in perhaps the stupidest dumbest generation known to man. There is no reason, there's no cause, at least in the first world war as misguided as they were. They thought that war would end all wars.

At least it was a logic's logic as misguided as it was, you could make sense of it okay to go to settle this. You could've taken that position with the settlers it was wrong didn't work, but today receiving Christian starting to drink the Kool-Aid there groups that were facing this BLM for example this is antichrist. This is not only I don't believe in Christ. This is I hate him want to destroy him and I don't want anybody worshiping him and if you are ignorant of what these people stand for.

You are just that you are ignorant and you need to learn what's going on because this is Satan rearing its ugly head and it is a coming attraction to the great tribulation. That is on the doorstep. We Christians must stay focused in this we don't run away from our Bible run to it and we get stronger spiritually that we can shine the light in this dark place no matter what the consequences you want to go ahead and shoot me or persecute me for what I believe in, get in line. Will that wasn't what I was supposed to talk about that you can help.

It is just the doneness of people that the cops notice.

Get ready you.

Let's get rid of you that just so domicile stupid. It makes you blink hard and of young and the young folks of lapping it up all right.

We got judges to go to judges chapter 1. And if you're Christian you come to me than it is that I will rebuke you in Jesus name, because the devil has got you. You cannot be a Christian and serve these full that are out there right now it is not possible because they are blatantly against what Christ has to say and you don't understand that they hate Jesus Christ your you dumber than you deserve to be right now. Verse one whole animal notice of now there was a man from the mountains of Ephraim, whose name was Michael and I we stop right there.

The Mountie was in the in the tribe of Ephraim that was in their allotted territory that takes us back to the days of Joshua. When Joshua was dividing up the lots for the people of the various tribes.

This will be your territory and no more, and this will be your territory and no more. Some of that to change because of the participants. Judah ended up picking up a little bit more territory because Eve from letting go. For example, what the question then comes is how committed am I to my allotment to what God has given me in my life and my satisfied with her or am I a grumble against what God is given to me to steward my time in my position in my station in life as a believer. How committed am I to my allotment the Jews at this time many of them occupied God's land without having God occupying their hearts along with that, he would think it's basic it's basic how did you get here through Moses you have the law of Moses he got you here.

Why don't you continue with him. If the church would possess its allotment. If the church would be a church, not an entertainment center not a place to put Band-Aids on boo-boos only, not to cater to the culture in the society and the people, but to serve God. If the assembly of believers would possess their allotments and be more honorable, more effective, and there are churches that do do this because they hold up the word of God so that first clause. Now there was a man from the mountains of Ephraim, a tribal allotment makes us pause again and ask ourselves just well what about me and my allotment because it's very easy to be dissatisfied with what God is giving you. And so then he gives you more than you become this data spy with that of your carnal whose name was Micah. That is a contraction of Michael.

It is a statement like this on my God is, who is like God don't even answer that kind of statement is rhetorical. The sharp contrast between the prophet Micah and this man sharp contrast between the Archangel Michael and this man, this again nothing redeeming about this man Micah, he is one of the scoundrels of Scripture is kind of forgotten because we think of Laban and Saul who and so many others, but he was a thief and a full-blown idolatry. Verse two he said to his mother. The 1100 shekels of silver that were taken from you on which you put a curse even saying in my ears. Here is the silver with me. I took it in his mother said. May you be blessed by Yahweh. My son spiritually deranged something wrong with both of these people are. They appear to be irretrievable and how do you get these kind of folks back when they've already gone so far and and enjoy it well would take the first part of the 1100 shekels and that's a lot of money. Remember Delilah was offered five times this there were five Philistine lords in each one was going to give her 1100 pieces of silver to betray Sampson will in this one household. They have alleged 1100 pieces nice chunk of change. At that time would be nice to change. Even now to have 1100 pieces of silver.

I guess I rather have gold talking ounces but is unmoved by his thievery. What is frightened buys the curse he put on the thief and that this interview I heard you say that what he says here that 1100 shekels of silver that were taken from you on which you put a curse even saying it in my ears, mom, I heard you curse the thief so here's the money I stole it.

I don't want that occurs not. I'm ashamed of myself. I coveted I wanted and I took it and it was wrong and the Lord knows a monk that would've been nice, but there was no reverence, no reverent fear of Yahweh from either of them in his mother said.

May you be blessed by Yahweh.

