Thursday, 4 February 2016

They would not listen

Nevertheless, the LORD raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the LORD; they did not do so. – Judges 2.16-17

Joshua was dead an Israel was now going to enter a period where they would be ruled by God appointed judges. These judges would deliver them from the enemies who would attack them because they had fallen away from God. Even at a time like this when God allowed the enemies in to punish Israel because of her sin He graciously also supplied a way to be delivered.

So God gave an answer and a solution to the problem. The judges tried to draw them back to God.They warned the people and showed the way back. But there was a MAJOR problem.

‘They would not listen to the judges, but continued to play around with their other gods.’

Doesn’t that also describe the disobedient believer? God tells us exactly how we should live. We have His word. It is right there on our lap or on our shelf or on the table or our computer or e-reader or tablet or what ever. The problem for a lot of us is not one of access, but of listening and obeying.

Their not listening sent them into seven cycles of sin. Over and over they made the same mistakes and suffered the same consequences and all because they did not listen to God.


When we don’t listen we can't learn. I hope we can do a better job than these folks did. 

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