What happens when I turn my back on God?

Hey, this is Shree at Bible Project.

In this episode, Christa teaches us how God responds when His people walk out on Him

when they return to Him. After the message, Dan will read Judges 2 10 through 19.

And stay tuned, because after the Bible reading, we'll have a chance to reflect and pray together.

Listen in.

Hey, this is Karrissa at Bible Project, and today we're reflecting on the book of Judges.

If you read through the book of Judges, some of the stories will probably make your stomach turn,

especially as the book progresses.

This is exactly what's supposed to happen, or supposed to see the depth to which God's people have fallen,

and the kinds of violence humans are capable of when they disconnect themselves from God.

The solution is that the people would love and follow God not just as individuals, but the whole nation.

So the book of Judges proposes the need for a godly leader for the people, one who teaches,

and models a life connected to God and governed by His law or instruction.

Remember how the law can be summarized as loving God and loving others?

When people do this, when a whole nation does this, can you imagine how peaceful that nation would be?

These are the ways of God to love Him and love others. The role of the Judges was to guide the nation in doing this,

and to provide a just and peaceful society under God's rule.

But when Israel follows other gods instead, the gods that require child sacrifice and the nations who systems are built on power and violence,

they become a violent and dark society themselves, and they suffer.

One of the things that you'll notice if you read through the book of Judges is that it feels very repetitive.

This is because it's intentionally designed and tightly structured as a series of cycles,

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