One failure leads to another. The next generation grew up after Joshua did not know the Lord. Very sad. Moses and Joshua took every opportunity to remind their generation to pass on their faith to the next generation. This is a great reminder for us. “One generation shall laud your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts” (Psalm 145:4). The generation after us does not care about what we talk; they care whether our talk matches with our walk. Let’s live out our faith.
What made Israel to forget God?
What attracted them to Baal worship?
The next generation was not aware of the faith heritage.
Did the parents fail to answer the “why” questions of the children?
Deuteronomy 6:7,8 Recite God’s commands, talk about it all the time, bind them as a sign, fix them as an emblem, write them on the doorposts.
(v. 11) And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and God gave them over to the plunderers. In the same way, if we disobey or commit sins we also will have the consequences..
It’s very disheartening to c how quickly the Israelites turned away from God. Even when God raised judges, yet they did not listen to them.
It was not the problem of Israelites alone. It is the prevailing situation now. Even though nations are built especially America built on God. More and more people turn to pagan worship or becoming self-righteous
The Lord had compassion on the stubborn Israelites and saved them from oppression frequently with judges.He also punished them by not helping them drive out nations before them hoping to see them return to the way of the Lord.
(vv.10-11) Another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel, they did evil in the eyes of the Lord. So, the Lord gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them!
-God is still “so gracious enough” to raise up judges (leaders) to save the Israelites. But, they still did not listen to the judges. So, the Lord didn’t drive out the nations who lived among Israelites and used them to test the Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the Lord as their ancestors did.
-We have so many bad things around us, we should not forget what the Lord has done to us, we should not break the covenant that God has with us. It’s very important to pass on the rituals to our children, and always remind them of what our Lord has done for us in the past. The one who forgets the past, the one who doesn’t know the history will definitely lose his/her identity from God and from the world.
The Israelites are stuck in a vicious cycle. Sin, repentance, and deliverance. This is the big picture. It’s not one man’s sin, like Achan and his disobedience. It’s the corruption of the nation as a whole. Who’s responsible now? Was it the people themselves? Was it the parents who forgot to constantly remind their children? Was it the short-sighted judges and rulers? Was it the pagans living among them? One thing is certain, He is in control. He can deliver them and punish them as he desires and His mercy and judgement are true today as they were back then.
Our actions will have consequences and we reap the bitter fruit, and it will happen if we do not abide in God and if we do not obey him. There can never be a good reason for any disobedience. (v14) I think the worst punishment for unfaithfulness one can get from God is leaving them all alone. If I am left alone without God I will be nothing.
Our God of mercy is giving more chances for the Israelites to repent and walk in the way their ancestors did.
vv.16-19 tell us that while the Israelites were under the leadership of a judge, they were faithful, but when there wasn’t a judge, they turned away from God and worshipped idols. Then, they cried to God to save them and then God answered their cries with a new judge.
(vv. 21-22) God tests people just for strengthening their faith, so they might grow more in faith through the test. Here,God is allowing the testing to provide an opportunity for the Israelites to prove themselves before God. God tests Israel to see if they follow the ways of the Lord as their ancestors did.
Amnesia is at the heart of the Israel’s condition that has led to a serious chc disease – apostasy. Yahweh is called the God of the fathers. (V 2:12). A play on words I think. Yahweh is the God of the past era. He is tied to the past. No personal relationship. This is a peril that every person has to face.
Why we do what we do ? Without this either religion becomes a ritual ( everyone does it) or worse becomes esoteric (only few can know this). Yahweh remains the God of the fathers.
