[Pastor Ralph]

Q1. (Judges 6:7-10) According to the prophet, what is the reason for Israel's oppressed state? What commandment did they break? In what way hadn't they "listened"? In what way does this same sin affect Christians today?

[Barbara Momphard]

They disobeyed God and worshipped the gods of the Amorites. You shall only have and serve only one God. We can worship many things—whatever we put before God…be it family, money, fame, pride, etc.

[Omie]

The Israelites broke the 2nd Commandment of the Ten Commandments - "Thou shall have no other gods before me." Yet at every opportunity they did just that.

God expects us to put Him first in our lives. Not to worship anything but Him, this includes much in our present world, ie: money, fame, the good life, television, etc...

I too often do not put Him first, it is a mind set I am working on.

[Geoff B]

The Israelites hadn't listened to God's instructions. The particular instruction was a warning not to do what the people around them did, and worship false gods.

I don't think the Israelites deliberately abandoned God, they probably just drifted away from him. God gave them this instruction to act like a boundary, something they knew they shouldn't cross. But it was no use to them if they'd forgotten it, or if they heard it but didn't measure themselves against it; it could only help them if they listened.

I think this passage makes me see why it is important not just to listen with our ears, but also to apply God's word to our lives.

[Chris]

The reason for Israel's oppressed state was of their own doing and the fact that they had been worshipping other God's and it is clearly stated in the commandments that they should not worship any other God. They had blatently ignored God and gone against His will.

Today it may not be so much other god's that we may worship for instance some can put more emphasis on supporting a particular football team, others can think more of money and the list goes on. These things may not be god's but if we look upon these things as more important than God then it is no different to what the Israelites were doing and we are as guilty as they are.

Most importantly we have to learn not to put so much emphasis into earthly things and to concentrate on our spiritual journey and look forward to the day when Christ will come again and to the promise of eternal life.

[gail m]

They disobeyed and worshipped other "Gods"....they didn't trust in God..

We need to put God first no matter what, Bad or Good..remember who to lean on and who to thank...

[gripofhisgrace]

They worshipped other gods and forgot the King of Kings. Much like we can worship work, power, money, status and time, the Israelites worshipped false gods.

When they worshipped false gods, they tune out the one true God.

As we get wrapped up in the activity of our day to day lives, it is easy to forget God. We like to compartmentalize everything - even God. "Oh, worship, that goes in the Sunday drawer". One hour late it goes back in the drawer and out comes the"football drawer"

We need to focus on God everyday and put Him first and all else will fall into place. Easier said than done.

susan

[Peter Huang]

The reason for Israel's oppressed state is that she had disobeyed God's commandment by worshipping the Gods of the Amorites. They broke God's second commandment to worship only Him and not any other Gods. Christians today are in danger of doing the same thing by worshipping other things besides God such as material success money etc.

[Johnson]

Israelites worshiped the gods of Amorites. Thus they broke the second commandment. "Though shall have no other gods before me ". The prophet pointed out this to the Israleites but they didn't care.

[Kats]

The reason for the Israelites present state was that they worshipped the gods of the Amorites. What happened was they broke the second commandment handed down from Moses, "I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have no other gods before me." This is the commandment they didn't listen to.... or had at least forgotten.

Kats

[Peggie]

The Israelites broke the commandment "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me". The history of their people should have already taught them what happens when they failed to worship God alone, but like many of us, they were very stubborn......continuing to stray and doing things their own way.

[Anita Fetzer]

They disobeyed Gods voice. They broke the commandment Thy shalt have no other Gods before me.

[Don Woodhull]

2. It was because of their pride and idolatry, and that they did not listen to God nor His Word to them through the Lord's prophets He had given them. They broke the first two commandments: "You shall have no other gods before Me" and "You shall not make for yourself a carved image…." (Ex. 20:3, 4) and others as well in their everyday lives with living in so-called "self-sufficiency" and without the Lord's help. This is how they haven't listened to the Lord since they haven't listened nor obeyed His Word when things were going all right for them, but when they were oppressed they then cried out to the Lord to help and save them.

