No Other Before Me

Judges 2:13 "And they forsook the Lord,and served Baal and Ashtaroth".

 

Before Joshua died, the children of Israel made a covenant with the Lord, but shortly after his death they broke it. They turned to the idols they were suppose to destroy, and gave honor to and requested favors from the multiple Baal-gods of the sun, moon, rain, and harvest. They also worshiped Ashtoreth, the mother goddess of love, war,  and fertility. This worship of the false Canaanite gods included child sacrifice and temple prostitution. This greatly dishonored God, who highly regards children and demands sexual purity from His people.The book of Judges pictures graphically the family ups and downs of Israel. But like Israel, parents of the day sometimes fail to teach their children how God wants His children to Live. We must realize that if we don't teach them how to live for our God, the world will teach them how to live for the gods of the world. Through television, radio, and the social media, they learn the values and moral of this world which go against the word of God.

This causes the younger gerneration to drift towards the modern day Baals of the world, the need of constant entertainment, the pursuit of wealth and obedience to selfish philosophies. The religions of this world much like the Canaanite religion is extremely attractive. The Israelites could worship the fertility gods of the land and satisfy their sexual desires with temple prostitutes. Next to this easy lifestyle, the true God seemed like a harsh task master. The religion of this world makes the way of life desired by the true God harsh and no fun, But God loved us so much instead of asking us to sacrifice our children, He sacrificed His only begotten son, that we might live with Him in eternity. We want the easy way of the worlds religions, but when crisis hits we seem to seek the Lord in droves. The first Sunday after September 11th, churches all across this country was full, but shortly after they begin to be empty once again, as the people once again were blinded by the gods of this world.

The Lord shows mercy when we turn back to him. Turning to Him is the only way that we ourselves can break the cycle of sin that so easily entraps us. When we are drawn away and enticed, we must seek Him to resist temptation. Let us train up our children in the way of the true God, that in that evil day they might be able to stand. Teach them, so they will know rather times are good or bad, they are kept and loved by the one true God always.