Judg 18:3+4, When they were near the house of Micah, they recognized the voice of the young man, the Levite; and they turned aside there, and said to him, "Who brought you here? And what are you doing in this place? And what do you have here?" And he said to them, "Thus and so has Micah done to me, and he has hired me, and I have become his priest."
	We spent time dealing with the fact of what happens when we choose to live according to our own understanding, not being concerned about what God has put into place. With this context of everyone doing what seems right in their own eyes, we have this account set into place. It is the furtherance of the principle with which we have been dealing, and about which I pray that each one of us is having our time before the Lord. 
The intensity of this whole issue is so very personally shaking me to the core. God’s Word challenges us to set our hearts and our minds only on that which is honoring and reverent unto God. We must seek to be fully in line with His will and His plan and His purpose for the lives that we live on this earth. Otherwise, if we choose to defy Him and seek our own way, we will become likened to this account of infidelity that is before us.  
	We met this Levite in our last reading of Judges, Chapter 17. Specifically, verses 10-13 of that chapter. It was the account of how Micah connived to make his life better by getting a Levitical priest to become part of his household.
	Judg 17:10-13, Micah then said to him, "Dwell with me and be a father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, a suit of clothes, and your maintenance." So the Levite went in. And the Levite agreed to live with the man; and the young man became to him like one of his sons. So Micah consecrated the Levite, and the young man became his priest and lived in the house of Micah. Then Micah said, "Now I know that the Lord will prosper me, seeing I have a Levite as priest." 
	There are two aspects to this arrangement which need to be addressed. The first is the heart of Micah. He felt that it would make his life more blessed with prosperity if he could have a Levite in his household. It did not matter that he was committing a perversion of the commandment and the stipulations of the Lord God, Jehovah. All that Micah was concerned about was how he would benefit financially from this arrangement. By bringing this priest into his home, he was certain that he would revceive the outpouring of the financial prosperity that he was seeking. He was willing to pay to have this arrangement. This was not in order to bless the Lord or to be honoring to the priest, but because it would return higher dividends for the money that was being expended. This scheme would bring greater wealth into the pockets of Micah, so he was willing to spend the money to gain much more wealth. This was despite the fact that it would pervert the course of the Levite’s life and call. All of this is indicative that the base nature of mankind will gather unto him those religious characters who will tell them what they want to hear at all costs!
	The second aspect is that the Levite was willing to go forward with this plan because he would receive the wages that would set him up for the rest of his days. He felt that this would make his life easier as he would have financial security. This meant that he would not suffer hunger or lack of provision anymore. This was despite the fact that it was a perversion of the commandment of the Lord unto Whom this Levite was supposed to be consecrated. He was selling out his soul for the sake of safety in the earthly realm. He set aside his commitment and his dedication to the Lord God, Jehovah, and settled for the pittance that Micah was willing to pay for this vile scheme of spiritual desecration. This priest was selling his soul for the sake of gaining a comfortable portion of the wages of this age. He was casting aside the inheritance received of God through his birthright in order to partake of and be party to the demeaning and blasphemous activities that would ingratiate him into the house of Micah. 
	Now, before we proceed any further, we need to be very careful and deliberate on a most important point. We are not promoting the concept that the congregation can shun the support of the shepherd provided by God to teach and to care for that portion of His flock. We need to tread very delicately in this matter. This is not at all an essential doctrinal aspect put forth as a complaint on my part or as a means of gaining some financial increase. That is not the case at all! Accordingly, we need to consider that is detailed by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church at Galatia. Gal 6:6-10.
	Gal 6:6-10, And let the one who is taught the word share all good things with him who teaches. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. 
	Those who are taught are to share and to do right by the Lord for the ones who serve the church community as a response to the call of God upon their lives. The ministry is a call! It is a worthy commitment to lay down one’s life to be of service to the Lord and to His people. 
Inherent in this is the fact that it is not a job in the sense of someone going into ministry to reap the harvest of financial gain and to make a comfortable living. That is what we have in the example of this Levite priest who sold his soul to Micah. He saw this as simply a job that would supply the needs of his life. Then when given the opportunity, he upgraded his vile and profane position in being a priest to the tribe of Dan, with much greater opportunity for wealth and power and prestige.
