People of the World where are you going? Turn back to God! Back to your faithful principles!
ISRAEL’S UNFAITHFULNESS
Israel’s Unfaithfulness. Then the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and worshiped and served the Baals,
and they abandoned the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods from the gods of the peoples who were around them, and they bowed down to them, and offended and provoked the LORD to anger.
FLAGGING IN THEIR GREAT TASK
Flagging in their great task. But [the tribe of] Manasseh did not take possession 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; so the Canaanites remained in that land.
THE CONTINUING CONQUEST OF CANAAN
The Continuing Conquest of Canaan. Now it came about after the death of Joshua, that the sons (descendants) of Israel (Jacob) asked the LORD, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?”
And the LORD said, “Judah shall go up [first]; behold, I have given the land into his hand
THE BIBLE BOOK OF JUDGES
This is a history of the chosen people during the 400 or 450 years which intervened between the death of Joshua and the time of Eli, Act_13:20. It is not a connected history, but a collection of outstanding incidents, which determined the fortunes of the chosen people, and gave special illustrations of the power of faith in God. The chief lesson of the book is the intimate connection between loyalty or disloyalty to God and the corresponding results in well-being or misery. This is distinctly stated in Jdg_2:11-23.
CHOOSE WHOM YOU WILL SERVE
Choose whom you will serve “Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and in truth; remove the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the [Euphrates] River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.
THE COVENANT RENEWAL AT SHECHEM
Choose Whom You Will Serve. If it is unacceptable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you live; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
JOSHUA’S CHARGE TO ISRAEL’S LEADERS
Joshua’s Charge to Israel’s Leaders. And you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake; for the LORD your God is He who has been fighting for you. Jos 23:3
THE ALTAR OF WITNESS
The Altar of witness. The report pleased the sons of Israel, and the sons of Israel blessed God; and they said no more about going to battle against them to destroy the land in which the sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad were living.
THE EASTERN TRIBES RETURN HOME
The Eastern Tribes Return Home. And now the LORD your God has given rest to your brothers, as He has promised them; so turn now and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the [east side of the] Jordan.
CITIES AND PASTURLANDS ALLOTTED TO LEVI
Cities and Pasturelands Allotted to Levi. Then the heads of the households of the Levites came to Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the households of the tribes of the sons of Israel.
They spoke to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us cities to live in, with their pasture lands for our cattle.”
So the sons of Israel gave the Levites from their inheritance these [forty-eight] cities and their pasture lands, in accordance with the command of the LORD.