The Passing of a Generation. Judges 2:1-10 How could an entire generation not know the Lord? Their grandparents did and obeyed Him. Their parents did and received a place of their own to live. Influence from our surroundings and cultural pressures from a pagan society appeal to the sinful nature of those without a personal faith in God. The parents were responsible for telling their children and grandchildren about God’s dealings with them as a unique people. Apparently, they didn’t do a good job of teaching their children about God, or they didn’t do it at all.
We should pass on to the next generations everything we've learned from our ancestors about God's moral laws, the standards we should live by, and the values of life and living that we were taught. Bible teaching and biblical living do not come naturally to children or to those who are unbelievers. It is unwise for parents to rely solely on school teachers or Sunday School teachers to teach holy, spiritual, and practical living. It is far more important to live simple lives and teach our children well than to focus only on financial success in business and leave their moral and spiritual education to others.
It became clear that there were changes occurring among God's people that were leading them further away from God and closer to the sinful world around them. The angel of the Lord, Jehovah, not the covenant-keeping God, came from the place of victory and blessing where Israel paused after crossing the Jordan. At Gilgal, circumcision was performed, symbolizing the cutting off of the flesh and dedication to God. It was there they observed the first Passover in the Promised Land. God appeared to Joshua there, and they returned to Gilgal after their victories.
Not every place we choose is where God intends us to be. He doesn't abandon His people, but He blesses us in a special way where we are—where He wants us to be, doing what He wants us to do. He teaches and guides us there through His word and the fellowship of His people. We are not a family of wandering nomads, going here and there on a whim of our own choosing, but "a pilgrim band in a foreign land" and a nation of kingdom people on a journey, being guided and guarded by our Lord. (2:1) Our God is a covenant-keeping God. It was the angel who said, "I brought … I swore… I said… I will never." The Angel was the Lord Jesus Christ, and the event was very important to God. An Angel of the Lord has authority from God as God’s representative. The terms of the covenant with Israel meant that there were to be no covenants formed with pagan nations. Altars to idols were to be torn down. Unfaithfulness to the requirements of the covenant with God meant that Israel could no longer expect God to deliver them from their enemies by His power.
When we meet with God, that event surpasses every other commitment we might have and should never be taken lightly because it is not taken lightly by God. Gilgal was a place of victory and blessing, where God's people received His favor. There were tears at Bochim (weeping) to the extent that it is known as the place of weeping and judgment rather than blessing. No wonder the Israelites wept at Bochim when they realized what they had lost because they did not obey the Lord.
The cost of carnality is very high. We may think an action is insignificant because that is how the world measures it. Half-hearted obedience leads to unfulfilled commands and the consequences that follow. But to God, complete obedience in fulfilling the terms of the covenant with us is essential. God committed Himself unconditionally to His people. Neglecting the terms of the covenant on their part made the covenant ineffective. For Israel, there was a significant change in their relationship with God. They had moved from victory to weeping and judgment.
God had fulfilled His part of the covenant. He had committed Himself unconditionally to His people. God had covenanted with Abraham and promised three things: 1. Descendants (seed), 2. His seed would possess a land, and 3. Blessings would flow to the world through them (Gen. 12:3). This has happened through the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Multiplied millions of people have been blessed with salvation and are now in the kingdom of God. God protected and empowered Israel, making it a special nation that still influences world events today. He delivered Israel from Egypt, led them into Canaan, and cared for them for 40 years while they wandered in the wilderness. However, they did not always obey His laws and failed to love Him personally.
Even today, agnosticism and atheism remain common among Israelis and Jews worldwide. They seek to survive as a distinct nation but look to other countries for help rather than turn in repentance to God. God is still rejected as the Supreme Authority and the one who maintains a covenant with His people. His promises to us are: sins are forgiven, eternal life is a gift from Him, and we are His children.
(2:2) Israel was a covenant-breaking nation. They had not obeyed God or fulfilled their responsibility to Him. Instead, they made a league with the enemy and didn't tear down the demon altars. The Lord had given them unlimited power. Judah did not have victory because they did not trust God. Rather than follow Him wholeheartedly, they compromised. For God's people who turn away and fail, there is recovery after genuine repentance and forsaking sin and wrong. God has not abandoned His people.
When we repent and follow Him, He can bless us. If we do not, we must remember that there are always consequences to sin that will follow and must be paid. These cannot be avoided. God allows opposition and oppression from those around us to bring us back to Himself. It is wrong for us to take the blessings of God for granted as if He is obligated to us in any way. It is because of "His mercies we are not consumed."
(2:3-5) The consequences of compromise are real. It is one thing to admit to sin; remorse caused by the consequences is another, but true repentance involves admitting guilt and accepting responsibility for our thoughts and actions that turn us away from God. Even more, genuine repentance requires deliberately forsaking sin. Tears can often be a normal response to guilt when someone is exposed. The power of the mind and the ability to choose and commit to change are essential for true repentance and returning to God. People may not realize it at the moment guilt overtakes their emotions, but many understand that change is necessary and clearly visible. Trying to hide sin is just as wrong as the sin that originally caused the guilt. The angel came with the purpose of grace to lead the nation to genuine repentance. The surrounding nations will drag you down. Partial obedience results in tears. There is no joy in a half-hearted spiritual life. Uncommitted Christians are miserable. There is no victory or blessing, only defeat and frustration.
Any attempt to deceive does not hide anything from God about us. Deception, when used, tricks us into believing everything is fine when it is not. It is crucial for parents to understand they are responsible for teaching their children about God and why they should believe in Him and trust the Lord Jesus Christ alone for salvation. We must instruct them on how and why they should follow Him throughout their lives. By following, obeying, and loving God, a young person can discover early on why we are here and what life is truly about. It is not the school teachers' or Sunday School teachers' responsibility to teach and demonstrate God's way; it is ours as parents and grandparents.