2:1-3This event marks a significant change in Israel’s relationship with God. At Mount Sinai, God made a sacred and binding agreement with the Israelites called a covenant (Exodus 19:5-8). God’s part was to make Israel a special nation (see the note on Genesis 12:1-3), to protect them, and to give them unique blessings for following him. Israel’s part was to love God and obey his laws. But because they rejected and disobeyed God. the agreement to protect them was no longer in effect. But God wasn’t going to abandon his people. They would receive wonderful blessings if they asked God to forgive them and sincerely followed him again. Although God's agreement to help Israel conquer the land was no longer in effect, his covenant to make Israel a nation through whom the whole world would be blessed (fulfilled in the Messiah’s coming) remained valid. God still wanted the Israelites to be a holy people (just as he wants us to be holy), and he often used oppression to bring them back to him, just as he warned he would (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). The book
Life Application Study BibleJudgesChapter 2
Judges 2
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 356, 357, 358
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The LORD’s Messenger Comes to Bokim
12 The angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bokim and said to the Israelites, “I brought 2:1 you out of Egypt into this land that I swore to give your ancestors, and I said 1 would Ber oe never break my covenant with you. 2For your part, you were not to make any covenants with Judg 6:11 the people living in this land; instead, you were to destroy their altars. But you disobeyed 227 I 4.40. my command. Why did you do this? 3So now I declare that I will no longer drive out the peo- 3412-13 I ple living in your land. They will be thorns in your sides,* and their gods will be a constant 29. temptation to you.”: 4When the angel of the LORD finished speaking to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly. 5So they called the place Bokim (which means “weeping”), and they offered sacri- 73, 7.96 fices there to the LORD.
2. Disobedience and defeat
The Death of Joshua
66After Joshua sent the people away, each of the tribes left to take possession of the land 26 4 allotted to them. 7And the Israelites served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and, the leaders who outlived him—those who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel. 8Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of 110. 9They buried him in the land he had been allocated, at Timnath-serah* in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
of Judges records a number of instances where God allowed hispeople to be oppressed so that they would repent of their sinsand return to him.Too often people want God to fulfill his promises whileexcusing themselves from their responsibilities. Before youclaim God’s promises, ask, Have! done my part?2:4 The people of Israel knew they had sinned, and they weptloudly, responding with deep sorrow. Because we have atendency to sin, only repentance is the true measure of spiritualsensitivity. Repentance means not only confessing sins andasking God to forgive us, but also abandoning our sinful ways.But we cannot do this sincerely unless we are truly sorry for oursinful actions. Tears alone are not enough. When we are awarethat we have done wrong, we should admit it plainly to Godrather than try to cover it up or hope we can get away with it.2:7-9 The account of Joshua's death is found here and at theend of the book of Joshua (24:29). Either this account is asummary of what happened earlier, or the account in the bookof Joshua omitted the events in the first chapter of Judges.(For more on Joshua, see his Profile in Joshua 2.)
Israel Disobeys the LORD
1010After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel. 11The Israelites did evil in the LORD’s sight and served the images of Baal. '? They abandoned the Lor, 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. 13They 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.
The LORD Rescues His People
1646Then the LORD raised up judges to rescue the Israelites from their attackers. 17Yet Israel did not listen to the judges but prostituted themselves by worshiping other gods. How quickly they turned away from the path of their ancestors, who had walked in obedience to the LORD’s commands. 18Whenever the LORD raised up a judge over Israel, he was with that judge and rescued the people from their enemies throughout the judge’s lifetime. For the LORD took pity on his people, who were burdened by oppression and suffering. But when the judge died, the people returned to their corrupt ways, behaving worse than those who had lived before them. They went after other gods, serving and worshiping them. And they refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. 20So the LORD burned with anger against Israel. He said, “Because these people have violated my covenant, which I made with their ancestors, and have ignored my commands, 2"I will no longer drive out the nations that Joshua left unconquered when he died. 22I did this to test Israel—to see whether or not they would follow the ways of the LORD as their ancestors did.” 23That is why the LORD left those nations in place. He did not quickly drive them out or allow Joshua to conquer them all.
Textual footnotes
- at Josh 24:30; Hebrew reads Timnath-heres, a variant spelling of Timnath-serah.
- 2:3 Hebrew They will be in your sides; compare Num 33:55.
