Judges 1 -- The Start Of The End

Every time I finish 2 Kings and return to Judges, God seems to want to remind me that what happened in Judges led to what happened in 2 Kings.

The people of Israel had been successful under Joshua.  But, "God didn't command Joshua to name a successor," my commentary said.  It pointed out many things that started to go wrong.  "Deuteronomy 6 outlined the nation's basic responsibilities... Unfortunately, the new generation failed in each of those responsibilities.  The people didn't want to seek first the kingdom of God ... They would rather experiment with the idolatry of the godless nations around them.  As a result, Israel plunged into moral, spiritual, and political disaster."

It listed four stages in Israel's decline and fall.  Two occurred in this chapter.  Those stages were:  1) fighting the enemy; 2) sparing the enemy; 3) imitating the enemy; and 4) obeying the enemy."

Where the tribes had worked together with Joshua to take the land, now a few tribes helped each other.  They didn't work together as a unit.  The Philistines had iron chariots that allowed them to defeat the Israelites on level ground, while the Israelites did claim the hill country.

Seven tribes "failed to overcome the enemy and had to allow these godless nations to continue living in their tribal territories ... This series of tribal defeats was the first indication that Israel was no longer walking by faith and trusting God to give them victory."

"The first step the new generation took toward defeat and slavery was neglecting the Word of God, and generations ever since have made that same mistake."

As for those people of Canaan being forced out, my commentary said, "God had been patient with the Canaanite nations for centuries and had mercifully withheld His judgment.  Their society, and especially their religion, was unspeakably wicked and should have been wiped out years before Israel appeared on the scene ... God didn't want the filth of the Canaanite society and religion to contaminate His people Israel ... This combination of idolatry, immorality, and agricultural success was difficult for men to resist, which explains why God told Israel to wipe out the Canaanite religion."

Father, even in America today, there is such an attitude of tolerance for sin.  I can even see the effects of it in my own family.  Please help all of us to see things Your way and agree with You that we cannot afford to give quarter to anything that isn't of You.

 

Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford