Judges 2 1-6 The Judges Teaser Trailer

The Judges Teaser Trailer
This chapter (especially 2:14-19) is a sneak peek of the pattern followed throughout Judges, so pay careful attention—basically every other chapter in the book just fills in the juicy details (and trust us—we mean really juicy):
God says, "Israel, you done me wrong."
An angel scolds Israel for "making league" with the inhabitants of Canaan—i.e., not running 'em straight outta town (2:2).
Because of that, God promises, "I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare [trap] unto you" (KJV 2:3).
As we'll see, that idol threat is no idle threat.
The older people feel bad and cry about it for a bit (2:4), but the rising generation not so much. Their Canaanite neighbors' shiny new gods start looking pretty good…
Sure enough, Israel "forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashteroth" (KJV 2:13).
Needless to say, God wasn't pleased.
But you know he can't stay mad at Israel forever, so "the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them" (KJV 2:16).
Israel just can't resist worshiping other gods, though: "And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring [whoa, whoa, settle down everyone] after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them" (KJV 2:17). Burn…
This cycle repeats itself seven times in Judges: Israel worships other gods; God is upset and lets Israel's enemies beat up on them for a while; God sends a judge to deliver them; Israel worships God; Israel forgets God; and so it goes around and around and around.
In Judges, Israel is officially stuck on a spiritual rollercoaster.