My son and you look at you really say what will my baby can do no wrong. You are wrong. If you think that lady. Of course Christ addresses this very thing because it is easy to do, is if you love anybody more than God, something wrong with your faith. That would be in acts chapter 4, Luke chapter 14 verse 26 and so he gets to get something from his mom because he so precious in her eyes*is going to get worse from here. She joyfully neutralizes the curse by then putting a blessing on so she says, may you be blessed by Yahweh for stealing from me and bringing it back because you are afraid of the curse see superstition was all over the place. This is worse than Eli. Eli would not enforce his obedience on his rotten sons of the scoundrels of Scripture have nine finials they were. They were creeps and God dealt with the life of that because their sins were over-the-top. They were just, you know, taken the erasers and slapping them together, putting chalk dust on people now there may be some here they go. What what's chalk dust. Not only did she ignore the crime.

She spun into a blessing. How do you do that how do you take the crime and spin into a blessing. Well, the news media does it all the time where we shouldn't be surprised, but in this case, what we have here is this long existing presence of a mom spoiling her child, giving him the feeling that he is entitled is entitled to her things and now he's full-grown and he's a thief in the home because righteousness is unimportant to these people. What is important to superstitions.

Teaching righteousness is not enough of that has to be honored by those teaching it must be pursued at something we go after with mercy because we all know we fail. But we all know that we also succeed because of our pursuit of righteousness.

We just look at ourselves and with a boy what what ID without Christ is what Peter says of the righteous to barely save what happens to the unrighteous.

What about the church when the church pursues obedience will churches then blessed not in numbers but in honor quality and those not interested in true righteousness.

They leave the church and that is a blessing to the church that departure. Herb helped the church remain strong.

A lot of people don't understand that you think that that we have to keep the numbers up to be successful.

We we have to keep righteousness to be successful to be, but again, these two were not the least bit disturbed by their pagan superstitions in Yahweh's name bizarre becomes a way of life that paints over that which is from God, trying to make it better.

And of course in so doing, he takes away the truths of God. Someone who thinks that they are more creative in their writing takes the Bible wants to edit it. For example, like the message you know that pieces of firewood verse three's. So when he had returned the 1100 check 1100 shekels of silver to his mother. His mother said I had holy dedicated the silver from my hand to Yahweh for my son to make a carved image in a molded image.

Now therefore I will return it to you. I tell you just gets more bizarre.

This is spiritual derangement did their spiritually when it comes to God and religion and faith are out of their minds if he would steal from his own mother. What would he do to others.

We will talk about that. That's my boy, so his mother said I had holy dedicated the silver from my hand to Yahweh for my son to her dedication was a waste of time. Like many today think that the dedicated to God with a strong God. The facts don't agree with their conclusions just because they appoint this thing in their imagination as God doesn't mean it's true. Consider Islamism is not just a spiritual feature to the Koran relief all their other writings is no maternal miracles are no prophecies.

This just hears what I say and it's impossible to challenge me without being violently attacked.

That's their approach. How convenient I'm going to create a religion and makes it impossible to question Christianity grows back the curtain is a good question.

We want bring a Bible to church, ask questions, get to the bottom of it and the world hates that about us and so here she is O let God bless our disobedient, our flagrant disobedience, I might add, and it is said what she says here that she was going to dedicate the silver to this idol. She says this without shame, without hesitation, without reason without obedience without God Zephaniah, the prophet will come along long after these, and he will talk about those who worship the fake God's and then worship also the real God Zephaniah chapter 1, those who worship the host of heaven on the housetops worshiping the stars not only the stars, those who worship and swear oaths by Yahweh but who also swear by milk, which was a pagan God that they mingled them together when they were strictly forbidden not to do this, you would think they would say okay Julia, the law of Moses does not permit me to do this, but I want to do this so I'm going to leave the law of Moses and go become a full-blown worshiper of bough whoever us. You would think they would do something like that in no way going to stay amongst the people of God we going to then add the gods from the other peoples and we going to insist we be left alone. This is what evil does.

This is invasive and to this day think the people go start their own church.

Note the Satanists when they get the idea of Satan while they get from the Bible when you would think if they believe that part. They believe the name of Satan.

You would think they believe everything else is sort of like eating the stem of a banana is still open thrown away everything else and I don't even eat bananas, but I would need the stem well again her child was more important in God was an insult to God and a sin for her. Not just that we when you insult God to send this on you is not the atheism think that you know I'm getting even with him him showing him on the looking in his direction. I had a cousin and I score me a good gun with the lovely seas with the Lord now, but when in those days when he would get really upset with you, he would ignore you for like three days it would speak to you can set the house on fire just ignore you and any snap out of and we extend that that's how he lives course, I was perfect and I had no problems come shortly gave my guns but anyway what a growing up move. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Judges cross reference radio is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

If you'd like more information about this ministry, we invite you to visit our website cross reference radio.com you will find additional teachings from Pastor Rick available there, and we encourage you to subscribe to our podcast by doing so you will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio. You can search for cross reference radio on your favorite podcast that work just follow the links and cross reference radio.com that's all the time we have for today. Join us next time to continue learning more from the book of Judges right here cross reference rate