	True ministry, true service to the call of God necessitates that there is a complete and utter dependence upon God to meet the every need of each day. Whether that is financial or emotional or spiritual, every necessity is laid before the Lord for His provision. This is what is supplied through the means of the flock sharing the blessing of the Lord with those who are teaching and ministering to them. 
The pastor, the minister, the evangelist, and the missionary is counting on the Lord to supply the needs of the flock through the teaching and preaching of God’s Word, through the counseling required, through the service of prayer and help and encouragement. It is all seen as from God and then, through the growth in the spiritual development of the flock, returned unto God.
	Consider what the Apostle wrote to Timothy in 1 Tim 5:17-19. This was concerning those who were called to meet the needs of the established churches. There was to be made provision for the sake of those who taught and preached the Word for the benefit of the church. 
1 Tim 5:17-19, Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing," and "The laborer is worthy of his wages." 
These wages, as so defined here, are the means whereby the ministry is able to continue to meet those needs of the ones whom the Lord so embeds into the lives of one another. In this worthy devotion all are built up as living stones into the true church. As well, the other manifest truth is that through true ministry, there is a faithful knitting together of all into a wondrous and growing and spiritually maturing family in Jesus Christ. We take care of each other with all the love of God flowing forth. 
The point of this lengthy aside is that we are not talking about how the church takes care of those who are called to shepherd and to oversee the growth and the development and the other necessities of God’s people. What we have in this morning’s passage is the corruption of the accurate witness of God in both the teacher and the hearer. We are discussing those for whom true ministry means nothing at all! They are not preaching and teaching to meet the needs of the church in response to the call of God. 
These workers, these so-called priests of our delineation, are those who are only doing what it takes to make money, no matter what it necessitates. This is even if it means turning their backs completely on the truth of God. These are those who use God and His Name in the twisted perversion of gaining earthly gold and silver and possessions.
This difference is highlighted for us in Prov 28:20-22. Prov 28:20-22, A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished. To show partiality is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress. A man with an evil eye hastens after wealth, And does not know that want will come upon him. 
	The slippery slope of seeking after prosperity over the true calling of God is seen in the race for the riches of this age. This is that seeking after the filthy lucre that will feed the cravings for the “Good life,” as it is so miss-labeled by the liar of this realm. Man so easily sells his soul for the sake of the instant gratifications in the tawdry delights that become the focal point of his eye and his heart. This is rather than that holding onto the course of the instruction and the provision of the Lord in true service of death to self for the righteousness of Christ to blossom forth.
	The Prophet Isaiah had to deal with this entire reality of those who sold their souls for the sake of gaining the wealth of the nations rather than caring for the needs of the service required by the Lord. Consider what he relates in Isa 56:10-12, as the prophet sees how man will sell himself for nothing of value, today or ever. There is an endless cycle highlighted in the inability to do anything of worth or value. It is an absolutely unsatisfying and deepening spiral into the oblivion of decay and depression and desecration of that which should have been of service to those in need.
	Isa 56:10-12, His watchmen are blind, All of them know nothing. All of them are dumb dogs unable to bark, Dreamers lying down, who love to slumber; And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied. And they are shepherds who have no understanding; They have all turned to their own way, Each one to his unjust gain, to the last one. "Come," they say, "let us get wine, and let us drink heavily of strong drink; And tomorrow will be like today, only more so." 
	Another Prophet who decried this selling out of the service of the Lord for the sake of earthly pleasures was the Prophet Ezekiel. There is such destruction decried by this Prophet as in Ezek 13:17-19. When despair and craving collide in the heart of men, disaster is sure to follow. Those who should be the protectors of the people, the providers of that which would meet the needs of the Lord’s Chosen, choose rather to sell them out for paltry earthly lucre. This is without any sense of remorse or shame.
	Ezek 13:17-19, "Now you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who are prophesying from their own inspiration. Prophesy against them, and say,' Thus says the Lord God, "Woe to the women who sew magic bands on all wrists, and make veils for the heads of persons of every stature to hunt down lives! Will you hunt down the lives of My people, but preserve the lives of others for yourselves? "And for handfuls of barley and fragments of bread, you have profaned Me to My people to put to death some who should not die and to keep others alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies."'" 
