Amnesia And Apostasy Series

The discipline, however, doesn’t have the desired effect, actually they became more rebellious, more idolatrous, more addicted to the worship of these lesser deities. Their rebellion was so complete that verse nineteen notes that not only did the not drop their practices but that their rebellion increased!

The Edge of the Cliff

It’s like if Israel stood at the precipice of a cliff walked off, felt the exhilaration of the fall, fell 10 feet and broke their ankle, started screaming for help. EMS comes pulls them up, sets the break, and casts them up. EMS leaves and Israel stands up, hobbles toward the edge, and Israel remembers the exhilaration of the fall. Naturally, they want more so they jump off to fall further. They fall 20 feet dislocate their shoulder, shatter their forearm and crack a couple of ribs. They cry out, EMS comes, retrieves them and patches them up and leaves. They stand up, walk to the edge, remembering the exhilaration, they slowly back up and then hobble forward hoping the forward momentum will carry you further so they can experience the exhilaration of the fall longer.

This is Israel. This is their rebellion. Each set of groaning the results of their own rebellion. Each descent into more and worse rebellion their own chasing of the high that comes with sitting on the throne.

Their deliverance was only a temporary balm for a generation that craved injury.

The Generation that was Tested by God. (vv. 20-3:5)

“20 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he said, “Because this people have transgressed my covenant that I commanded their fathers and have not obeyed my voice, 21 I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died, 22 in order to test Israel by them, whether they will take care to walk in the way of the Lord as their fathers did, or not.” 23 So the Lord left those nations, not driving them out quickly, and he did not give them into the hand of Joshua. 3 Now these are the nations that the Lord left, to test Israel by them, that is, all in Israel who had not experienced all the wars in Canaan. 2 It was only in order that the generations of the people of Israel might know war, to teach war to those who had not known it before. 3 These are the nations: the five lords of the Philistines and all the Canaanites and the Sidonians and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath. 4 They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the Lord, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. 5 So the people of Israel lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 6 And their daughters they took to themselves for wives, and their own daughters they gave to their sons, and they served their gods.”

What’s interesting here is that God never leaves Israel. As you read through Judges, you’ll find yourself amazed at the lack of concern Israel has and you’ll wonder why God doesn’t leave just start over.