Judges 2:6-15 The Forgotten God and the Failure to Disciple

Judges 2:6–15 The Forgotten God and the Failure to Disciple

Introduction

When a generation knows the Lord personally—has seen His hand, heard His Word, and walked in His ways—there is stability, identity, and purpose. But when that knowledge fades or fails to be passed down, the results are devastating. The book of Judges doesn’t transition into chaos without explanation. It gives us the reason plainly: there arose a generation who did not know the LORD.

This passage shows us that forgetting God doesn’t happen overnight. It begins subtly, when discipleship is neglected and God’s works are no longer remembered. And before long, idolatry replaces worship, distress replaces peace, and the very hand that once delivered becomes the hand that disciplines.

Background & Context

The previous passage (Judges 2:1–5) recorded the angel of the LORD confronting Israel for their disobedience. They had compromised with the nations they were commanded to remove, and God declared that their failure would lead to thorns, snares, and sorrow. But now, the writer of Judges steps back to explain how Israel ended up in this position of spiritual weakness. The problem wasn’t just military—it was generational.

Israel had known faithful leadership. Joshua and the elders who served with him had seen God’s mighty works firsthand. They had experienced the plagues in Egypt, the parting of the sea, manna in the wilderness, water from the rock, and victory in Canaan. And while they lived, the people served the LORD. But when that generation died, something essential was lost. A new generation arose who did not know the LORD or the works He had done.

This moment is not just historical—it’s instructional. It shows what happens when the knowledge of God isn’t passed on. The problem wasn’t that God had failed to act or speak—it’s that no one made sure the next generation knew what He had done. The covenant, the miracles, the deliverance—all of it was forgotten because the stories weren’t told and the truth wasn’t taught.

The faithfulness of one generation must be transferred to the next. When discipleship is neglected, the result isn’t neutrality—it’s idolatry. And the pattern we begin to see in Judges is not just a failure of obedience, but a failure of memory.

The Effects of Shared Knowledge of the LORD (Judges 2:6–10)

This section answers a pressing question: If Israel is God’s chosen people, how could they fall so quickly into idolatry and rebellion? The answer is not primarily military or political—it’s spiritual and relational. The text shows us that everything hinged on whether the people knew the LORD.

During the lifetime of Joshua and the elders who outlived him, Israel served the LORD. Why? Because that generation knew Him. They had seen His power and experienced His mercy. Their faith wasn’t abstract—it was firsthand. But when that generation died, something essential was lost. Verse 10 reveals the turning point: “There arose another generation… who did not know the LORD or the work that He had done for Israel.”

It’s not clear whether this new generation rejected what they had been taught or whether they were never taught at all. But either way, the result was the same: they did not know the LORD. And that absence of knowledge paved the way for everything that followed.

This is why discipleship matters so much. The health of the next generation depends on whether this one teaches them. Discipleship isn’t optional—it’s essential. Jesus made that clear when He gave His followers the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20). Paul reaffirmed it when he told Timothy to pass on the truth to faithful men who would teach others (2 Timothy 2:1–2). And Paul made it even plainer in Romans 10: “How are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard?”

The local church is not just a gathering of believers—it’s a training ground for future generations. It is the place God has chosen for the truth of salvation to be preserved and proclaimed. What was passed to us must be passed on again. Every gospel conversation, every Sunday school lesson, every parent teaching their child about Christ is part of that sacred chain.

When that chain breaks, what follows is not just ignorance—it is rebellion.

The Results of No Knowledge of the LORD (Judges 2:11–13)

Once the knowledge of God was lost, it didn’t take long for something else to take His place. The people of Israel did not become neutral or spiritually blank—they became idolaters. They did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and began to serve the Baals and Ashtaroth, the gods of the surrounding nations.

This wasn’t just a cultural shift—it was a spiritual collapse. The God who brought them out of Egypt, who split the sea, fed them in the wilderness, and gave them a homeland, was abandoned. They bowed instead to gods made by human hands. The generation that once walked with the living God was now giving themselves to images of fertility, violence, and deception.

Scripture is clear about what happens when people reject the truth. Romans 1 explains that when people stop honoring God, their thinking becomes futile, and their hearts are darkened. They exchange the truth for a lie and end up worshiping created things rather than the Creator (Romans 1:21–25). Psalm 115 says that idols are deaf, blind, and powerless—and that those who worship them become like them (Psalm 115:2–8).

And this pattern isn’t limited to Israel. Revelation 9 shows that even after judgment, humanity continues to cling to idols. And Genesis 3 reminds us that this deception started in Eden—when something desirable to the eyes became more important than obedience to God.

We may not bow down to statues today, but that doesn’t mean we’re free from idolatry. As one old definition puts it: an idol is anything “on which we set our affections,” anything we love excessively or attach ourselves to sinfully. That could be comfort, success, relationships, or even our own understanding. If it replaces the LORD in our hearts, it provokes Him to anger—and invites judgment.

The Response from the LORD (Judges 2:14–15)

God is not indifferent to being abandoned. The LORD had entered into a covenant with Israel, and when they broke it, He responded with righteous judgment. Verse 14 says His anger was kindled. The protection that once covered Israel was removed. The people were handed over to their enemies, unable to stand, and found themselves in “terrible distress.”

