June 2

“…Israel did evil…and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim… ” Judges 3:7

The Israelites became apostates, traitors of the true God and His ways. This is a pattern which was repeated time and again among the people of God, bringing the Lord’s displeasure and judgment upon them. Their backsliding was largely due to the comforts they had found and made for themselves in the Promised Land, along with their choice of subscribing to the ways of the heathen nations which surrounded them. Their alliance with neighbouring nations was often strengthened by intermarrying with them, thus becoming ‘family’ and further weakening their stand in God. They had been warned by the Lord not to marry with unbelievers, and means of proselytising a foreign person to the faith of Yahwah were in place, but clearly for the most, they were either ignored or forgotten. The natural progression of human nature, when unrestrained by the laws and directives of God, is to the lowest point on the moral scale. Like water naturally finding and flowing to the lowest level, even so the sinful nature of man will lead an individual, or a nation to forget and forsake the high place and standing of God’s values and commands, and settle for the ‘lowlands’ of sin and degradation. Of interest is the fact which always accompanies such deterioration – the object of worship is altered and exchanged, this results in idolatry. The people who knew the Only True God, turned their eyes and hearts from Him, forgot His ways, repudiated His laws and served Baal and the idols of the groves in worship and practices! This was the condition the Israelites found themselves in, and often returned to, even after judgment, repentance and forgiveness. It was in keeping themselves from idolatry, that God’s people failed the test of faithfulness and incurred His wrath. We might sometimes wonder how this could ever take place, with people who were so blessed and provided for by the Lord, but sadly it is also a pattern which all too often emerges among believers today. In spite of the clear knowledge and teaching imparted us by God’s Word, and impressed upon us by His Spirit, there are many who live a double life. In name, they profess to know God and be followers of Christ, but in practice they idolise the world and the things of it. Their lives differ nothing from the unsaved, unchristian people of the world around them. This has earned them the reputation of being nominal (in name only) Christians, people who justify following the trends and sinful practices of the society they live in, but also claim membership in the Christian church. Jesus faced similar religiousness in His day, and called such professors hypocrites, showing them the same firmness of love, with which Yahwah dealt with backsliding Israel. It should be our pleasure and desire to serve God with all our minds, hearts and souls, at all times and in all places. For this He has saved us, called us and established us, that we may live a holy life and faithfully show His grace, love and righteousness to the world around us!

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