There Arose Another Generation Who Did Not Know the Lord | From Victory to Defeat

Judges 2:10 says, "There arose another generation who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel." This is why the nation of Israel went from victories to defeats. The historical books of the Bible read almost like one book, with each book serving as a chapter of a larger book covering the history of the nation of Israel. But between Joshua and Judges the change is so sharp it could almost seem like we missed something: Joshua is largely a book of victories. Judges is largely a book of defeats. Keeping in mind from 1 Corinthians 10 and Romans 15 that we are supposed to learn from the Old Testament, when we see something this dramatic take place, we should ask why it happened. We are given the answer in Judges 2:7-12. https://youtu.be/rx51zNfVXNQ Judges 2:10 says, "There arose another generation who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel." This is why Israel went from victory is in the book of Joshua to defeat in the book of Judges. Table of ContentsSermon Lessons for There Arose Another Generation Who Did not Know the LordFamily Worship Guide for There Arose Another Generation Who Did not Know the LordSermon Notes for There Arose Another Generation Who Did not Know the LordLesson one: the Promised Land is a picture of spiritual rest in Christ.Lesson two: Israel moved from victory to defeat because they did not (part one) know the Lord.Lesson two: Israel moved from victory to defeat because they did not (part two) remember what the Lord had done.Lesson two: Israel moved from victory to defeat because they did not (part three) remain holy. Sermon Lessons for There Arose Another Generation Who Did not Know the Lord Lesson one: the Promised Land is a picture of __________________ ________ in Christ (Hebrews 3-4, Joshua 13:1, 21:44, 22:4, Matthew 11:28-29). Lesson two: Israel moved from victory to defeat because they did not: (part one) know ______ ________Judges 2:10a, Jeremiah 9:23-24). (part two) remember what the Lord ______ ________ (Judges 2:10b). (part three) ____________ ________ (Judges 2:1-2 cf. Judges 1:28-35, 1 John 2:15-16). Family Worship Guide for There Arose Another Generation Who Did not Know the Lord Directions: Read the verses and then answer the following questions: Day one: 1 Corinthians 10:6, 11, Romans 15:4, Hebrews 3-4, Joshua 13:1, 21:44, 22:4, Matthew 11:28-29. Why do people have trouble learning from the Old Testament? What can we do when we read the Old Testament to find application from the accounts? How is the Promised Land a picture of our relationships with Christ? Describe the rest the Promised Land offered people of Israel. Describe the rest Christ offers His people. Day two: Judges 2:9-10, Jeremiah 9:23-24. How do the Old Testament historical books read like one book? What two books have a sharp change between them? Describe the change. What does it mean that the new generation did not know the Lord? What does it mean that the new generation did not remember what the Lord had done? What application does this have for us? In other words, how can we ensure that the generation following us knows the Lord, and remembers the things that He has done? Why don’t churches want to simply preach the Word of God? Day three: Judges 1:28-35, 2:1-2, 1 John 2:15-16. What does the word holy mean? How is Israel to remain holy? How did Israel fail to remain holy? What are some practical ways for us to remain holy? Why didn’t the Israelites drive out all the Canaanites living among them? In other words, why did they want to keep them around? Why don’t we drive out all the sin in our lives? In what ways has the world crept into the church? What can we do to prevent this? Sermon Notes for There Arose Another Generation Who Did not Know the Lord The title of this morning’s sermon is, “From Victory to Defeat.” Go ahead and open your Bibles to Joshua 21 and I will open us in prayer. This morning’s sermon has been on my heart for a while. I started working on it over a year ago, but then everything took place with COVID, and the sermons that accompanied it, such as those on wisdom and knowledge, putting off preaching this. Every few years I share about the vision of our church. The last time was over 7 years ago, January 2014, so we’re probably due. This sermon will help set up those sermons. Let me remind you of some verses that are important to keep in mind when we’re studying the Old Testament: 1 Corinthians 10:6 These things [in the Old Testament] took place as examples for us…11 [and] happened to [Israel] as an example, [and] were written down for our instruction. Romans 15:4 [the Old Testament] was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. So