We are always a generation away from total abandonment of God's ways. The twenty first century is no different than the time of the judges in this regard.
Judges 2:10
And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the world that he had done for Israel.
Joshua and his generation saw all the Lord did. To free the Israelites from Egypt, sustain them in the wilderness, and defeat their enemies. They knew the Lord although they did allow a root of rebellion to creep in. The next generation compromised the Lord's commands therefore did not receive his promises.
I look out at the landscape of our country now and sigh. All I see is division. Not much peace. I see little cooperation among our leaders. How are our children to learn how to work together if all they see are angry mobs clashing against each other? They wont. They will follow the patterns they see. The only way they will change is if they see a different example and are taught a different way. Divisiveness only breeds more of itself.
The people of Israel began the descent away from the Lord during Joshua's generation. By the time their children were grown rebellion had fully taken root.
The beautiful part of this story is the fact that the Lord did not forget his promise to his servants Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and Joshua. Though God's people would suffer oppression God would not release them to oblivion. He would fulfill his promises to his people. He would send his son, Jesus Christ, to save his people from their sin and rebellion.
This is the hope of every culture. This is the answer to every wrong.
Taken from reading Judges 1-5
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