25: They chose their own inheritance over God's (Judges 18:1 – 31)

The Danites failed to acquire the land that had been allotted to them. In their quest for territory, they captured Laish, settled there, and renamed it Dan, claiming it as their inheritance. But what was wrong with their actions?

Read Judges 18:1 - 31

Q1. In those days, Israel had no (         ). The Danites had not yet acuired their (         ) and sent men to find a land. When the scouts encountered a Levite in Micah’s house, they inquired of God regarding their mission. The priest said, “(            ) will be with you on your mission.” They arrived in Laish and observed that the people there lived securely, undisturbed, and (           ). Returning to their clan, they persuaded them, saying, “(                        ) —a place that lacks nothing.” (      ) hundred fully armed Danites set out and, on their way, stopped at Micah’s house. They took the shrine’s items, including the carved images. The priest willingly joined them, preferring to serve as a priest for an entire (        ) rather than just one household. Micah, unable to stand against the ruthless and powerful Danite army, could do nothing as they left with his belongings. The Danites reached Laish, attacked the (        ) town, and burned it to the ground. They rebuilt the city and named it (        ). There, they worshiped the carved image, even though the house of God was in (       ).

In those days, Israel had no ( king ). The Danites had not yet acuired their ( inheritance ) and sent men to find a land. When the scouts encountered a Levite in Micah’s house, they inquired of God regarding their mission. The priest said, “( The Lord ) will be with you on your mission.” They arrived in Laish and observed that the people there lived securely, undisturbed, and ( unsuspecting ). Returning to their clan, they persuaded them, saying, “( God is giving us this land ) —a place that lacks nothing.” ( Six ) hundred fully armed Danites set out and, on their way, stopped at Micah’s house. They took the shrine’s items, including the carved images. The priest willingly joined them, preferring to serve as a priest for an entire ( tribe ) rather than just one household. Micah, unable to stand against the ruthless and powerful Danite army, could do nothing as they left with his belongings. The Danites reached Laish, attacked the ( unsuspecting ) town, and burned it to the ground. They rebuilt the city and named it ( Dan ). There, they worshiped the carved image, even though the house of God was in ( Shiloh ).

Q2. Though the Bible doesn’t explicitly accuse their wrongs, it alludes that their doings didn’t align with God’s will. Find related verses that support the following statements and connect properly

Q3. It is ironic that a descendant of (       ), who was expected to guide the Danites in the right direction, instead led them into idolatry by encouraging the worship of (           ) in a location other than the designated place, (      ). (30 -31)

It is ironic that a descendant of ( Moses ), who was expected to guide the Danites in the right direction, instead led them into idolatry by encouraging the worship of ( a carved image ) in a location other than the designated place, ( Shiloh ).

The revelation of the young Levite’s name in the final scene heightens the dramatic irony even further. Moses is the one who received God’s instructions and warnings regarding idolatry and place of worship. But, his very descendant misled the people, for the sake of wealth. 

Note that they worshipped the carved image—likely a calf—as if it were the Lord, not as other deities like Baal or Asherah. They created and revered it as though they were genuinely serving the Lord (Judges 17:13). This parallels the incident at Mount Sinai, where the Israelites worshipped the golden calf, proclaiming, “This is the God who brought us out of Egypt” (Exodus 32).

The Israelites were to worship and relate to the invisible God while the most Canaanite deities were represented by visible images. Thus, the Lord commanded them not to make any images and instructed them to worship Him in a specific way, at a designated place, and through appointed priests. When they disregarded these commands, they became highly vulnerable to idolatry, readily accepting any image as God whenever someone made one and claimed it represented Him.

Additionally, they often interpreted God's will based on visible blessings and favorable outcomes. For instance, they assumed that finding Laish was a sign of God’s approval and blessing. Similarly, when we neglect God's clear instructions and seek alternative paths, we risk relying on visible signs, such as material prosperity or an easy life, as indicators of His will. This misguided reliance can lead us into idolatry, just as it did for the Danites (Judges 18:31).

Their pursuit of making their own fortune and shaping their own destiny might seem like a commendable spirit of courage, as the world often esteems such traits. Then, what is wrong with it?

The failure of the Danites was deeply rooted in their disregard for seeking the Lord’s guidance. They abandoned the inheritance from God and chose to carve out their own destiny. Their actions did not result in direct punishment from the Lord but led to their alienation from God, as they established their own place of worship apart from Shiloh (Judges 18:31). Significantly, the tribe of Dan is absent from the listing of the 12 tribes of Israel in Revelation 7:5-8, probably highlighting the profound consequences of their choices.

Failing to conquer the allotted land revealed their lack of faith, while claiming unallocated land as their inheritance demonstrated outright rebellion and idolatry. When faced with difficulties in obeying the Lord, the right response is to seek His help, not to quit or detour.