Judges 2:18–19 (ESV) —
18 Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the
judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the
judge. For the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who
afflicted and oppressed them. 19 But whenever the judge died,
they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other
gods, serving them and bowing down to them. They did not drop any of their
practices or their stubborn ways.
NOTE: This is the
worst part of the summary section for Judges. God provided judges to save them,
but each time the danger was past, Israel went back to their sin, AND
"were more corrupt than their fathers, going after other gods." The
problem is that they never realized their problem, which is not the most
profound statement in the world, but is accurate. God knew that the day of
kings was coming. Judges exposes a problem with man that is caused by the
corruption of sin. Men look to other men for their standard (or example) of
living. Or they will look to their neighbor and match that behavior (the
keeping up with the Jones' syndrome). Men seem uncomfortable standing up for
truth. We are fickle. Israel's overriding problem was that they really didn't
know God. I imagined they passed on some of the knowledge of God, but each
generation seems to care less and less for that knowledge, so that by the time
the book ends, Samuel is on a teaching circuit re-introducing the word of God
to the people of God. Israel lacked good spiritual leadership to be their
example of godliness. It is sad that they could not do that on their own, but
for whatever reason, we copy the lives and examples of others. Today, our
non-Christian, often non-educated, mostly emotional, actors and actresses are
our example of how to live life. Their opinions, usually not well thought
through and just a mimic of those they think are smart, are our opinions. Why?
Because they are famous (popular)! America's problem today is that too many
have stopped thinking and have accepted the opinion of so-called experts. Why?
Because everyone else (seems) to have accepted them and they are famous
(popular). We have the same need, to know God personally and to stand up for
what is right, even if it is not the popular opinion of the time.
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