Alright, let us examine the eighteenth chapter of Judges. After listening to this chapter, you are bound to be utterly confused, not knowing what exactly is going on or what has transpired. The theme of this chapter is ignorance of God. It describes the tribe of Dan setting up Micah's idol as their god and appointing Moses' grandson as their priest. This event likely occurred early in the period of the Judges. Considering that Moses' grandson was still alive, it could not have been far removed.

Ignorance of God leads to a series of tragedies, such as idolatry and superstition, resulting in a range of practices that persist even today. Within Christian circles, there are countless Micahs and individuals akin to Moses' grandson, with many unwittingly becoming like the tribe of Dan. While the name Dan sounds impressive, it represents a rather absurd and ignorant tribe, readily accepting anything as divine, which is exceptionally peculiar.

Does it work? Yes, they gain victory in battle. It cannot be said that Micah's idol is ineffective; they simply set up a god to worship. Micah, in his ignorance of God, made an ephod because his mother had issued a curse. What ultimately happened to Micah? The Bible does not record it, nor does it bother to. Therefore, we must understand that ignorance of God is truly perilous.

What Did Micah and His Priest Do Regularly?

What were Micah and Moses' grandson doing regularly? We must venture a guess. The priest could not have simply remained at home, fasting, chanting, and reciting scriptures all day. People from the village, Micah's neighbours for example, would often say: He has an idol; God has bestowed a priest upon him. And do you know, that priest is Moses' grandson, a descendant of a famous man. Whenever those neighbours had issues, they would seek out Moses' grandson, who had become a fortune teller. The fortune teller would say, Your path will be clear, and upon returning home, the neighbours would indeed find it so.

Micah was a businessman who paid the priest ten shekels a year. However, the priest realised that ten shekels would not suffice. We can envision that if someone in the village suddenly embraces God and hangs a cross in his home, and then acts as a village prophet, he continues with his life. When someone in the family falls ill, he prays. When there are problems, he inquires of God for them; this is the prophet.

Micah and his priest, Jonathan, son of Gershom, grandson of Moses, travelled far to establish a business. Jonathan thought to himself, In Shiloh, there is nothing for me. No one takes me seriously, despite being Moses' grandson. I will start a business instead. But he was in fact creating a god.

Could Moses' grandson be ignorant of Genesis, Leviticus, and Exodus? He knew everything. He preached, just as we establish a church in a village today and preach the same things. So Micah and his priest Jonathan also taught and preached these things, but it was not God's temple. Yet it seemed to work out fine. But what really happened? God, is this your temple? God, what has actually happened? I am thinking that our God is too powerful; he is both a stumbling stone and a God who blesses people.

Our God also uses stumbling blocks. You may not understand, but in time, you will find that God's actions surpass our imagination. God, why did you not kill this Jonathan? Judges 18 prophesied about today's generation; the church of God also has many Micahs and Jonathans, the grandsons of Moses.

The people of Dan are quite resourceful. I can tell many stories in this regard. Why? Because people are ignorant of God. Jonathan preaches from Genesis and Deuteronomy and expounds on Exodus; he was prepared. When he was in Shiloh, he worked hard and copied everything necessary. He simply opens his mouth and declares, The Lord will grant you a clear path. And it's quite accurate. Isn't that frightening?

But what underlies this? We really need to be bold in our conjecture. Some say it is an evil spirit. That's a good guess, and very astute. It is very deceptive, and God permits these things to deceive people. Whether it is Micah or Jonathan, even the devil was created by God. God makes everything beautiful in its time. Can you say that the devil is not good? You cannot say the devil is not good; this is the work of God. God has mercy on whom he has mercy, and God ruins whom he ruins.

The Tribe of Dan Had Not Yet Received Their Inheritance

At that time, the tribe of Dan had not yet received their inheritance. Ephraim and Judah, all the tribes, had received their lands. But the tribe of Dan still had no place to settle. They pondered this; why is it that everyone else has received their inheritance, while our tribe still wanders, searching for a place? They were very weary and hoped to receive God's blessing.

