Inner Priesthood in Judges

Neville's Inner Vision

Judges 18:19-20 becomes a vivid parable of inner states. The priest represents a function of consciousness that would prefer the security of serving one house over the broader, united life of the mind. The command to “hold thy peace” and lay your hand upon the mouth signals the habit of silencing higher guidance when the ego seeks approval and status. The taking of ephod, teraphim, and the graven image stands for the moment imagination clads itself in tokens—forms that pretend to be reality and draw you into social acclaim. In your psyche, this is the lure of tokens over truth, form over the living I AM. The cure is not spiritual banishment but a deeper arrangement of your inner government: you are the state of awareness serving all your being, not a tribe within ignorance. When the lure arises, remember you are the I AM here and now, not a priest worshiping images. Return to the living presence within, and let the inner Israel’s unity guide every thought and feeling.