This was not just a change in fortune. It was the active discipline of the LORD. Whenever they went out, “the hand of the LORD was against them for harm.” These words are hard to hear. They may feel foreign to those who only picture God as gentle or passive. But here we are reminded: God is holy, and His love is not soft—it is faithful, even when it wounds. Israel was experiencing the just consequence of violating their covenant.

But we must also remember: Israel’s relationship with God at this point was based on the Mosaic covenant, which was law-based and performance-driven. It had blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. Their failure to uphold the covenant placed them under the weight of God’s justice, as He had warned.

As New Covenant believers, we stand in a different place. For those who are in Christ, the wrath of God has already been satisfied. We are not under the law but under grace. This means that when hardship comes, it is not condemnation—it is correction. God disciplines His children in love to produce holiness and fruit (Hebrews 12:3–17). He prunes, not to destroy, but to make us more fruitful (John 15:1–5).

Still, this passage serves as a warning. God does not ignore rebellion forever. His patience is great, but it is not permission. If we reject His Word, chase after idols, and ignore His presence, we may find ourselves in distress—not because God has changed, but because we have departed from Him.

The judgment of Israel was severe—but it was not final. God’s goal was not annihilation—it was repentance. He gave them over so they might turn back. And He does the same for us. His discipline is a mercy that reminds us we are not abandoned. We are sons and daughters, called back to obedience by a Father who will not let us go.

Christ-Centered Reflection

This passage shows us what happens when the knowledge of God is lost—when discipleship fails, when sin is entertained, and when the human heart chases after other gods. It is a sobering picture of judgment. But it also prepares us to understand the beauty of what Christ has done.

Israel’s relationship with God in this chapter was based on the law. And under the law, there is no room for partial obedience. The law exposes sin and demands perfection. That’s why the Mosaic covenant, though righteous, was never meant to be the final word. It was a tutor, pointing to the need for a better covenant—one built on grace, not performance.

Jesus came as the fulfillment of everything Israel could not be. He obeyed where they rebelled. He remembered where they forgot. He honored the Father perfectly, even when tempted in every way as we are. He knew the LORD fully—and made Him known to us.

Where Israel provoked God to anger, Jesus satisfied God’s wrath on our behalf. He took the judgment we deserved. And because of Him, the hand of the LORD is no longer against us, but with us—guiding, pruning, and strengthening us as children, not enemies.

This passage also calls us to see Christ as the true source of knowledge and life. Discipleship is not just a program or a task—it is the call to walk with Jesus and help others do the same. The failure of Israel reminds us what’s at stake when we remain silent, disengaged, or distracted. But the gospel reminds us what’s possible when we walk in faithfulness.

We are not saved by knowing facts—we are saved by knowing a person. And our mission now is to make Him known.

Contemplation

• Am I intentionally passing on the knowledge of Christ to the next generation—or assuming someone else will do it?
• Do I treat discipleship as essential or optional in my walk with Christ?
• In what areas of my life have I settled for knowing about God rather than knowing Him personally?
• Are there idols—visible or hidden—that I have allowed to remain in my life?
• Have I confused God’s patience with permission to continue in sin?
• When hardship comes, do I view it as punishment, or do I trust that God may be pruning me for greater fruitfulness?
• How can I actively participate in the life of the local church to promote gospel clarity and generational faithfulness?

Conclusion

Judges 2:6–15 shows us a clear pattern: when the knowledge of God is not passed down, the people forget who He is, abandon what He has done, and turn to what is false. And in that forgetting, they invite distress—not just from their circumstances, but from the hand of the LORD Himself.

But this is not just Israel’s story—it’s a warning for every generation. Faith is never inherited automatically. It must be taught, shared, lived out, and passed on. The church has been entrusted with the gospel, not only to guard it, but to give it. When discipleship is neglected, compromise is close behind.

Still, the grace of God shines through the judgment. His discipline is not rejection—it’s an invitation to return. He is not silent. He speaks. He corrects. He calls us back through Christ, who secured a better covenant—one rooted in grace, sealed in blood, and available to all who believe.

Let us not assume the next generation will know the Lord. Let us make Him known. Let us disciple, teach, proclaim, and endure—so that those who come after us will not serve Baals, but bow before Jesus.

Scripture References

• Matthew 28:18–20 – Jesus commissions His disciples to make more disciples, teaching them to observe all He commanded.
• 2 Timothy 2:1–2 – Paul urges Timothy to pass the gospel on to faithful men who will teach others.
• Romans 10:10–17 – Faith comes through hearing the Word of Christ; evangelism is necessary for salvation.
• Exodus 32:1–6 – Israel makes a golden calf and commits idolatry when Moses delays; forgetting God leads to false worship.
• 2 Kings 22:8–13 – The rediscovery of the Book of the Law under Josiah brings conviction and reform.
• Romans 1:21–25 – Rejecting God leads to darkened hearts and the worship of created things.
• Psalm 115:2–8 – Idols are powerless, and those who worship them become like them.
• Revelation 9:20–21 – Even after judgment, many refuse to turn from idolatry and wickedness.
• Genesis 3:6–7 – The fall of humanity began with desire overriding obedience to God.
• Hebrews 12:3–17 – The Lord disciplines those He loves, shaping His children through trials.
• John 15:1–5 – Jesus is the vine, and God prunes fruitful branches to produce even more fruit.