The last few chapters of the book of Joshua are filled with instances of God giving showers of blessings if they obey and downpours of curses if they disobey. This litany is repeated in the first few chapters of the book of Judges. The people then were consistently warned of coming judgment if they did not repent and turn back to Him. We are warned today. History has shown us that while God consistently warns of coming judgment, He also consistently gives chance after chance after chance to change. His grace and mercy are abundant! It was their choice. It is our choice.

Judg 2:10
After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel.

And whose fault was that? They had been given this admonition earlier.
Deut 4:9
Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.

The people forgot what God had done for them. They neglected to teach it to their children. They prostituted themselves to other gods. Remember God’s relationship to His people is like a marriage. These people were God’s people. They had a covenant relationship with Him. To go after other gods for self-serving motives is to be a prostitute, which is what they did and what they were.

Do you notice the correlation to what we do as Believers now? Don’t we prostitute ourselves when we value other pleasurable things above our worship of God?

Jdg 3:7
The people of Israel forgot the LORD their God; they sinned against him and worshiped the idols of Baal and Asherah.
This was SO not a good thing! Baal was the god of the harvest. Asherah was the goddess of sex and fertility. They worshiped these "gods" for what they supposedly could do for them. They believed that Baal gave them good and abundant crops (translation today, wealth, money, possessions). And of course, they believed Asherah gave them the pleasures of sex (translation today, sex is still elevated to worship status) In other words, nothing has changed.

Remember the story of Othniel, Caleb's brother's son? Caleb gave his daughter to Othniel. He proved to be a good choice. God sent him to be a deliverer for Israel.

Whenever the people of Israel did evil, God gave them into the hands of their enemies. Then when they cried out to Him, God sent them a deliverer. They continued to repeat this pattern again and again.

Praise God, He sent us our final Deliverer, Jesus!