Judges 2 Commentary
Chapter two summarizes the entire book. It all begins with the appearance of an angel of the LORD.
Why has Israel fallen into idolatry? Why has Israel failed to keep the covenant?
The choice between the LORD, the Creator God, and the gods isn’t like a choice between football teams. There are life consequences!
Sadly, Israel is so blind that she feels the God of Abraham is like any other Canaanite god. They hear the words of the angel and proceed with sacrifices, assumedly to pacify the angry God – in a manner that other gods are pacified.
Obedience is better than sacrifice. But this is Israel!
We can pick up one or two points from this chapter.
“After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.” Verse 10.
…When you have a Pharaoh who doesn’t know Joseph. The result is the same.
Never forget what the LORD has done for you. Command your memory to remember the goodness of the LORD. Forget not all His benefits.
Forgetfulness is humanity’s greatest enemy – forgetting the works of the LORD!
Part of the reason the saint must read the scripture daily (day and night) is to flood the memory with the works and goodness of the LORD God. Don’t forget.
Relief only comes when the LORD raises a Judge to deliver Israel. But it is all temporal. Israel returns to her sinful ways, and the cycle of suffering restarts until the next Judge. The Book of Judges follows this format of sin, Judge, salvation, and then sin again.
We can see something here. Just like in Egypt, Israel only remembers the LORD when suffering and pain become unbearable. At this point, they cry out to the LORD.
At what point do we kneel down to pray? Is it only when our suffering reaches unbearable levels? Or when the secret sin brings public shame?
What happens when the motivation for prayer, suffering, is withdrawn? Many people slip back into sin. Sad.
We can also see how the presence of a Judge helped Israel. The presence of the everlasting Judge (Jesus) means the cycle of suffering because of repeated wickedness comes to an end.
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