I would like to take a closer look at the first and second chapters of Judges. I started reading through this book, and although I am not movvery fast, I am gaining a lot.

Judges 1:27-35
27 However, Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; for the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land.
28 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites under tribute, but did not completely drive them out.
29 Nor did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer; so the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.
30 Nor did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron or the inhabitants of Nahalol; so the Canaanites dwelt among them, and were put under tribute.
31 Nor did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Acco or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob.
32 So the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out.
33 Nor did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh or the inhabitants of Beth Anath; but they dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were put under tribute to them.
34 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountains, for they would not allow them to come down to the valley;
35 and the Amorites were determined to dwell in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim; yet when the strength of the house of Joseph became greater, they were put under tribute.Judges 2:2
2 “And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this?”It looks to me like the people of the land, were more ‘detirmined’ to live in the land, then the Israelists were to obey and trust in their God.11 “Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals; 12 and they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger. 13 They forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.”

In chapter one we see that the children of the land didn’t completely drive out everyone as God had commanded.

Doesn’t it seem that since they didn’t take any action toward obeying God, they ended up taking action(s) the other way, from God.

So in Judges 2:11-13 I think that we see where this took them.

So I was thinking to myself, how true this still is today. I mean, we should ask ourselves if we are more determined to serve God, than the world is to disobey him. Also, are we taking action toward God, reading our Bibles, praying, etc. ? Or will we too end up drifting to those around us and end up giving into the temptations that we weren’t detirmined to get rid of.

Well, I hope that this hasn’t been too confusing. Sometimes I just get going and it totally makes sense to me, but everyone else is so lost. These verses helped me a lot & I hope that they will help you too.

Stay Strong!

-h