The children of Israel forgot the Lord their God. What does this mean? Does it mean that they just forgot to pray once or just didn’t think about the Lord very much? It actually means a lot more than that. It means that they turned away from serving the Lord on purpose. They didn’t really want to think about their relationship with the Lord as they did their everyday work.

It would be the same as if you went to steal some biscuits from your mum’s pantry, knowing very well that the Lord has told you not to steal. You are sinning on purpose, and you may as well go to your Bible and rip out the commandment about stealing.

Sin makes the Lord angry—very angry. Verse 8 says that the anger of the Lord was hot. God was so angry that he sent the children of Israel to live under a heathen king for eight years.

But after this time, when the children of Israel cried out to the Lord again, he in his covenant love sent a judge named Othniel to save them from this king. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel. God’s Spirit was at work in Othniel so that he could save the people of Israel. It is only the work of God that can save the people.

So again we see God’s compassion and love for his people even though they sin against him. By sending Othniel he gave the people peace again. But that peace didn’t last forever—just forty years, after which the people turned away from the Lord again.

But we know that the Lord has also sent another person, our Lord Jesus Christ. He also saves. He saves us from our enemies—our sins—and gives us peace. The peace that he gives is a peace that lasts forever. Today we have to fight every day. Every day we are struggling with our sins. But one day we will have this everlasting peace. The battle will be over! Praise the Lord.

Reflection with your child:

What does it mean to forget the Lord?

Source: Sermon by Rev. R. Vermeulen