We have discussed the qualities of a covenant relationship before this time, but a little rehearsal often is helpful. God made a covenant with the people who related to him by faith, and in that he agreed to be their God, and to bless them without end as long as they lived in their faith in him. When they stopped—he stopped! It is not difficult to find in the bible just how often they took that relationship for granted.

In Judges 2.1-4 we read of just such a falling away and the consequences to the covenant because of that behavior by the people of God. The Lord declares that he fulfilled his part of the bargain by bringing them into the land of promise. They, however, failed to keep their covenant by chasing after the false gods of the land. He wants them to tell him why that happened.

As the result of their misbehavior, God speaks very harshly to them: ‘Now therefore I tell you that I will not drive them out before you; they will be thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.’ The price for their disobedience was simple—God would no longer protect them from their enemies.

In the modern era this is called shock therapy, or rational behavior therapy—and it certainly got their attention, as Joshua concludes: When the angel of the LORD had spoken these things to all the Israelites, the people wept aloud. I would have wept loudly as well! God never lied to them. He told them this would happen if they didn’t follow his faithful lordship over them. We, too, ought to weep aloud every time we choose to go our own way rather than to believe and follow the one and only God of our faith! He takes the matter seriously and so must we.