Judges 3

Judges 3

"Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; Only that the generations of the children

of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the

Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath. And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the

commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. And the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites,

and Hivites, and Jebusites: And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight

of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves. Therefore the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of Chushanrishathaim

king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushanrishathaim eight years. And when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer to the children of Israel,

who delivered them, even Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother. And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel, and went out to war: and the LORD delivered Chushanrishathaim

king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed against Chushanrishathaim. And the land had rest forty years. And Othniel the son of Kenaz died. And the children of Israel did evil again in the sight

of the LORD: and the LORD strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the LORD. And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and

smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees. So the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab eighteen years. But when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, the LORD raised them up a deliverer,

Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite."

Judges 3:1-15

This is only one of the many instances of the Lord's wrath against Israel because of their sin. Time and

time again the Israelites would disobey the Lord their God, and time and time again, He would punish them.

They never fully grasped the idea that when you sin, you will be punished. It may not be right away, but

sooner or later, one way or another, you will be punished for your sin. But if we confess our sin and forsake

it, we will not need to be punished.

I believe that the main reason the Lord kept the other nations alive was to torment Israel when they disobeyed

Him. And to see how strong their moral character was, as well. But the Israelites proved that they could not

resist temptation very well. They married into other nations. These new spouses then turned God's people

away from Him. They turned them away from the true and living God to serve false gods. And so God had

to punish them over, and over, and over. It wasn't as if He enjoyed giving out punishment. He had made these

people. He had wanted to have communion and fellowship with them. But, He couldn't when they kept going

their own way.

Do, I like the Israelites, follow my own way, instead of the Lord's?

Do I need chastened like they did?