Lesson 25 - answers 1. After Joshua died, the children of Israel went downhill spiritually and morally. This Micah did not live up to his name because he robbed his mother, then returned the silver when he heard her pronouncing a curse on the thief. Then he set up a shrine for his mother's idols, and consecrated one of his own sons as a priest for the shrine. All of these actions were contrary to the word of the Lord.
Syncretism is the fusion of two or more religious systems.
It is a melting pot religion. The people would fall away from following the Lord, and serve foreign gods. Micah's mother desired the Lord's blessing on her son, then made molten silver images. The shrine in this household was a mixture of beliefs and practices, yet they thought it was going to bring the Lord's blessing. The celebration of Christmas and the significance of Christ's birth is accompanied, or even outshined by Santa Claus and commercialism.