Judges 1-3

Judges 1-3
As I read this I was asking myself...why didn't they drive out the people? Did they get lazy, did they give up, what's the deal???
Judges 2:10 Eventually that entire generation died and was buried. Then another generation grew up that didn't know anything of God or the work he had done for Israel.
How could that happen? With everything so visible that he did for Israel....how could they not make his name known for even one generation? I found the answer to both questions.....
Judges 2:20-23 And God's anger blazed against Israel. He said, "Because these people have thrown out my covenant that I commanded their parents and haven't listened to me, I'm not driving out one more person from the nations that Joshua left behind when he died. I'll use them to test Israel and see whether they stay on God's road and walk down it as their parents did." That's why God let those nations remain. He didn't drive them out or let Joshua get rid of them.
It all boils down to listening to God. His word is right here....the Israelites had his word first hand. So, why is it so difficult to listen AND keep listening?
We read in Judges 3 that the people of Israel were in servitude for years because they did evil in God's sight. He gave them freedom....but the went back to slavery-MORE THAN ONCE!!!
So...what can we learn from this? We can look at it 2 ways....as a lesson...DON'T do as the Israelites did. When God gives us freedom-as he has through Jesus-don't fall back in to servitude to the ruler of this world...don't fall back in to slavery to flesh. Enjoy the freedom that Christ died to give us and listen to the Word.
The other way to look at this is to see that we don't have to beat ourselves up for our shortcomings because these people saw God work first hand and still fell away. We don't always get to see God work in these same ways today....so if they saw and still lost it-why do we think we will fare any better? However, we are capable-only through the Holy Spirit- of faring better than the Israelites because of Jesus.
Lord, you have done great and mighty things for us. Let us not forget to praise you and make your name known. Your word says that if we won't praise you the rocks will....Lord let me never forget to praise you. Guide me to do your will and make your name known so that there is not a generation that grows up and doesn't know of what you've done for us. Let me continually listen to and obey your voice. Let me pass any test you may lay before me...that I might stay on your road Lord. Thank you Jesus for the freedom that you give.