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Started reading Judges today and it’s always so striking whenever I read it, particularly the first two chapters
In 1:27-33
“did not drive out” is mentioned 7 times. God commanded completed destruction but the Israelites failed to do what they were commanded to do.
“did not drive out” is mentioned 7 times. God commanded completed destruction but the Israelites failed to do what they were commanded to do.
God responds in 2:1b-3
“I said, & #39;I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.& #39; But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done?
cont.
“I said, & #39;I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.& #39; But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done?
cont.
So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you."” Judges 2:1b-3
Isn’t this what we’re seeing as a nation? We tolerate some sin (for example unlawful divorce for the last few decades) and it has now grown and grown and led to all kinds of things.
Or the fact that we (this is particularly towards the CoE) have tolerated sin in our congregations think it wouldn’t affect the wider institution of the church. We allowed unrepentant sinners to take communion and be fully active (serve, lead small groups, get ordained)
Look where that’s got us to... a false Archbishop of York, second most senior Bishop in the Anglican Communion. We’ve literally be corrupted by the world ... “their gods have been a snare to you”
And then after the death of Joshua we read
“And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.”
Judges 2:10b
“And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.”
Judges 2:10b
This is literally what has happened, we have a generation of adults who grew up in the church but don’t know God. I vaguely recall a talk where it was mentioned:
2 generations ago: love the gospel
1 generation ago: presumed the gospel
This generation: don’t know the gospel
2 generations ago: love the gospel
1 generation ago: presumed the gospel
This generation: don’t know the gospel
How can one not know the gospel (or “not know the LORD or the work that he had done”) unless they haven’t been told? Ties in with the crisis of home discipleship and the idolatry of youth work we are seeing today. Parents aren’t telling the gospel to their children!
“And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Deuteronomy 6:6-7
So, we must drive out the evil in our churches (not subject it to forced labour, not make it difficult, it must be driven out completely) and we must tell the next generation the gospel and catechise them.
If we do not then we will continue to do what is right in our own eyes.
