Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals; and they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger. - Judges 2v11 -12
Man’s proclivity to evil is amazing, isn’t it? When Moses went up to the mountain they sinned. Now Moses’ successor, Joshua is dead. God has led them through the wilderness. He has given them victory in the Promised Land. They are living in the land ‘flowing with milk and honey.’ They should surely be content. They had all they could ask for.
But no, as soon as Joshua died the people of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. They served the false gods. They forsook the Lord who had done so much for them. They followed other gods instead. They bowed down to the gods that were all around them. They provoked God to anger.
What a tragedy. Any yet it is a pattern we see all the time in the word of God, in history, and in our own lives.
Why is that? Why is it so hard to keep on following God? I think part of the reason is seen in this passage in the phrase ‘the gods of the people all around them.’ Most of our reasoning in following God is future focused. Life is tough here, and though we see many of his blessing the present practical results, the greatest blessings are to come.
We look around and we see all that the world has to offer. We see the gods that other going running after. For most of us they are not physical statues and images. For most of us the false gods are gods of sport, entertainment, fleshly pleasure, carnality, popularity, and such. Everyone else, most of those around us, serve those gods and we can be drawn to follow them instead of directing them to follow us.
We are not exempt from the troubles and temptations that drew Israel at Joshua’s days. By the grace of God and in dependence on Him may we avoid their fall.
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