The people of Dan have failed to conquer the land that had
been allotted them (see Judges 1.27f).
They still have no place to call their own within the Land. Here they send out spies to find suitable
territory for themselves and determine that within the land of Sidon there is a
city called Laish that will serve their needs.
Along the way they meet the Levite whom Micah had taken as his
priest. Apparently they are also
superstitious/religious as well, they are quite interested in the idols Micah
has set up in his home and that there is a genuine religious man of their
kinsmen there serving. This
"priest" gives his blessing to their venture to conquer.
Jesus encourages the people to make a right judgment
concerning Him. He holds up John the
Baptist, the things He has done among them, and the Father as further witnesses
to Him as Messiah. They have all the
evidence they need concerning Him if they will but believe. The first step to faith is a willingness to
consider the evidence and decide to believe.
That first step enables true wisdom and understanding. As at the Jordan river, we have to take that
step in order to see all things clearly.
The great barrier to faith is often religion. These people have been given the Word, the
revelation of God, but they still cannot see He is right in front of them.
They were all scattered throughout the region except the
apostles. They had been given the promise
that they would spread the Gospel from Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria and to
the ends of the earth and yet they wouldn't leave Jerusalem and they seemed
safe there from Paul's activities. Philip
(one of the deacons, not the apostle) went to Samaria and began proclaiming the
Gospel there and found great success, the people, with "one accord"
(just like at Pentecost) received the word and the signs he was doing. The first martyr was a deacon and the first
evangelist to take the Gospel outside Jerusalem was as well, and these guys
were commissioned to wait tables! The kingdom
was advancing in the face of persecution!
Even one who had his own following began to believe based on what He
saw, just like some of the magicians of Egypt in the Exodus.
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