Judges 2 "A Test"

seekeroftruth

Well-Known Member
Judges 2:16 Then the Lord raised up judges,[c] who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. 17 Yet they would not listen to their judges but prostituted themselves to other gods and worshiped them. They quickly turned from the ways of their ancestors, who had been obedient to the Lord’s commands. 18 Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the Lord relented because of their groaning under those who oppressed and afflicted them. 19 But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their ancestors, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

20 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and said, “Because this nation has violated the covenant I ordained for their ancestors 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 ancestors 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.​

c. Judges 2:16 Or leaders; similarly in verses 17-19

I found this comment at the blueletterbible.org site.

During the time of the Judges, Israel would only cry out to God and really depend on Him in a time of emergency; this is why many people are in a constant state of crisis - God knows that is the only way they can be kept trusting in Him.

The pattern of bondage, deliverance, and blessing, followed by sin and bondage again, may be as depressing as it is characteristic of many Christian lives today. However, we must remember that we live with the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, and under a new covenant, where we are made new creatures in Jesus - privileges that Israel, in the days of the Judges, knew nothing of.​

As I write this, people are baking turkeys and ham for today's Thanksgiving meal. Families will be gathering.... and if those families are anything like mine was.... there's a ton of drama in the schedule. Finally someone, generally the cook, will throw up their hands and say "I give up! These people are just insane and I can't do a thing about it!"

Problem is.... saying "I can't do a thing about it" doesn't help. The drama still persists and because it's family..... that person will step in to help again.... they always do. Verse 22 says God called this a test, when all the drama is brewing and bubbling over like gravy gone awry, who does it test.... the person creating all the drama or the person who will be cleaning up the gravy?

This is from the easy English site.

As a result, God did not force that country’s people to leave.

He left them there
1) to punish Israel’s people,
2) to test whether they were loyal to God, and
3) to give them experience in battle, as we learn in chapter 3.​

When you hug your family today.... really hug them..... they may need a really good hug... and you'll get a great hug too! Right?

:coffee:
 
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