ISRAEL DID NOT DRIVE OUT THE PAGANS FROM THE LAND

When Israel settled down in the promised land they did not drive out the pagan peoples who were living among them. For example, Naphali did "not drive out the inhabitants of" the land, and they placed the Israelites into "forced labor" (Judges 1:33). The Amorites then "forced the sons of Dan into the hill country" and did not allow them to enjoy the fruit of the land; would not allow them to come "down to the valley" where they could farm (v. 34).    The Lord reminded Israel that He had brought them out of slavery, out of Egypt (2:1) and that He would never break the covenant that He had made with them. The Jews in turn, were to make no covenants with the pagan and sinful people who were in Canaan (v. 2). "They shall become as thorns to you in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you" (v. 3). What did the Jews do?    When "the Lord spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the Jewish people, then lifted up their voices and wept" (v. 4). Then the people served the Lord. But when that first generation died off, the next generation who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel, did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the pagan gods, the Baals (vv. 7-11).    While all people are equal before the Lord, all cultures are not! The Canaanites were part of the evil cultures that were in the land. They had nothing in common with the Jews. And, the Jews, the new generation, had forgotten all that God had done for the founders of the nation. By allowing the pagans to remain in the land, the Jewish people "were plundered and they could no longer stand before their enemies" (v. 14). In time, the new generation forgot God. "They were groaning because of those who oppressed and afflicted them" (v. 18). "They did not abandon the practices of the evil pagan cultures or their stubborn ways" (v. 19).    Finally, God will cease from driving out the pagans, as with America, who do not know Him. Then God will "no longer drove out before the Jews any of the nations which Joshua left when he died" (v. 21). The pagan cultures remained "in order to test Israel by them" (v. 22).    America is now facing a test! – Dr. Mal Couch (May., 10)