As I read the story of Micah and his idol, I was bowled over by this manās sheer audacity. According to Jewish tradition, Micah established a house of idolatry a mere three miles from the Tabernacle in Shiloh. Micahās house of idolatry was so close to Godās holy Tabernacle, āthe smoke of the two altars mingled on account of their proximityā (Talmud Sanhedrin 103b).
Given Micahās arrogance and the severity of the sin of idolatry, one would surely expect God to bring His wrath down upon Micah, in both this world and the next. Surprisingly, however, the sages do not include Micah on their list of evil people who do not have a portion in the world to come. Though Micah was clearly a sinner who caused thousands of others to sin, he does not qualify for āGodās most wanted listā!
Why is Micah spared from eternal punishment?
The answer can be found in a short conversation between Micah and a poor Levite from Bethlehem who was looking for a new beginning.
Yes, Micah was an idolater who led the masses of Israel astray. But he was also, it seems, a very warm and welcoming guy.
The sages powerfully capture Micahās complexity: āThe angels wished to throw down [Micahās] idol; but God said to them, āLeave it alone; for Micah offers bread to travelersā” (Talmud Sanhedrin 103b). In other words, despite Micahās terrible sin of idolatry, God was willing to bear with Micahās failings because he excelled at hospitality!
Micahās hospitality stood in sharp contrast to the way people were treated at the Tabernacle, only three miles away. There, the sons of the high priest, Hofni and Phineas, treated the Israelite pilgrims who traveled great distances to the Tabernacle with disdain:
The contrast between the corrupt and inhospitable priests in the holy Tabernacle and the idolatrous but welcoming Micah – only three miles apart! – could not have been starker. And whereas Micah was spared Godās wrath, the evil priests of the Tabernacle would soon meet their end in a disastrous battle against the Philistines.
What are we to make of this strange situation? I believe the Bible is teaching us acritically important lessons for life.
By tolerating Micah and punishing Hofni and Phineas, God demonstrated that He cares more for the well-being of His children on earth than He cares for His own glory. I am deeply moved by Godās awesome humility.
At the same time, we learn that devotion to God is meaningless if our devotion does not transform the way we interact with others. Yes, we must study the Bible, pray with great fervor and attend services regularly. But if our religious devotion does not make us kinder and more loving to our fellow man, we are missing the point.