Forgetting Leads to failure

Israel was successful. By God’s power, they conquered their foes in Canaan. The young nation then enjoyed in the glory of God and indulged itself in the luxurious Promise Land that flowed with milk and honey. They faithfully served the LORD. In Joshua 24:31 it says, “Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, and had known all the deeds of the LORD which He had done for Israel.”

But their faithfulness didn’t last; they forgot God. The book of Judges provides a terrible snapshot for Israel. One of the problems was that Israel left an opening for the devil. In Judges 1:28, it says, “It came about when Israel became strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely.”

The enemy was not driven out. With time, a defection of heart occurred. In Judges 2:10-13, it reads, “All the generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel. Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals, and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the LORD to anger. So they forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtaroth.”

This was the beginning of a cycle that was repeated in Judges: a cycle of rebellion, retribution, repentance, rescue and rest. In the periods of the rescue, God raised up deliverers to lead Israel: judges. The first was Othniel, Judges 3:7-11. Yet Israel continued to repeat the same mistakes. Why? They forgot God – and forgetting leads to failure! The book of Judges says a lot about Israel’s on and off relationship with God; it shows people leaving God and returning – and may raise questions about us. Judges is a grotesque book in that it demonstrates how awful sin really is. It also reveals a lot about Satan. We quickly see Satan is a relentless adversary. He pursued Israel. He will pursue us as well, 1 Peter 5:8. Let’s consider what other observations we can learn.

1. Satan works to make men forget God. During the days of Joshua, the people had a close union with God, but they couldn’t rely on the past to secure the present. They forgot. It’s easy to focus on the past. But we must ask, “Where am I now?” Not, did I seek Him then, but do I seek Him now? In the days of Jeremiah, the people also forgot God, Jeremiah 2:32. The scripture says, “Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number.” Backsliders often seem unaware they have fallen away – another scheme of Satan. Israel was slow to discover their failure; they were surprised God was against them. Have we fallen into the same trap, James 4:2-4? We must examine our faith, 2 Corinthians 13:5. Israel failed to examine themselves. While God may not be completely removed from our minds, we can forget Him by ceasing to rely upon Him, include Him, consider Him, and render acts of service to Him. We can forget Him by failing to honor Him through loving obedience; we forget our sense of indebtedness. People leave God after they’ve first forgotten God!

   
   

2. Failure’s end is worse than we imagine. In Judges 3:8, it says, “Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, so that He sold them into the hands of Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the sons of Israel served Cushan-rishathiam eight years.” That name means, “Cushan of two-fold wickedness.” He was double bad! His name described his reputation as an oppressor and a ruthless warlord. Israel engaged in idolatry and so God them a savage and barbaric heathen king to rule over them. Why did they wait 8-years to repent? Why do we wait so long to change? The end is worse than we can imagine. Don’t wait to turn back to God.

   
   

3. God makes a way back. Satan wants us to think that we can’t return to God. That’s a lie. We can! God provides a way back. Israel acknowledged their sin. God provided a deliverer through Judges. They were delivered by God’s mercy and power. Recovery and change began with the people when they cried out to the LORD, Judges 3:9. They repented and sought the LORD. Jesus is our deliverer, Romans 5:8. He can and will continue to deliver us, 1 John 1:8-10. Is it time to return to Him?