But how would God bless them? The tribe of Dan was not thinking of truly knowing God; they were much like the people in the villages of today. They thought it would be good to set up a god to worship, to set up a god, a Jehovah to worship. That sounds a little off. These people always had an inherent tendency toward idolatry. It is common to worship the true God as an idol.

A Christian woman, without establishing a career or properly seeking God, instead sought a boyfriend or a husband from God. Believe it or not, she received a revelation in a vision, seeing her future husband's height, weight, and appearance accurately. She soon met someone who matched that description. She was certain that this was prepared by God for her, and she married him. After they married, the husband became poor; he had been quite wealthy when he married her. After he became poor, she complained that she had been tricked. Had she not sought God, and God told her to marry him?

Brothers and sisters, I tell you that I once heard some pastors preach that you must ask God, clearly describe what he looks like, and then God will guide you. But this is harmful. Have you heard this? Of course you have. As Christians, you ask for this and that.

There was another interesting person who was quite wealthy and had several houses in Hangzhou. A village prophet, who was their church's pastor, said, You are remarkable; you have a gift for business. The man thought, I have not yet received my inheritance, but he thinks I have a gift for business. I want to acquire more and more land, earn more and more money, and buy more and more houses.

As a result, the business went wrong. He began craving to earn more money, not to know God more. He lost everything and became heavily indebted. Now his wife and children cannot even see him; he has disappeared without a trace. His wife and children are now working and renting a house.

Another woman came to our church recently. She was not seeking God; on the surface, she appeared to be seeking God, but really, she had ulterior motives. She said, Teacher, they introduced me to a boyfriend. I said, You must carefully examine him. But he was destitute, extremely poor. So what would you marry him for, to help him make money? Many women support husbands who cannot earn money.

She said, Teacher, do you know? I told him I believe in God, and he said 'OK'. That is even more frightening. He agrees with everything you do. Do you need his support? She continued, He even listens to our Genesis readings. This sister even thought that God had prepared a wonderful love for her, that they could share the same beliefs. Regardless of what you desire—a desire to do business, a desire for a boyfriend, or a desire to gain an inheritance—this situation is very dangerous.

The tribe of Dan had not received their inheritance, but they now wanted to gain their inheritance. What was going on? Coincidentally, when the tribe of Dan had not received their inheritance, they sent five spies to scout the land. These five spies discovered Micah's idol and priest. It was a great coincidence, as if a force in Mingding Destiny were guiding them. Of all places, they lodged in Micah's house. I suppose Micah was a wealthy, influential merchant.

These five spies were eager, and what they desired came to pass. What a coincidence! They wanted to inquire of God. Wasn't God right there? They wanted to ask the priest if their path would be clear. There was a priest available. They asked the priest, sat down, had tea, and chatted. The five spies asked, What do you do? Moses' grandson said, I am the priest here. The five spies asked, What is your name?

Moses' grandson said, I should not reveal it, lest you be thunderstruck. My mother is Gershom, my grandmother is Zipporah, and my grandfather is Moses. Upon hearing this, the five spies from the tribe of Dan were thrilled, thanking God! God was leading them on this path. So coincidentally, they lodged in Micah's inn and met Moses' grandson.

Do not assume that a cross signifies a church. After the five spies from the tribe of Dan entered, they thanked God, knelt down, and worshiped God, with tears of gratitude and emotion, but it was really an idol. The five spies from the tribe of Dan said, Please inquire of God for me and see if my path to battle ahead will be clear. This priesthood is easy to do. If you were to build a church, you would hope people would come. No pastor wants to build a church where the pews are empty, filled only with scarecrows.

