Our Forsaking Fathers

And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim: And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger. And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.
(Judges 2:11-15)

I wonder how many parents look to these verses for a sense of guiltlessness when their children rebel? Though it breaks their heart they still search for comfort. We all would. After all, God did say it would come to pass did he not? On the other hand, how often does the parent place him or herself in the position of these children of Israel? Is it not due to the falters of their fathers that these children fell away? Now, so many articles, sermons, and books have been and will continue to be written on all the different areas of child rebellion but this little work will address what is really being told here, of a collective falling away, and not wrest an undue sermon.

First of all this is not a child rebelling against his fathers’ authority or commands outside of religious matters. In fact, these are all grown men and the priests were still present. Secondly this isn’t noted as a quick change or falling away. This rebellion is gradual. The fathers themselves began to fall away, leading their sons along with them. Obviously I’m not talking of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, or Joshua though they had their faults because they were men. Through the generation change the parents that followed these men rebelled and their children further after them. Verse ten says that there arose a generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor the works he had done for Israel. How else could sons be so ignorant else their fathers neglected them the truth?

Now to my concern: Many claim the church is in need, yet again, of reform and indeed it is. Tell me how it is that the church needs reforming if our Christian fathers, elders, and pastors had not neglected to teach sound doctrine. Christians of years past have forsaken God and have looked among themselves for means of a quicker conversion, of a more self pleasing worship, of not holding fast the doctrines of the Bible, and of forming the church into a business rather than a unified body of holy people. We blame individual sin for these collective errors and heresies all day long but the fact is that generations before us have forsaken God and have served the idols of their own imagined god! I am not strictly placing blame upon all the saints before me, yet I am merely identifying a problem that so many overlook. Multitudes of people with good intentions and even a true desire to learn the truth and share the gospel can’t because of their ignorance to the meat of scripture and a misunderstanding of God.

Fret not for there is always light in the Kingdom of God. We don’t rely on the sun or moon to light the spirit but upon God himself. He raised judges to correct his people. He raised King Josiah to reform Israel and say, “Go, enquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD, to do after all that is written in this book.” (2 Chronicles 34:21)

And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries that pertained to the children of Israel, and made all that were present in Israel to serve, even to serve the LORD their God. And all his days they departed not from following the LORD, the God of their fathers.
(2 Chronicles 34:33)

God has raised valiant men of faith to usher God’s sheep into his Kingdom. Never has God’s light diminished and never will it leave us. Aged and young men alike shout the sound truths to the heights of mountains and in unison to the valleys surrounding. I see the chosen men around me fighting by the power of God. Praise God that his wisdom has not departed and that a generation is arising that will follow him. Though an overwhelming crowd of false professors stand before us our overwhelming God will march his truth for all eternity, whether opening their eyes in love or hardening their hearts in justice.

Examine yourselves next to the whole of scripture and let your hearts be crushed before God. Let us not be a generation of evil who serve ourselves with a false god. Consider your own fruit that ye be of the stock of God. And let our children not depart from following God because of our folly. Let us be the generation that takes away all the abominations and makes all that are present in the bride of Christ to serve the Lord our God.

God's Sovereignty

And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.
(Deuteronomy 31:16)

The vain men who think that he should have anything to do against God should be discomforted when they read verses such as these. They desire to be a god unto themselves and to worship as they please and follow as they “decide.” I suppose these people would attempt to wrest this verse out of its context and try without fruit to make the creator of the universe seem hopeless. They may say, “Although he saw that his nation would turn from and dislike him he could do nothing to stop it. He saw that Moses was near death and knew that they would disband without a leader of God, yet he could do nothing.” It is in the verses that follow where we see God’s true power and his ultimate and unchallenged sovereignty!

Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us? And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods. Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.
(Deuteronomy 31:17-19)

God without doubt could have altered these events so that Israel would not play the whore. He did, however, prefer to show forth his magnificence in turning his anger in force against them after they had inhabited the promised land. God was not slack in his covenant with the children of Israel and as such secured for them their inheritance. But afterwards, it was Israel that broke the covenant and, as promised, they had the mighty wrath of God falling upon them. This was no happenstance or ill fortune for when all these ills had befallen the Israelites they knew with certainty that it was because they turned from God. He had chosen to hide his face from them because they had transgressed.

For when I shall have brought them into the land which I sware unto their fathers, that floweth with milk and honey; and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and waxen fat; then will they turn unto other gods, and serve them, and provoke me, and break my covenant. And it shall come to pass, when many evils and troubles are befallen them, that this song shall testify against them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they go about, even now, before I have brought them into the land which I sware.
(Deuteronomy 31:20-21)

God without need, due to the covenant, further proved himself blameless against these sinners by giving them a song as a testament that would glorify him. The children of Israel did sing this song and it testified against them when they broke God’s covenant. God had even provided them a reminder in Joshua who succeeded Moses and led Israel to their inheritance. Consider Joshua’s words…

Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.
(Joshua 23:15-16)

This has no trait of a warning, nor of a plea. God told Moses and Joshua that Israel would transgress and Joshua so trusted God that he told them again before his death. Israel had no cause against God, yet she whored with the false gods forsake the living Creator who fought for them so many years. The skeptic would be inclined to say this never happened; that either God wasn’t powerful enough to perform this, or that Israel had straightened herself up.

And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
(Judges 2:8-11)

And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies. Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.
(Judges 2:14-15)

The Lord is not slack concerning his promises even today. He is with the true church, the actual bride of Christ even this day. Beware that you are in his congregation. Make your calling and election sure that you are of the bride. Death and destruction befall those that do evil against the Lord, and especially to those who put their hands to the plow and turn away. Who shall be responsible when a generation does evil in God’s sight and whores after other gods? According to these passages, the leaders, and specifically parents, are guilty if they do not raise men of the faith…