A Generation That Did Not Know the Lord

Judges 2:8-12; 1:12-15
We begin today with two short texts from St. Paul and then two short texts from the introduction of Judges. The main idea is the big paragraph (2.8-12) that sets up the whole series of unfortunate events.

The difficulties begin when the Israelites (especially the tribe of Judah!) make a good start at driving out the Canaanites (as God had commanded) but then one tribe after the other…they tire. They come to believe that the Canaanites and their gods are NOT so different from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Maybe a mixture/synthesis is possible. Thus the repeated refrain "but the sons of Israel did not drive out the inhabitants of the Land."

Today I want to consider:

1. Holy War? (What do we make of this apparent call to genocide?)
2. Means Matters Most
3. Tenderness In the Turmoil (or Grace Incognito)