Judges 2

Judges 2

'And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land. And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.

And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.'

Joshua 2:6-9

The first chapter of Judges and the first part of the second chapter overlap with the end of Joshua, so there is a little bit of a review. It reminds us of how the Israelites possessed the land and received their inheritance from the Lord their God. The old generation that had loved and obeyed their God died out, and there arose a new generation after them, that did not love Him. The new generation of Israelites turned to other gods, and served them. It may have been their parents' fault in not bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Or, it may just have been that the children heard the instruction and reproof of their parents and simply did not want to listen and heed it. But regardless, they decided to follow their own foolish way. What had these false gods done for them? Had they brought them out of Egypt, and brought them to the Promised Land? Had any of these false gods made them? Would they one day redeem them? Indeed not! These false gods were made out of common materials such as stone, wood, or metal, and had no value to them at all. They could not hear the requests of the people who served them, or help them in any way. The Israelites had done foolishly, and it would not be long before the Lord would severely judge them.

Am I following my own gods? wealth? possessions? friends? family? more than I am following God?