A Generation That Didn't Know God

Text “After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10, NLT).

Insight “The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight and served the images of Baal. They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the Lord. They abandoned the Lord to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth. This made the Lord burn with anger against Israel, so he handed them over to raiders who stole their possessions. He turned them over to their enemies all around, and they were no longer able to resist them. Every time Israel went out to battle, the Lord fought against them, causing them to be defeated, just as he had warned. And the people were in great distress” (2:11-15).
The Lord left these nations in the land to test the Israelites to “see whether they would obey the commands the Lord had given” (3:4). He left these nations to “teach warfare to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle” (3:2). These nations were thorns in the Israelite’s sides and their gods were “a constant temptation” to them (2:3).
The Israelites were stolen from, defeated, unable to resist their enemies and in great distress. They were “burdened by oppression and suffering” (2:18). But the Lord took pity on his people and He would “raise up a judge over Israel” and rescue “the people from their enemies” (2:18). Praise God for His mercy and grace!!!

Prayer Father, rescue me from my enemies. When I am burdened, oppressed or suffering, take pity on me. Rescue me! In Jesus name, AMEN.