Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you. (Judges 2:3)
In this chapter a summary is offered of the tragic pattern that is to follow in the remainder of Judges. The pattern goes something like this; the people forget God and his provision in times past (v.10), as a result they do evil and follow other gods (v.11), God's judgement burns against Israel because of their sin (vv.13-16), the people cry out in their distress (v.15), God sends help in the form of a judge (v.16) and God rescues them (v.18). But then people again forget God's actions is saving them and the whole sorry cycle repeats itself again and again, but worse each time (v.19).
This pattern is very familiar. Our sin might not be a spectacular as what we read of in Judges, or the consequences as dire - but we too easily forget God, turn to other gods (e.g. materialism), and the cycle of rebellion begins. (Of course our judge and saviour is God himself in the form of the Son, but more on that later!) In reading chapter two this morning I was struck by this phrase, 'another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord or what he had done for Israel' (v.10) Critical in establishing the deadly cycle of sin and rebellion was Israel's failure to remember God and his actions.
Faithful remembering is life-giving. In Israel, there was not enough conversations between the older and younger generations that started with, 'I remember when...'. The elders has a lot to remember and tell. They could have said, 'I remember when the walls of Jericho came down with a trumpet blast, I remember when we crossed the Jordan and we built a stone altar, I remember when manna rained down from God's heaven...' In remembering these stories, the elders reminded themselves of God's faithful provision and the loyalty and worship that such faithfulness demands. In telling them to the following generations, they would be passing on a legacy of faith that would live far beyond them. But they did not remember and they did not tell.
I too easily forget what God has done for, in and through me. So today, by God's grace, I commit again to the spiritual discipline of faithful remembering.
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