Based on Judges 17 (New King James Version)
“Now there was a man from the mountains of Ephraim, whose name was Micah. And he said to his mother, ‘The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from you, and on which you put a curse, even saying it in my ears—here is the silver with me; I took it.’ And his mother said, ‘May you be blessed by the Lord, my son!’ So when he had returned the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, ‘I had wholly dedicated the silver from my hand to the Lord for my son, to make a carved image and a molded image; now therefore, I will return it to you.’ Thus he returned the silver to his mother. Then his mother took two hundred shekels of silver and gave them to the silversmith, and he made it into a carved image and a molded image; and they were in the house of Micah. The man Micah had a shrine, and made an ephod and household idols; and he consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Now there was a young man from Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah; he was a Levite, and was staying there. The man departed from the city of Bethlehem in Judah to stay wherever he could find a place. Then he came to the mountains of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, as he journeyed. And Micah said to him, ‘Where do you come from?’ So he said to him, ‘I am a Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, and I am on my way to find a place to stay.’ Micah said to him, ‘Dwell with me, and be a father and a priest to me, and I will give you ten shekels of silver per year, a suit of clothes, and your sustenance.’ So the Levite went in. Then the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man became like one of his sons to him. 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 be good to me, since I have a Levite as priest!’”
We see through this passage that history has a great tendency to repeat itself, and unfortunately, not for the better. We read here of a family of the people of Israel who did things as they wanted, and they did them wrong because they insulted God with their actions. And to make matters worse, they thought that God would prosper them for all the things they did wrong. This happens today commonly. The vast majority of our churches follow and teach things that have nothing to do with what the Bible teaches, even though they use the Scriptures to support their evil and incomplete teachings, just as the Word said it would happen in these end times. It seems as if what they teach is the truth, but it is far from the truth. Many false prophets and teachers exist today in different places, teaching blasphemous things that are very attractive to the masses. But can that be any mystery if the devil himself tried to tempt the Lord Jesus Christ in the same way when He was here on earth, using the Word of God for evil? What is the worst issue that the vast majority of so-called believers today have with their doctrine? They do not believe that they will be held accountable in God's great judgment. The Word of God is very clear on this issue in that both the unbeliever and the believer, each of us will give an account and be judged by our deeds, without exception.
Another serious mistake that the vast majority make is to think that they have God's favor because things seem to be going well for them. They take the good things that happen to them as a reward and blessing from God, as if God is rewarding their disobedience. We read today about Micah’s family and that everything seemed to be going well for them, because we read that they were even rich, spending large sums of money on precisely things that were abominable to God. The same thing happens today. Many believe that they have God's favor by seeing that their wishes fulfilled and their prayers supposedly being answered. But momentary well-being is no indicator of spiritual well-being. And this leads us to another serious evil related to this, that the vast majority think that their opinion dictates reality, and that God is subject to what they think. The universe does not revolve around us, but rather, around God. Therefore, we must genuinely seek His will to be ready for the coming judgment.
The Word of God says this regarding the coming judgment: “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:9-10. The Apostle Paul is the one that wrote this, and he includes himself in such a judgment. So then, this notion that us believers will not give an account for the good and bad we do is completely false. This also the Word says regarding God’s judgment upon His people: “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. And again, ‘The Lord will judge His people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:26-31. And what is the standard that God will use to judge us? It is written: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23. If a person does not fear God, and does not seek to do God’s will, even though they may perform miracles and wonders, they will not enter God’s kingdom. And it’s not just about doing what is good before God, but also, about doing it with the right heart before Him that sees and knows everything.
And finally, God will never reward the useless, those that do not do His will, no matter if they believe they are His children or even His servant, for it is written: “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.’ ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” Matthew 25:26-30. Am I saying that to be saved one has to have works? Absolutely, yes. Because faith without works is dead. And in the same way, there is no salvation for those who do not legitimately seek to do the will of God, without exception. Faith cannot save the person who does not seek God’s will. And in the final judgment God will weigh all our actions, whether good or bad. It's never too late to turn to God, but do it now, if you need to. So, are you looking to do your will or do God's will? What will God see when he reviews your entire life before His presence and before all His hosts? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel.