Judges 2:1-16: a reflection

1The LORD’s angel came up from Gilgal to Bochim. He said, “I brought you out of Egypt, and have brought you to the land which I swore to give your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you. 2You shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land. You shall break down their altars.’ But you have not listened to my voice. Why have you done this? 3Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be in your sides, and their gods will be a snare to you.’” 4When the LORD’s angel spoke these words to all the children of Israel, the people lifted up their voice and wept. 5They called the name of that place Bochim, and they sacrificed there to the LORD. 6Now when Joshua had sent the people away, the children of Israel each went to his inheritance to possess the land. 7The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the LORD that he had worked for Israel. 8Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred ten years old. 9They buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath Heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash. 10After all that generation were gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who didn’t know the LORD, nor the work which he had done for Israel. 11The children of Israel did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and served the Baals. 12They abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger. 13They abandoned the LORD, and served Baal and the Ashtaroth. 14The LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. 15Wherever they went out, the LORD’s hand was against them for evil, as the LORD had spoken, and as the LORD had sworn to them; and they were very distressed. 16The LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hand of those who plundered them.

The book of Judges opens with a sobering turn. As long as Joshua and the elders who had seen God's works were alive, the people served the Lord. But then a new generation arose who did not know the Lord or the works he had done for Israel. The knowledge and the memory had not been passed on, and with the memory gone, the faith went too. That generation abandoned the Lord and turned to other gods.

The consequences unfolded in a painful cycle. The people forsook God, fell into trouble, and were oppressed; then, in mercy, God raised up judges to rescue them; but after each deliverer died, they turned away again. Underneath the whole tragic pattern lies that one quiet sentence: a generation arose who did not know the Lord. The failure to hand on the memory of what God had done left the next generation adrift.

This is a warning worth taking to heart. Faith is not automatically inherited; it must be passed on. If the story of what God has done is not deliberately told and retold, the next generation may grow up not knowing him. Take responsibility for remembering God's works and telling them to those who come after you, children, younger believers, anyone in your care. And take comfort that even when his people forget, God in mercy keeps raising up deliverers to bring them back.

Lord, a generation arose who did not know you because the memory of your works was not passed on. Guard me from letting that story go untold. Help me to remember your deeds and to tell them faithfully to those who come after me, so that they too may know you. And thank you that even when your people forget, your mercy keeps calling us back. Amen.