God’s judgment comes when there is persistent sin, multiple warnings have been issued, consequences are starting to be felt, and there’s not repentance. That’s what happened to the people in the land of Canaan. For 400 years they had practiced evil and finally God said enough. At that point he brought Israel out of Egypt to come and displace the peoples of the land of Canaan as their judgment. But he gave warning to Israel: Don’t do what they did or I will need to do the same for you.
They didn’t listen. Instead they practiced and did everything that the peoples of the land before them did.
- They built high places in all their towns (17:9)
- They set up sacred pillars and Asherah poles on every high hill (17:10)
- They burned incense on all the high places (17:11)
- They did evil things (17:11)
- They served idols when the Lord told them not to do this (17:12)
- They became obstinate and did not believe the LORD their God (17:14)
- They pursued worthless idols (17:15)
- They abandon all the commands of the LORD their God (17:16)
- They made cast images for themselves–two calves and an Asherah pole (17:16)
- They worshiped the whole heavenly host and served Baal (17:16)
- They made their sons and daughters pass through the fire (17:17)
- They practiced divination and interpreted omens (17:17)
- They devoted themselves to do what was evil in the LORD’s sight and provoked Him (17:17)
- They persisted in all the sins that Jeroboam caused them to commit (17:22)
And it wasn’t like God didn’t warn them.
“Still, the LORD warned Israel and Judah through every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep My commands and statues according to all the law I commanded your ancestors and sent to you through My servants the prophets” (2 Kings 17:13).
The Lord sent the prophets again and again and warned them, but to no avail. They persisted in their sin and stubbornness of heart. He waited hundreds of years and even brought trials to them, but still they wanted their evil. It was exactly what the LORD told them not to do.
Because of this God allowed for all of the northern kingdom of Israel to be captured and carried off into exile, never to be heard from again. Only the tribe of Judah remained.
It is not the heart of God to bring judgment. He desires mercy. But he will not be trampled on forever before he brings judgment. He can only take so much evil.
There are many who say the God of the Old Testament is judgmental. In fact the opposite is true. He is merciful. And that mercy is seen over and over and over again. Rather, God is a god of justice. He will not evil go unchecked forever. Thankfully.
