Judges 1 - 2 (30th Mar) - Sylvia

As we look into the book of judges, we also see the transition of how the Israelites began to lose faith and started sinning as compared to when they were under the leadership of Joshua.

Judges 1

1 After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the LORD, "Who will be the first to go up and fight for us against the Canaanites?"
2 The LORD answered, "Judah is to go; I have given the land into their hands."
3 Then the men of Judah said to the Simeonites their brothers, "Come up with us into the territory allotted to us, to fight against the Canaanites. We in turn will go with you into yours." So the Simeonites went with them.

Notice in v1-3 how the Lord had commanded the tribe of Judah to go up and fight against the Canaanites yet they did not have faith that God would bring be with them and give them victory.. They asked the Simeonites to go with them to fight.

Thank God for His faithfulness, keeping His promise by giving the Canaanites and Perizzites into their hands.

Moving on, as the Israelites continued to fight the remaining Canaanites, they disobeyed God's word. How did they do so?

Previously in the book of Joshua, they were supposed to drive out their enemies and not ally with them nor intermarrying or associate with them as these people would bring the Israelites down in time to come.

12 "But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them,
13 then you may be sure that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the LORD your God has given you."

Despite the warning, the Israelites did not obey as they never did drive them out completely. Instead they COMPROMISED God's word - they did not intermarry nor allied with the nation YET, but they made them their slaves.

**I mentioned "Yet" because as you read on the following chapters, the Israelites lived among the Canaanites and intermarried, serving their gods... **

It may not had been their intention to disobey God but pride got in the way when they though they were strong enough to handle it.

Application: Dear family, let's take a moment to pause and reflect. How many times have we disobeyed God by compromising His word, trying to do or explain things in a way such that it seems right?

Judges 2

Pride gave way to sin. The Israelites had broken their covenant with the Lord. When the Lord spoke that He would not drive out the Canaanites and also allow them to be obstacles to the Israelites, they repented, offering sacrifices to God.

A new generation of Israelites grew up, not knowing God nor what He had done for Israel. They fell to sin, worshipping other gods. Because of this, God allowed their enemies to take control over them, and whenever they went to battle, they would be defeated.

God had a heart of compassion for His people still, raising up leaders(Judges) to save them yet they would only listen for a short moment, before quickly turning their backs on God again and again.

Notice the cycle of sin:
Israel serves God --> Israels falls to sin and worship other gods -->Israel goes into slavery
-->Israel cried outs-->God gives them a leader(Judge)--> Israel is delivered

They serve the Lord for a while before falling back into sin..

This sparked the Lord's anger.
20 Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and said, "Because this nation has violated the covenant that I laid down for their forefathers and has not listened to me,
21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died.
22 I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the LORD and walk in it as their forefathers did."
23 The LORD had allowed those nations to remain; he did not drive them out at once by giving them into the hands of Joshua.

Application: Dear brothers and sisters, do we have any cycles of sin in our lives that need to be broken?