Judges 2

On to Judges chapter 2.

Chapter 1 ended with the failure of the Isrealites to drive out the people from the land they were promised. Chapter 2 begins with an Angel coming to speak to the people of Israel. The Angel rebuked the Israelites for not  keeping their covenant with Him and not driving out the people from the land or tearing down the altars of the false gods in the land. The Angel continues by telling the Israelites that because they did not drive out the people that they would be a thorn in their side and be a trap for them (Something which Joshua warned them about in Joshua 17) Well the Israelites wept loudly and offered a sacrifice to the Lord and that was it. There is no record the Israelites went and fixed the problem. They didn't drive out the people (which some of them they had made covenants with so that would have been breaking their word) and they did not tear down the altars of the false gods. The Angel just told you how upset God is that you did not follow His commands, tells you what the problem is, and ya still don't fix it. That's not true repentance. The weeping loudly was not from feeling guilty for their mistakes it was because they got busted. The saying applies, You're not sorry ya did it, you're sorry you got caught. If they were truly sorry then they would have left the place and immediately attempted to rectify the problem.

Then there is a record of Joshua's death and how the people lived for the Lord while Joshua was alive and the elders who lived past him. Then it says the generation after them rose up and did not know the Lord or the works He had done?!?!?!?!?!?! What?!?!?!? An entire generation who grew up without hearing the stories of God's deliverance, miracles, and commands? How could this be? How could a generation grow up without hearing the stories? Sadly this happens all too often. We fail to pass along the important stories which changed our lives. That and too often people don't care enough to listen to the stories. Still an entire generation growing up without knowing the works of the Lord. It is so sad to think how the Israelites failed to teach their children about God and all He had done for them. How can they know where they are going if they have no clue where they have been? They missed out on the rich history which made them the nation they were. I could go on and on about this because I find it so sad that this happened and is still happening, but I am sure my point is made, It's sad and it's wrong.

The generation which did not know the works of the Lord did evil in God's site and began to worship false gods. The bible says they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers. The God who brought them out of Egypt. The God who helped them take possession of the land they were promised. They began to worship the gods of those who were around them. Most likely all of those whom they did not drive out of the land. They became a snare and trap for the Israelites just like the Angel and Joshua said they would.

Well as could be predicted this did not make God happy. He removed his protection from Israel so when other nations attacked them, they were able to over come Israel. However, because God is a merciful God who gives us chance after chance, He raised up judges to deliver the Israelites from the oppression of the other nations. Sadly, the people of Israel did not listen to the Judges, instead the bible says they prostituted themselves to other gods and bowed down before them. The bible says they quickly turned from the ways of their fathers. Quickly. This was not something Israel wrestled with. It makes it sound as if they possibly didn't even put up a fight. Then God would raise up another judge who would deliver the people and things were ok until that judge died then the Israelites would act even more corrupt than before. It was sad and ugly cycle. Chapter 2 ends with the Lord telling Israel He would no linger drive out the other nations from the promised land because the Israelites had broken their covenant with God. All the land could have been theirs if they had only listened to God. In fact, the whole land could have been theirs and God would have gone with them to fight their battles, but because they did not keep their covenant God would not keep His.