- 2:9 As in parallel text
Life Application Notes 3 notes
2:16-19Throughout this period of history Israel went through seven cycles of (1) rebelling against God, (2} being overrun by enemy nations, (3) being delivered by a God-fearing judge, (4) remaining loyal to God under that judge, and (5) again forgetting God when the judge died. We tend to follow the same cycle— remaining loyal to God as long as we are near those who are devoted to him. But when we are on our own, the pressure to be drawn away from God increases. Determine to be faithful to God despite the difficult situations you encounter. Recognize the importance of maintaining contact with other believers.
2:17Why would the people of Israel turn away so quickly from their faith in God? Simply put, the Canaanite religion appeared more attractive to the sensual nature and offered more short-range benefits (sexual permissiveness and increased fertility in childbearing and farming). One of its most attractive features was that people could remain selfish and yet fulfill their religious requirements. They could do almost anything they wished and still be obeying at least one of the many Canaanite gods. Maie and female prostitution was not only allowed but was encouraged as a form of worship. Faith in the one true God, however, does not offer short-range benefits that appeal to our sinful human nature. The essence of sin is selfishness; the essence of God’s way of life is selflessness. We must seek Christ’s help to live God’s way.
Charts, profiles & sidebars from the printed pages
Study feature · page 357
WHY DID ISRAEL WANT TO WORSHIP
IDOLS?
Sensuality approved Low ethical standards tolerated Neighbors’ sins approved Visible idols worshiped Worshiping God Worshiping Idols Long-range benefits.. 2.0... 0. eee Short-range benefits Gratification postponed..... 6.22... eee Self-gratification immediate Morality required... 2.2. eee High ethical standards demanded.............. Neighbors’ sins disapproved..............+-00: Unseen God worshiped
Unselfishness expected Selfishness condoned
Business relations hindered Business relations improved
Religious practices loosely regulated Changed life not demanded Compromise and cooperation practiced Strict religious practices maintained............. Changed life demanded............... 0000007 Ethical stand expected............0. 0.0 e eee
Concern for others taught No concern for others expected
The temptation to follow false gods because of short-term benefits, good feelings, easy “rules,” or convenience was always present. But the benefits were deceptive because the gods were false. We worship God because he is the one and only true God.
by contrast, was to worship only the LORD. They could not possibly believe that God was the one true God and at the same time bow to an ido. Idol worshipers could not see their god as their creator because they created it. These idols represent sensual, carnal, and immoral aspects of human nature. God’s nature is spiritual and moral. Adding the worship of idols to the worship of God could not be tolerated. 2:15, 16 Despite Israel's disobedience, God showed his great mercy by raising up judges to save the people from their oppressors. Mercy has been defined as “not giving a person what he or she deserves.” This is exactly what God did for Israel and what he does for us. Our disobedience demands judgment! But God shows mercy toward us by providing an escape from sin’s penalty through Jesus Christ, who alone saves us from sin. When we pray for forgiveness, we are asking for what we do not deserve. Yet when we take this step and trust in Christ's saving work on our behaif, we can experience God’s forgiveness.
2:10ft One generation died, and the next did not follow God. Judges 2:10-3:7 is a brief preview of the cycle of sin, judgment, and repentance that israel experienced again and again. Each generation failed to teach the next generation to love and follow God. Yet this was at the very center of God’s law (Deuteronomy 6:4-9). It is tempting to leave the job of teaching the Christian faith to the church or Christian school. Yet God says that the responsibility for this task belongs primarily to the family. Because children learn so much by our example, the home offers the most effective place to pass on the faith to the next generation. 2:11-15 Baal was the god of storms and rains; therefore, he was thought to control vegetation and agriculture. Ashtoreth was the mother goddess of love, war, and fertility (she was also called Astarte or Ishtar). Temple prostitution and child sacrifice were a part of the worship of these Canaanite idols. This generation of Israelites abandoned the faith of their parents and began worshiping the gods of their neighbors. Many things can tempt us to abandon what we know is right. The desire to be accepted by our neighbors can lead us into behavior that is unacceptable to God. Don’t be lulled into compromise or pressured into disobedience. 2:12-15 God often saved his harshest criticism and punishment for those who worshiped idols. Why were idols so bad in God's sight? To worship an idol violated the first two of the Ten Gommandments (Exodus 20:3-6). The Canaanites had gods for almost every season, activity, or place. To them, the LORD was just another god to add to their collection of gods. Israel,
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