CUSTOM-BUILT RELIGION

Judges 17:5 “Now this man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and some idols and installed one of his sons as his priest.”

A certain credit card company had a commercial set in the board room of some international corporation. A merger is in progress. The CEO says everything is set to be finalized on the 28th. One office flunky at the copier turns and says, "Sorry, I’m only available on the 12th. There is a moment of silence while the board members look at each other in wonderment. Then the CEO says, "OK, the 12th it is." A narrator then asks, "Wouldn’t you like to world to revolve around you?" The commercial goes on to inform you that if you will subscribe to their credit card you can choose your own billing date.

In fact, most of us would like the world to revolve around us. This is particularly true in the religious realm. Multitudes seek a Church or religious group that fits their preference. They go from one to another because they don’t like the preacher, the singing, the seating, etc. Failing to find the church that suits them, they may even resort to starting a new group or just quitting altogether and finding a service they like on TV. We think everyone should agree with us and everything should go our way. Unfortunately, (or fortunately) it seldom happens.

Our scripture tells a story of a man who thought everything should revolve around him. His name was Micah. Micah lived in the hill country of Ephraim, probably not too far from "The House of the Lord at Shiloh" where God’s people were supposed to worship at that time. No doubt there was something he didn’t like about Shiloh. Maybe it was just inconvenient for him to travel the short distance. In any case, he had built a little chapel of shrine at his home. Soon, Micah had built silver shrines to worship and he even hired a wandering Levite to be the priest of his self-made temple. It was no longer necessary for him to go to Shiloh and put up with the dull preaching, hard seats, and tasteless unleavened bread. In the end, his "homemade religion" turned out to be a real disappointment.

What was wrong with Micah’s little family cult? It was superficial: A surface thing only. He saw God as someone he could manipulate and move from place to place. As a guest in his spare bedroom. He thought he could buy God’s blessing by hiring a priest. There is no evidence any of his efforts to achieve God’s blessing changed his life in the least or made him a more spiritual man. It was self righteous. Everything he did was thought up in his own mind. No indication he prayed and asked for guidance, let alone consulted God’s Law. Even the priest he hired had no influence in his life. Micah said, "live with me and be my father." but the record states, "the man was to him like one of his sons."

Micah wanted a faith and religion that revolved around his every whim. He wanted something that would operate just the way he wanted it. No one else could please him, so he created his own. Micah proved he didn’t need God. He made his own gods. He had a personal, private, customized religion. We can do the same. No one will stop us as long as we do nothing illegal. But, like Micah, we will experience a terrible disappointment in the end because no religion is adequate to the needs of the spirit of man and no religion can grant forgiveness and eternal life except that which God has given us. The only way to enjoy these blessings is through Jesus Christ.