II. THE REASON FOR ISRAEL’S FORSAKING OF GOD

In verses 6 through 10 we see the reason for Israel’s forsaking of God.

A. Because of the Death of Joshua,
of the Elders, and of the Generation
Who Saw All the Great Work of Jehovah
That He Had Done for Israel

When Joshua sent the people away, each of the children of Israel went to his own inheritance. The people served Jehovah throughout all the days of Joshua and throughout all the days of the elders whose days extended after Joshua and who saw all the great work of Jehovah that He had done for Israel. Eventually, all that generation died. The death of Joshua, of the elders, and of that entire generation was the reason for Israel’s forsaking of God (vv. 6-10a).

B. Because the Present Generation
Did Not Know Jehovah
or the Work That He Had Done for Israel

Also, “another generation,” the present generation, who did not know Jehovah or the work that He had done for Israel, rose up after them (v. 10b).

III. THE CYCLE OF THE MISERABLE HISTORY
OF ISRAEL’S FORSAKING OF GOD

Verses 11 through 20 are a record of the cycle of the miserable history of Israel’s forsaking of God.

A. Israel’s Forsaking of Jehovah
and Turning to the Idols of the Canaanites

The children of Israel did what was evil in the sight of Jehovah, serving the idols of the Canaanites (vv. 11-13). They forsook Jehovah, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they followed after other gods from among the gods of the peoples who surrounded them.

B. Jehovah’s Anger Burning against Israel

The anger of Jehovah burned against Israel, and He delivered them into the hands of plunderers and sold them into the hand of their enemies around them (vv. 14-15). Whenever the children of Israel went out, the hand of Jehovah was against them for evil.

C. Israel’s Groaning and Jehovah’s Pity on Them
in Raising Up Judges to Save Them
from the Hand of Their Enemies

Israel groaned because of those who oppressed them and crushed them, and Jehovah was moved to pity and raised up judges to save them from the hand of their enemies (vv. 16-18).

D. After the Death of the Judge,
Israel Turning and Acting More Corruptly
by Following After Other Gods

When the judge raised up by Jehovah died, the people of Israel turned and acted more corruptly than their fathers by following after other gods in order to serve them and worship them. They did not cease from any of their practices or from their stubborn way (v. 19).

E. The Anger of Jehovah
Burning Again against Israel

When the people turned and acted more corruptly, the anger of Jehovah burned again against Israel (v. 20).

IV. JEHOVAH’S TESTING OF ISRAEL

In 2:21—3:6 we have Jehovah’s testing of Israel.

A. By the Nations
Who Were Left after Joshua’s Death

Jehovah tested Israel by the nations who were left after Joshua’s death (2:21—3:4). Because Israel transgressed Jehovah’s covenant and did not listen to His voice, Jehovah said that He would no longer dispossess from before them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died. His purpose in not dispossessing the nations was to test Israel through them as to whether they would keep the way of Jehovah by walking in it, as their fathers kept it. Thus, these nations “were for the testing of Israel, to know whether they would listen to the commandments of Jehovah, which He commanded their fathers through Moses” (3:4).

B. By Israel’s Failure

According to verses 5 and 6, Israel failed in three matters: in dwelling among the Canaanites (v. 5); in taking the daughters of the Canaanites as their wives and giving their own daughters to the sons of the Canaanites (v. 6a); and in serving the gods of the Canaanites (v. 6b).