The Downward Cycle
Passage: Judges 2:6-23
A new generation arose who knew not the LORD.
Overview
Israel served the Baalim, God gave them into enemy hands, they groaned, God raised up judges and delivered them, and when the judge died they went back to worse sin.
Going deeper
The book's pattern: sin, oppression, crying out, deliverance, then relapse, getting worse each time. God's mercy is persistent.
Key verses (KJV)
- Judges 2:10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
- Judges 2:16 Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
- Judges 2:18 And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.
From the commentaries
Jud 2:11-19. Wickedness of the New Generation after Joshua. 11-19. the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord—This chapter, together with the first eight verses of the next [Jud 2:11-3:8], contains a brief but comprehensive summary of the principles developed in the following history. An attentive consideration of them, therefore, is of the greatest importance to a right understanding of the strange and varying phases of Israelitish history, from the death of Joshua till the establishment of the monarchy. served Baalim—The plural is used to include all the gods of the country.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown, Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory (1871)
Application
- Where do you see this cycle in your life?
- Why does each generation need to know God for itself?
- How is God's patience shown here?