the New Testament says we’re supposed to learn from the Old Testament. I’ve told you before that people will look at the Old Testament and wonder what they are supposed to learn from it. Generally, the difficulty comes from seeing what’s taking place and knowing there is little chance of that happening in our lives. For example: In the books of Kings and Chronicles, kings were forced to defend against enemy nations attacking them and we know we’re not going to have to defend a nation against enemy nations. Or in the books of Joshua and Judges we know we are never going to enter a land that God has given us and be commanded to exterminate the people living there. Generally, we will do well if we look at what is happening physically, and apply it spiritually…much like we do in the Gospels: Jesus healed physical blindness and deafness, but we don’t think He heals every blind and deaf person. We understand He wants to heal our spiritual blindness and deafness, so we can spiritually see and hear. Similarly, we don’t face enemy nations attacking us, but we do face enemies. We can look at how Kings responded to their physical enemies to see how we should respond to our spiritual enemies. If we zoom in on the books of Joshua and Judges, we should understand – based on Hebrews 3 and 4 – that the Promised Land is a picture of the spiritual rest we have in Christ. And this brings us to lesson one… Lesson one: the Promised Land is a picture of spiritual rest in Christ. Let me give you some verses that support this. Look at Joshua 21:44… Joshua 21:44 And the Lord GAVE THEM REST ON EVERY SIDE just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the Lord had given all their enemies into their hands. God gave Israel physical rest. Look one chapter to the right at Joshua 22:4… Joshua 22:4 And now the Lord your God HAS GIVEN REST to your brothers, as he promised them. Therefore turn and go to your tents in the land where your possession lies, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you on the other side of the Jordan. The Promised Land gave the people physical rest and it prefigures, or foreshadows, the spiritual rest that Christ offers us… Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. Briefly look at Joshua 13:1… Joshua 13:1 Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and THERE REMAINS YET VERY MUCH LAND TO POSSESS. If we understand the Promised Land spiritually, then we see how this wonderfully applies to Christ: We receive Christ spiritually the way the nation of Israel received the Promised Land physically. You remember people couldn’t enter the land because of their unbelief, and nobody finds themselves in Christ if they are unbelieving. Although Israel owned all the land, they still had more of it to possess. Similarly, Ephesians 1:3 the Father has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Although we own all these spiritual blessings, we always have more of Christ to possess. In their pursuit they kept encountering enemies that had to be defeated. In our pursuit to possess all of the blessings we have in Christ we keep encountering enemies that must be defeated: The Israelites faced Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites We face the devil, the world, and the flesh Now, let me pause this discussion for a moment, and share something else you… If you get an elevated view of the historical books of the Bible you probably know that with only a few exceptions – such as Ruth and Esther – each book picks up where the previous book left off: Exodus picks up where Genesis left off Leviticus picks up her Exodus left off Numbers picks up where Leviticus left off This allows the historical books to read almost like one book, with each book serving almost as a chapter of a larger book covering the history of the nation of Israel. But between two of the books there’s a change that is so sharp it could almost seem like you missed something. You’re sort of looking at where one book ended and the next one began wondering if there should be some book in between explaining the dramatic change. I’m referring to the books of Joshua and Judges: Joshua is largely a book of victories: with only a few exceptions Israel moves through the land experiencing victory after victory. Judges is the opposite: with only a few exceptions Israel moves from one loss to another…as you probably know the book Judges is a cycle of Israel’s defeats. As much as Joshua is victory, after victory, after victory, Judges is defeat, after defeat, after defeat. Now keeping in mind from 1 Corinthians 10 and Romans 15 that we are supposed to learn from the Old Testament, when we see something this dramatic take place, we should ask why it happened.