Topic: Judges
In the book of Judges, we learn Joshua passes away at the age of 110 years old. Then, we read some very disturbing words in Judges 2:10-11, “…a generation grew up that did not know the Lord and they did evil in the eyes of the Lord, giving themselves to idols.” Not far removed from Joshua, the miracles and the handing over of nations to them, the people of God forgot that they were the people of God and began to give themselves to false gods.
This is sad. You might be like me and wonder who is to blame. Was it the previous generation who didn’t do their job of mentoring or passing along the faith? Did they not live out Deuteronomy 6 in which God tells them to always keep His commandments in front of them and to teach them to their children? Is it because sometimes after times of great success, we can begin to believe our own press clippings and think that it is all about us? Is this what happened? Or is it just that the generation that came after was just an obstinate generation that just wanted to do what they wanted to do?
The answer is probably, “yes.” It is probably all of these issues or parts of each one. The people served God through the life of Joshua and the elders of his time, but after that it seems like the ball was dropped. There wasn’t a great job of passing the faith down the line. Mentoring or discipling doesn’t appear to have happened. Also, people of faith tend to fare better during times of oppression or hard times. During seasons of success, we generally find ourselves complacent or unaware of the provision of God in the first place and we begin to think it is about us. Sometimes generations (especially when you factor in the first two) just don’t want anything to do with the faith of their parents or grandparents.
Whatever the case or reason, the people of Israel forgot God and no longer knew Him. The results were not good for them either. God’s anger turned against them and the victories that used to come easily became defeats. The generation that did not know the Lord, cried out to the One they did not know for deliverance. Because God is a faithful God, even to His faithless people, He sent judges to rescue them. This is the pattern we see in the book of Judges occurring time and time again. People forget who God is and give themselves to idolatry, they begin experiencing hardships and cry out to God, God shows compassion and sends a judge to rescue, the people are delivered, and then the cycle repeats.
The only way we can avoid this refrain in our lives, in the life of our church, is to put our hope not in a man or mere human, but instead place our hope, allegiance, trust, and faith in the Risen King Jesus. When you put your hope in mere men, they will let you down and will never be enough. They are not perfect.
The Judges point us to our ultimate need for a God who is a jealous God and desires our ultimate allegiance and who saves us through Jesus.
See you Sunday!
Dr. Scott Kallem