This is all due to ignorance of God. Jonathan is ignorant of God because his father was not a good stock. The son of Moses and the grandson of Moses—there are indeed many eerie things within. The five spies were deeply moved and then departed with great hope. Their confidence soared, full of faith. When they arrived in Laish, they found the land excellent, the right size, and the crops flourishing. They remarked on how accurate the priest's calculation had been!

The Priest's Prophecy Was Surprisingly Accurate

After the five spies returned, they shared with the six hundred elite soldiers, the mighty warriors of the tribe of Dan, saying, Isn't this strange? On our way, we passed by a man who runs an inn. We stayed there and met the grandson of Moses. He had an Ephod and idols. We consulted him, and he told us that our path would be very prosperous, that the Lord would bless our journey. Then we arrived at Laish and saw that the land was indeed as he said, and we could go up and take it as our inheritance.

So, leading the troops, they passed by Micah's house. The six hundred soldiers lined up in front of Micah's door because that place was considered sacred. The five spies went in quietly, packed up the idols and put them in their bags. They said to Jonathan, Would you rather be a priest for one man, or for a family, a tribe? Jonathan thought, Yesterday I was still thinking about this business. This shop is so small, the storefront is so small. I've been wanting to leave for a long time, but I haven't had the chance. Now they're asking me to be the priest of a tribe, I'm going to be rich! The priest was so excited. Just a while ago, he was still praying, God, let my path be prosperous, let the number of people in my church increase, let my business flourish.

I have experience with this too; I used to do it myself. When you open a shop, don't you want more customers? That's normal. In the past, it was hard because I only had a few people. You think you're a tiger? No, just a kitten. Then people would say, Pastor, last Sunday I went to such-and-such a church. There were ten thousand people worshipping, the stage lights were so bright, and my pastor preached so well. What do you do when you hear these things? You feel stimulated and envy, very sour.

But now that people are saying this to me, I say, Go ahead, may you go in peace. Why? Because from the beginning, we wanted everyone to know God, not to build a temple, nor a magnificent church, which is not much different from a magnificent temple. We have been accumulating from that time until today. Isn't this what we found in Judges? We've read Judges twice, and we've almost finished reading the Bible once. Not only that, but we have also built a complete theological system according to God's will.

Everyone must have a systematic understanding of God. You can't just listen to hearsay, or see if your signs are accurate or not. If you say to me, Teacher, I really want to find a boyfriend. I say, Go to the local physical church, that's where you can meet people. If you meet people, then you have a chance, right? After hearing this, they think it's great. Every day they pray to God, I want someone who is 1.8 meters tall, weighs this much, they almost give all the measurements, appearance, all the specifications are set. Then they go to church and walk around, May the Lord God lead your steps. But is that knowing God?

I think the tribe of Dan has a good name, but in the end, it became a nonsense tribe, and it became a mess. Can they have blessings? They are the patriarchs of idolatry. After entering Canaan, they didn't want to know God, they didn't want to seek God properly, but they had their own interests. We brothers and sisters must know that a strong pursuit of self-interest easily leads to being hooked. So people are deceived because they have a strong desire for self-interest.

If you really want to find a job and go to Northern Myanmar, you didn't want to have your kidney cut, but you want to find a high-paying job, and the salary in Northern Myanmar is high, it's easy to be deceived. Brothers and sisters, if your pursuit is to worship God, then it is certainly not easy to be deceived. Some people have their own things to seek in their bones.

Chinese Mingding Destiny is a theology that makes people prosperous, because we encourage you to understand the little things in life, don't be fooled by these little things. After working hard all your life, in the end, you get a Micah's idol and think it's the Lord God, you get a Moses' grandson and think he's a priest, but he's not at all.

Even today, many people like to find signs. Have you noticed that I don't ask everyone to find signs? If you want to verify, verify whether what we are saying is what God is saying. We live by every word that comes from the mouth of God, we live for God, for this we were born, for this we came into this world, and for this we die. Once you have your own interests, God is no longer your priority, these interests become your priority.