[Christopher Smith]

The Israelites worshiped other gods, rather than Jehovah. Today, we place other things at the center of our lives. I especially like what Geoff B said:

Quote

I don't think the Israelites deliberately abandoned God, they probably just drifted away from him.

It doesn't take much to drift away from God. It is so easy to miss a day of quiet time with God, two days can easily come together, and then you have a pattern forming! Pretty soon, it's been a week, or two, or... since you've spent time with God, until your mouth betrays the state of your heart. Then you realize you'd better resume your quiet times!

To keep God on the throne of my life requires that each time something tries to unseat Him, I must push that aside and reinforce His position. As Susan said, "Easier said than done." Because, as Geoff B pointed out, we have to remember to keep applying what we know. Amidst the world's distractions that's not easy.

[Hobie]

How soon we forget to love the lord with all you heart and mind and, to love each other as Christ loves us. Throughout the OT we read of the fleeting memory of the Jews. This passage is just one more example. But are we any different? Do we really put him first? Are all our trials the result of not doing this? I think not. In fact, some of our trials (ie. persecution) are the result of putting Christ first.

But what I can say since I have become a Christian, is that the trials (when they come, and they will) are much more bearable with him in control. Often this is because (a) I can see his hand and, ( I can see the solution around the corner.

Right now I am going through a lenthy separation from my family because I am in Afghanistan. And while it is not easy, I can say it would be expontentially more difficult w/o him in our lives (from the 3 year old on up).

[Rhonda]

They did not listen to God. They broke Thou Shalt have no other gods before Me. They worshipped the gods of the Amorites. We worship the gods of this time whether it be cults without God or whether it be famous people, possesions, money, jobs, etc. It doesn't take a lot sometimes for us to take our eyes off Him and put them on the worldly things.

[Diana Erbskorn]

2. They worshiped other gods, the gods of the Amorites. They broke the 2nd commandment. God of their fathers is not first in their lives, they have not forgotten him but put him on the back burner and replaced him with other gods, another country's god.
We are doing the same today, replacing God with the love of money, success, society, materialism, sports. What do we put first in our daily lives? God or our passion?
I find myself falling short each day being caught up in business. I tell myself I will set aside my quiet time in a few minutes when I get my laundry done, when I finish the dishes, after I send a letter to my friend, when I get off the phone, after the game tonight, or just before I go to bed.... the next thing I know I am so tired I have no time for God and the lights are turned off.... What kind of a relationship is that? I am no different than the Israelites who have rejected God and turned their backs on him for other things, other gods. A relationship with God on a daily basis takes work, takes time, and it takes a committment.... God forgive me.

[Helen Spaulding]

2. The Israelites had disobeyed God and worshipped Baal and other gods and godesses.
They broke the 2nd commandment--do not worship idols. Obviously, then, they had not listened when God commanded their obedience to His laws. Today, we do the same. Many make positon, or power, or money their god, and worship them--spending all their time and effort to get them--no time spent studying God's word to know what He requires of us. Most, if they think of Him at all, consider Him a "sugar daddy" who is there just to give us what we want, and requires nothing of us. We are positioning ourselves to be disciplined just as He did in the Old Testament times.
Helen

[nelda huffman]

Isrealites broke the 2nd commandment, they prayed to other Gods. God sent them a prophet, that told them what the Lord said, " that he brought them out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He brought them out from the power of Egypt and drove out their enemies and gave the Isrealites their land. But they did not listen to God. It seems to me that a lot of people today are doing the same thing, not listening to God or heeding the armor (Bible) of God. We have let them take prayer out of schools and God out of the pledge and national anthem. We have forgotten our country was built on God.

" In God We Trust "

[Darleen Nelson]

They had stopped listening to God. You can not turn your back on God, ignore Him and expect to receive His blessings. They had put other Gods before Him and worshipped the gods of the Amorites. We often put other things before God: family, job, entertainment, etc. They may be good things but our first loyalty must be to God.