Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Judges 2

Infidelities of the Isrealites

After Joshua dies, the generations abandon the Lord and begin to serve other gods including Baal and the Ashtaroth. This angers God, who doesn't allow them to prosper - he keeps them where they are instead of expelling or delivering Israel. When Israel repents, he sends the Judges to deliver them.

This applies to us - when the Isrealites obey the commandments, they prosper, when they don't, their enemies oppress them.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

1-4 An angel appeared to them and reminded them of God's deliverance from Egypt and the mutual covenant. Because they have broken the covenant and made treaties with local people God will no longer give them victories over their enemies. The people wept aloud and they called that place Bokim (weepers).
6-15 Joshua died as well as all the generations who knew God and all He had done for them. The next generation forsook God and worshiped Baal and Ashtoreth. God not only didn't help them but worked with their enemies against them.
Notes indicate that Baal was a male god and Ashtoreth was his female cohort (Aphrodite). This reminds me: in Bedknobs and Broomsticks the main spell comes from a book called "The Spells of Astoroth"; pretty close, huh.
16-23 God raised up judges who would remind the people of their past and the ways of the Lord. As long as a group of them were under the leadership of a judge, God would have compassion. Every time a judge died, though, they would be more corrupt than before. God gave them over to the surrounding nations and those who shared their lands.

QUESTION: Does this apply to us now? If so, how?