	This despicable desecration of the Word of the Lord by those wicked and defiled shepherds is the result of a people who desired to be so vilely led. There is reciprocity between what the people crave and what the people will demand from their teachers. The depth of this depravities’ behavior is further detailed by the Prophet Hosea in Hos 4:8-13. The Lord, through Hosea, decries this entire selling of all that should be good and right into licentious whoredom and idolatry unto the vicious and depraved demons of this age. It will come back in utter devastation to all! This will be upon those who are so willing to defile and defame the Name of the Lord and that service which should be holy and righteous altogether.
	Hos 4:8-13, They feed on the sin of My people, And direct their desire toward their iniquity. And it will be, like people, like priest; So I will punish them for their ways, And repay them for their deeds. And they will eat, but not have enough; They will play the harlot, but not increase, Because they have stopped giving heed to the Lord. Harlotry, wine, and new wine take away the understanding. My people consult their wooden idol, and their diviner's wand informs them; For a spirit of harlotry has led them astray, And they have played the harlot, departing from their God. They offer sacrifices on the tops of the mountains And burn incense on the hills, Under oak, poplar, and terebinth, Because their shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters play the harlot, And your brides commit adultery. 
	They feed on the sin of My people, And direct their desire toward their iniquity. And it will be, like people, like priest; So I will punish them for their ways, And repay them for their deeds.
The people, both teachers and followers, will find that there is no satisfaction in the course of their destitute and despicable lusting after the wealth and fortunes of this age. All that they will receive is the reality that they will never have any true satisfaction in this realm. They will crave endlessly after that which will never satisfy! They will always hunger and thirst and find themselves utterly worn out by their every exertion to get more and more and more, without ever getting anything at all!
Furthermore, they will be surrounded with the horror of that which they practice, adultery and whoredom and idolatry which makes complete mockery of their every effort to gain even a footstep of relief from the taunts and the ridicule and the anguish of their actions! It will all be replayed by their very depraved children and faithless spouses. There will be nothing of value for them as they sell their souls for that which only mocks them and causes them even greater anguish!
	We close with the call of the Lord through the Prophet Malachi, in Mal 1:6-11, to those whom the Lord had chosen unto Himself. The faithlessness of the whole of the nation of God was put before them in the complete explanation as to how they had sold themselves back into the slavery from which they had been so miraculously delivered by the Lord. 
	Mal 1:6-11, "'A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?' says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, 'How have we despised Thy name?' "You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, 'How have we defiled Thee?' In that you say, 'The table of the Lord is to be despised.' "But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?" says the Lord of hosts. "But now will you not entreat God's favor, that He may be gracious to us? With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?" says the Lord of hosts. "Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you," says the Lord of hosts, "nor will I accept an offering from you. 
	There is no honor for Jehovah in the service that these defiled priests presented at the altar. Look at what the people were putting forth as sacrifices – the lame, the blind, and the sick, the worthless of the flock and the herd. There was no real regard for the holiness and the righteousness and the sanctity in what was presented unto the Most Holy Lord God Almighty, Jehovah, Yahweh! Everything was done with the view as to how they could enrich themselves while performing the most basic of duties. There were doing what was part of their job description, rather than their heart’s delight and focus. The full consideration as to the Holiness of unto Whom they served was gone. 
There was only the obligation upon them that their office required. They were looking out for their own places in the hierarchy of the social strata without the view as to what was really their call before the Lord. They forsook their complete service as His representatives before the people. They spoke with their own voices, centered in the earnings that they could bank. This was rather than with the voice of The Lord which would meet the necessities of those who were so in need of the true teaching and the preaching of the Word of God! 
We will continue forward with this consideration next time, Lord willing. We will see what the New Testament writers have to say about the selling of the soul for the sake of the gain of the riches of this age. So be it!
… And he said to them, "Thus and so has Micah done to me, and he has hired me, and I have become his priest." Amen.

This morning’s benediction is Prov 15:16. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, Than great treasure and turmoil with it. Amen.