The Art of Forgetting
All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel. Judges 2:10 NASB
Did not know – How long does it take to forget God? This verse might suggest that a single generation passed before the children of Israel no longer knew the character or works of YHVH. But Barry Webb’s commentary on this verse suggests that this conclusion is unlikely. Why? Two reasons. First, generations overlap. Since no people after Joshua would have actually experienced the exodus events, the text cannot be condemning Israel for not being there. Second, it might be that the parents of the days of Joshua failed to instruct their children about the character and works of YHVH, but this too seems quite unlikely. After all, the parents are the generation that was given specific instructions by Moses regarding the teaching of children. Webb is probably correct when he says, “their ‘not knowing’ was a choice caused much more by the enticements of Canaanite culture and their own willingness than by any failure of their parents.”[1] In other words, they forgot because they wanted to.
The book of Judges is a sad and tragic story of the collapse of Israelite society. Pitched back and forth from oppression to rescue, inevitably slipping further and further away from the path God outlined, and concluding in atrocious violence toward each other, the history of Israel during the period of the judges is a long journey back to Egypt, except now Pharaoh is the people of Israel putting each other’s lives at risk. How did all this occur in such a short time (more than one generation, however)? The biblical answer is also two-fold. First, the people allowed the presence of polytheism in a land that God wanted to clean. Second, more than allowing, the people did more than allow; they accommodated the cultures of God’s enemies. In other words, they took on characteristics of the culture God told them to avoid. As a result, they slowly slipped from a nation with God at its head to a society where every man did whatever he wanted. They went from spiritual awareness to moral collapse.
But all along the way, they thought they were doing what was necessary. It was necessary to let the Canaanites remain in the land because the military force of Israel wasn’t strong enough to get them all out. It was necessary to make trade agreements with the other groups of people in the land because business is business. It was necessary to enslave those who were defeated (rather than kill them) because someone has to do the work. It was necessary to be tolerant toward idolatry, and even embrace it (sometimes) because you never knew when you might need some divine help. It was necessary to intermarry and adopt foreign ways because the women were desirable. I’m sure you can supply a few more “necessary” reasons. But the end was chaos, destruction, fratricide and judgment. History repeats itself, but that doesn’t mean we learn anything from it.
Topical Index: did not know, Judges 2:10
[1] Barry G. Webb, The Book of Judges, NICOT, p. 139.
History repeats itself UNTIL we learn from it.
We live in the repetition; Israel today, Temple Mount.
“In other words, they forgot because they wanted to.”
Oh how guilty I am of selective memory regarding YHVH and His commands. So quick to remember his promises yet so slow to recall the covenant those promises are wrapped in.
SO IT SEEMS IT’S A SIMPLE YET STILL BAFFLING EXPLANATION.
How DID (does) there arIse “another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel”? It DOES appear that the SIMPLE YET BAFFLING REASON for a whole generation to “forget” is explained by YHWH, Himself through the emissary Shaul at the end of this passage, :
“For ‘Everyone who calls upon the name of Adonai shall be saved.’ How then shall they call on the One in whom they have not trusted? And how shall they trust in the One they have not heard of? And how shall they hear without someone proclaiming? And how shall they proclaim unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who proclaim good news of good things!’ BUT NOT ALL HEEDED THE GOOD NEWS. For Isaiah says, ‘Adonai, who has believed our report?’ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Messiah. BUT I SAY, HAVE THEY NEVER HEARD? Indeed they have, for ‘Their voice has gone out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.’ But I say, DID ISRAEL NOT UNDERSTAND? First Moses says, ‘I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation, with a nation empty of understanding I will vex you.’ And Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I was found by those who did not seek Me; I became visible to those who did not ask for Me.” But about Israel He says, ‘All day long I stretched forth My hands to a DISOBEDIENT AND CONTRARY PEOPLE.’” [Rom 10:13-21]
I would also say that there may be additional explanations, and here I suggest another:
People MISTAKE HIS KINDNESS FOR WEAKNESS.
