Judges 1-3: Evil Practices and Stubborn Ways

Whenever the LORD raised up a judge for them, he was with the judge and saved them out of the hands of their enemies as long as the judge lived; for the LORD had compassion on them as they groaned under those who oppressed and afflicted them. But when the judge died, the people returned to ways even more corrupt than those of their fathers, following other gods and serving and worshiping them. They refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways. - Judges 2:18-19 NIV
This sounds so familiar.  As long as we have godly rulers, we follow a godly life, but the minute we lose that godly ruler-ship, we revert back to the old, sinful, pagan, ways.  The gospel changes people and circumstances.  Look at the world around us.  The revival going on in Africa outstrips any work of the gospel in a so called 'Christian' nation like the United States.  It has been a long time coming and will take time for the effects to take place, but nations that were once considered primitive will become civilized and prosperous, while those that reject God will become more and more barbaric and uncivilized.  If you think that is not possible, look at us.  Just how civilized are we any more.  Civilized discourse?  That's a thing of the past.  Barbaric?  Look at how even the most educated of us decorate our bodies with tattoos and piercings and run around more than half naked.  The Ubangi's of fifty years ago have nothing on us.  Our art, our music, pales in comparison with the great artists and composers of the past.  As for acknowledgement of God, that is almost non-existent.  We can only pray that God is at this very moment raising up holy judges that will lead us out of this morass.

2010 Post - Judges 1-3:  You've Got To Serve Somebody