Judges 1 -- Going Back To The Start To See What Went Wrong

It’s always interesting to finish 2 Kings and then travel back in time to Judges, at the beginning of the nation of Israel, to see the seeds of apostasy sown from the start that would end up ruining the nation.

 

God had specifically told the Israelites to enter the Promised Land and remove the inhabitants they found there.  I remember years ago thinking how wrong it was for these people to invade land owned by others, killing them or driving them out or into slavery.  It took awhile before my soul was able to understand that God had been patient with the Canaanites for more years than they deserved, and they’d spat in His face.  He’d put up with their idolatry and sinful practices long enough.  The Israelites represented His judgment on them for their sin!

 

But the tribes of Israel had a problem, too, and it was settling.  You can see it over and over again in these verses:

 

“But they could not force out the people living on the plain … But the people of Benjamin could not make the Jebusite people leave Jerusalem … The people of Manasseh did not force those people out of their towns … They did not make all the Canaanites leave their land.  The people of Ephraim did not force out all of the Canaanites … The people of Zebulun did not force out all the Canaanites … The people of Asher did not force the Canaanites from the cities … the Canaanites continued to live with them.  The people of Naphtali did not force out the people of the cities … The Amorites forced the Danites back into the mountains … The Amorites were determined to stay …”

 

The Israelites had Deuteronomy 7, which warned them not to spare their pagan neighbors.  “The first step the new generation took toward defeat and slavery was neglecting the Word of God,” my commentary said.  And the sidebar in my bible brings it home:  “What sin did you purposefully commit yesterday or today?  Learn from Israel:  Compromise can be deadly!  Decide to try to be totally faithful and obedient to God.”

 

Father, Satan continually plants tiny seeds of what seem to be innocent thought, but which, like the way the Israelites allowed their enemies to remain among them, can lead to sinful thoughts and even sinful actions.  Please make me abundantly aware of the little landmines and help me to rid my life of them when they first show up, rather than nursing sin in my life.  Help me to learn the lessons that the Israelites did not, so that I won’t be doomed to repeat their mistakes.

 

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford