"SHARING HOPE THROUGH SCRIPTURE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE KNOWING THE LORD PERSONALLY"
Judges 2:10 When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel.
Judges 2:11 Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals;
Judges 2:12 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.
Judges 2:13 They forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.
Some explanatory thoughts/application and a prayer:
These verses underscore the importance of knowing the Lord personally. It's one thing for your parents to know the Lord, but quite another for the children to know the Lord. It's so important that the knowledge of the Lord is passed down to our children, so that they might come into a personal knowledge of God. The blessings of that are great, and so are the consequences in the lives of those who do not know the Lord,
1. A generation arose that did not know the LORD, nor the work which He had done for Israel.
Judges 2:10 When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel.
The generation before the one spoken of here, had two things in their lives. They knew the LORD, and they knew the work which He had done for His people. Their children however lacked both of these things. And, the consequences were tragic.
2. The generation that followed, did evil in the sight of the Lord. How different they were from their parents.
And, what made the difference? They did not know the Lord nor His work. They were without God. They did not share in what their parents had known. They simply did not know the Lord. Please notice what happened to them.
Judges 2:11 Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals;
3. The lack of not knowing the Lord, as mentioned led to destructive behavior. Please notice what is said in the verses below.
Judges 2:12 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.
Judges 2:13 They forsook the LORD and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.
They forsook the LORD, and they followed other gods, and they bowed down to them, and they provoked the LORD to anger.
4. Some applicational thoughts.
(1) Knowing the Lord is not something that just happens. A person must come into a personal relationship with God. Perhaps Your parents knew the Lord, but do You? How about Your children? You may know the Lord, but do they?
(2) The blessings of knowing the Lord, and walking in an active and committed relationship with Him, is that He keeps us from evil and brings blessings into our lives. Not so, with those who do not know Him. They are without the wonderful grace and power of God. It's such a tragedy to see people perishing, and suffering, and all because they were without that personal relationship with God.
(3) Rather than abandoning God and chasing after other gods, we as Children of God, can draw close to God, and say no to the gods of this world. What a joy to be set free in Jesus Christ.
(4) God desires to bring His blessings into your life. He wants You to have the abundant life that He has promised. And, that is found as we abide in Him, and abide in His Word.
(5) God also wants us who know Him, to pass that knowledge on to others. We have a commission from the Lord to make disciples and be a light to those in darkness.
A prayer:
Father, Your Word lays it out plain and simple. You are the one that makes the difference in our lives. And, without You we are left to our own ways. We need You to keep us from evil. We desire to draw close to You, and we know that if we do, You will draw close to us. Please help us to keep You first, and to live with a sense of mission in this world. To know You, and to make You known. In Jesus name, amen
Pastor Bob Grenier
Calvary Chapel Visalia
