In Judges, after Joshua’s death, the Israelites had a mixed time of their conquest. Some people they could conquer and/ or drive out, but others they did not (Judges 1:27, 28, 32, 33). Some, when they got the upper hand, they turned into forced labor (Judges 1:30, 33, 35). This was not what God had commanded. They did not follow-through. God had told them to be rid of the Canaanites, so they would not be exposed to the gods and cultural practices of those people. Those people did not worship God, they worshiped demons and sacrificed to them. Those people did not worship God, they worshiped idols that they had crafted out of wood, metal or stone. Either demons or man-made gods are not to be worshiped. 

Exodus 20:3-5 New King James Version (NKJV)

3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

And here “hate” means “prefer less” or to not put first. Love puts someone or something first.

What would happen if they loved God?

6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Following and obeying God has multigenerational blessings in store. That’s the power of a Godly life.

So, when the Israelites chose to keep the conquered around, even as forced labor, they violated God’s intent. They were still rubbing elbows and rubbing off on the Israelites. The Hebrews were in a formative time and God wanted to establish a strong culture and reflexive worship of Him without distraction or contamination. God rebuked them.

In Judges 2:1-5 God sent an Angel to reprimand them.

2 And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this? 3 Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’ ” 

They got thorns in their sides and the snares of the wicked trapped them.

God makes a way to get back in His good graces, to turn on the spigot of Godly living and good relationship with Him. Say you are sorry and mean it. Repent, turn away from sin and snare, away from the worship of other things, and turn back to God. Line up with Him. Align with Him and your road will be blessed by His approval and blessing. Not that there won’t be challenges, but you will be seeking God in them and uniting yourself with His will, His plans, His resources to make it through. Living a godly life is a blessing to our children unto many generations. It has set America up for many generations, hundreds of years of blessing. But we are fading in our devotion to God, beind distracted away from making disciples. We need to come back to God, to humble ourselves and pray. Then God will restore our land and give us victory over our enemies. Enemies of sin, distraction, disease and others. He gives eternal life if you will reach out to Him in surrender and ask for forgiveness and that He be lord of your life. Won’t you as Him today? Won’t you repent and seek out the Way, the Truth and the Light? He’s waiting for you with open, welcoming, healing arms.

Father God Loves you! Bless God!