All throughout the Old Testament, we find the Israelites forsaking God. It’s truly heartbreaking to read when you consider, they witnessed so many of God’s miracles first hand.
Nevertheless, our Father finally has enough, and confronts Israel about their many sins.
Judges 2:1
And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
This Angel of the LORD was the manifestation of Jehovah Himself. Evident by His words, and that He “came up from Gilgal,” the same place where the “captain of the host of the LORD” appeared to Joshua. Likewise, the “angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim.”
Though we must be careful, not all “Angels of the LORD” are Jehovah, (Exodus 23:20-21, Judges 6:12).
God continues…
Judges 2:2-4
2 And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?3 Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
4 And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
The people simply had no answer and wept.
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Even during the days of the superb leadership of Moses, the people failed God, without such a disciplined leader, Israel sank to new depths. So a new generation arose and did evil in the sight of God.
Judges 2:10-11
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.11 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
This next generation did not know God, as no one told the people about Him. So they forgot about Him and sinned. God’s anger was kindled once again. Don’t repeat this mistake, teach your children about God, don’t break His heart.
Judges 2:20-23
20 And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:
22 That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.
23 Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.
God already knew that answer, He already proved the Israelites during the days of Moses, (Exodus 15:25, 16:4).
In fact, God told Moses before his passing, “this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land… and will forsake me, and break my covenant,” (Deuteronomy 31:16-18). That’s why God commanded Moses to write, the “Song of Moses.”