“Or do you PRESUME ON THE RICHES OF HIS KINDNESS AND FORBEARANCE AND PATIENCE, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But BECAUSE OF YOUR HARD AND IMPENITENT HEART you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. ” [Rom 2:4-5]
Seems like history is repeating again in this time and in this country. Sad and scary. I have to remember constantly to stay true to the one true God.
If Biblical “knowledge” is experience, and experience means connection with, then “knowing” was about love (which for us is obedience). “Knowing” the world then means NOT being connected to God, for the Bible says that we cannot love both at the same time. To know the world (the Bible calls it “OF the world”) means to be in agreement with it. The Children assimilated the surrounding culture when they were supposed to be in violent opposition to it. The litmus test for us today is the same. Are we indistinquishable from the surrounding culture, or do we stick out like a painful thumb, reminding all around us what is SUPPOSED to be?
I am quite sure that the Children had cognitive knowledge OF God, but where in the Bible does “knowing” mean that? We have cognitive knowledge of Him today, too, but that does not mean Biblical “knowledge” either.
Matt. 7:22 “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never KNEW you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. ”
I am quite sure that in that great Judgment Day God still retains cognitive knowledge of all of us (including the wicked), too, but, then, Biblical “knowledge” is about something else entirely.
This was also like the ‘Dark Ages’. It looks familiar today, the plagues are just different but people are unaware of them. I still think raising children in the ways of the Lord has a lot to do with it. The work I do started with children. We have gone multiple generations in this country of people who do not know God. Where I live, there’s a church on every corner but some are unfilled, unused or lifeless. Being in the inner-city, many people don’t want to deal with the issues that go on and what it takes to see transformation – which we know the Lord has a ‘long nose’, and since there’s not ‘instant results’ as I say ‘drive-through breakthroughs,’ many quit. Research shows that what a child learns by the time they are 13 is like cement. So, whatever is the theology for living is what they will believe for life if they haven’t had a Holy Spirit breakthrough. What will happen when everyone who is 50 plus who grew up around God in this country passes away. I can tell you, I come across people every day and live in the city where people have “no fear of God.” What will our country look like in 10 – 20 years?
History repeats itself because human nature has basically never changed. Living standards change but our relationships to our fellow man have remained the same through out recorded history. We accommodate our neighbors not because of their religion but because of our shared concerns surrounding the problems and joys of daily living in the community. Survival and success in the community seems more important to us than being role models for our religious persuasion.
Hello everyone these articles to bring to current situations the truth about the loss of salvation yet scripture reminds us in the parable of the sower and the different grounds it was put into but the fact remains the truth is the cares of this world choke off the seed. The most powerful connection we have for extending belief to the Next Generation is prayer when prayer is answered people watch the effective prayer of the righteous accomplish much. Our family is now raising the fifth generation of believers and it’s credited to close relationships and the acknowledgement of Prayer and blessings… hope this is helpful to someone thanks shalom.
Thanks, Skip. Great article providing also a hint on what is happening in today’s global society. “It was necessary to be tolerant” – a trend we are experiencing in our environment of cultural warfare. “But the end was chaos, destruction, fratricide and judgment” – an increasing consequential fright that seems to breed emotional hopelessness. “History repeats itself, but that doesn’t mean we learn anything from it” – a long lost training path in today’s early education and our robotic multiple choice public education system. Or, many will simply choose to forget “because they wanted to” and embark on a path of violating nature’s laws and entertain perversions of many sorts with an egotistical mindset. As many are witnessing these trends, “followers” are intimidated and marginalized to remain silent. And behold, Sodom and Gomorrah reappears, and what are we going to do then? May we humble and petition to our Creator for His Mercy.
Skip, why do you think that Joshua did not raise a successor/apprentice as Moses did he?
Something happened in the culture when they began to accommodate God’s enemies. It changed the direction of the entire people, and Joshua actually started it, even if he was deceived into doing so.
What’s amazing is how he (Joshua) sat in the tent with Moses. I guess that gives us some peace when we look at how we can spend rich time with God and then miss the mark in another area of our life. Thank you Lord for putting people in Your Word that missed the mark a lot!