For some people, their growth becomes their curse. Don't you find it strange? I said, You have to grow. He said, Teacher, I feel uncomfortable when I grow. Growth has become a curse. Do we need to grow? Yes, we need to grow. Do we need to possess the land? Yes, we need to possess the land. Do we need to prosper? Yes, we need to prosper. But this is not our pursuit. What is our pursuit? God is my life, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of God. If you don't know God, you have to make an idol to worship, then you're finished. The priest's prophecy is very accurate, and there are many signs.

When one sister was eating, she met a fortune teller. She was in a relationship and was about to get married, but she met this fortune teller, who said, This person is not your husband, you will definitely not be able to get married. Your husband should look like this and that, this and that.

Before long, she was eating with friends again, and the man sitting next to her was just like what the fortune teller said. In the end, she married him. After the marriage, it was a disaster, a complete disaster. There were so many problems, so miserable. So don't believe in this thing, we don't live by this thing, it's very hateful. Later, she came to our church and told us these stories, and it was all a soap opera.

The Danites Set Up the Priest and Idols as Their Gods

The tribe of Dan had a priest, an idol, and their god, and as a result, they went to war and really won. Micah came after them, saying, Why did you take our priest away, and take our idols? Then the Danites turned their faces and said, Why can't we take them? Say one more word. If Micah said one more word, these Danites were very fierce, and they would have gone in with white knives and come out with red knives. Dare you touch my god? Say one more word? It sounds weird.

Micah made an idol with eleven hundred shekels, did he make money, the hotels were all built, he made a fortune, it was their family's god of wealth, and their whole village was prosperous. Amazing, isn't it? Is that the true God? No, so how did he prosper? It turned out that the god of wealth made him prosper. The tribe of Dan took away their family's treasure. If he worshipped the true God, could people take it away? My God is not an idol, my God is the God in my heart, how can you take it away, you can't take it.

So ignorance of blessings and curses led Micah to set up their family's idols, start worshipping idols, and then is it effective? Absolutely effective. What is the evil spirit behind it? It also got Jonathan as their family's priest, which is really sacred. Now that it has been taken away, what will happen? Later, Micah's family fell into ruin because of idolatry, which is very typical. The work of evil spirits can make you rich, can make you rich, and can also make you jump off the building. It is a very corrupt thing, so don't take these things as evidence.

The tribe of Dan took away Micah's idols and priest, how much corruption did this tribe experience? Later, I checked the tribe of Dan, including Jacob, and the prophecies that Moses gave to the tribe of Dan were not good. These spirits behind the scenes made the tribe of Dan very miserable, without peace and joy, all soap operas. As a result, they won the war, which proves nothing.

Brothers and sisters must know that winning a war proves nothing, it's just being played by ghosts, being played by things in the spiritual realm. From then on, they seriously regarded Jonathan as their priest, and Jonathan's descendants became the priests of the tribe of Dan from generation to generation. The Ephod became the god of the tribe of Dan.

Although I established a church at that time and became a pastor, from the beginning I had a little consideration about this matter: how does God's word say, let's do it. We walked through a desolate period, but I thank God that desolation doesn't matter because God's word is the foundation.

That's why you have to take notes among us, never take notes for the sake of taking notes. You have to learn among us because you want to know God, not to be ignorant of God's word. If you are ignorant of God's word, today I will show you a vision, tomorrow I will give you a prophecy, and the day after tomorrow I will give you something else, and some signs. If you are ignorant of God, you will act arbitrarily, and acting arbitrarily will become the beginning of a tragedy.

I encourage everyone to have a clear understanding of God and salvation, so you won't be stumbled by God or yourself, because the Jesus Christ we believe in is the firm rock. Do you know why? God sits on His throne and looks down, to see if there are any who seek, any who understand. If there is no seeking, and people seek their own core demands, before long you will have many signs and idols. You worship a false god, come into this world, run a trick, and it is not worth it.

May God bless everyone!