Pagan religion, morals affected the Israelites
E-mail story
It's easy. Send a link to the story you were just reading to a friend. Just fill out the form on this page and we'll send it along.
Your name and e-mail address are transmitted to the recipient. Otherwise, it is considered private information; see Privacy policy.
Although the children of Israel had been commanded to conquer all of Canaan when they first entered that land, the book of Judges makes clear that they did not.
In The Spirit of the Old Testament, Sidney B. Sperry noted that the so-called "conquest" consisted only of the Jordan valley and the eastern highlands of Ephraim."For a long time during the days of the judges many of the Israelites were essentially . . . hemmed in by their enemies on every side," wrote Sperry.
"After the generations of the Israelites who had been acquainted with Joshua passed away, the effects of Canaanite morals and religion began to be apparent upon the younger generation. For long periods of time the Canaanites conquered Israel and this fact alone would tend to disrupt her settled religious life and practice.
"Times were rough and banditry was rampant. As the record itself states: `In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes.' (Judges 17:6.) All of this seems to have taken place because Israel did not drive the Canaanites completely out."
*****
(ADDITIONAL INFORMATION)
Articles on this page may be used in conjunction with the Gospel Doctrine course of study.
Information compiled by Gerry Avant
Sources: The Spirit of the Old Testament, by Sidney B. Sperry; Studies in Scripture, Vol. 3, edited by Kent P. Jackson and Robert L. Millet; and the Church Educational System's Old Testament Student Manual.
