How Quickly we Forget

We all look at our history through rose colored glasses.

We remember some things, but not others.

Sometimes we remember the good and forget the bad,

Other times it’s the exact opposite.

But to me, one of the most important stories in Scripture has to do with forgetting.

Judges 2:7 NKJV

So the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord which He had done for Israel.

How often do we see the power of personality?

As long as someone is around, things go a certain way,

But when they are gone,

And especially when those who followed them are gone,

Things change.

First, Israel had Moses.

God had him bring the Israelites out of Egypt with signs and wonders.

And the people served the Lord.

OK, things were pretty bumpy along the way, but they were led to follow the Lord.

Then Moses’ assistant, Joshua, takes up the mantle of leadership.

And the people followed the Lord.

And they continued following the Lord while Joshua lived.

Even while the elders who had seen the works done through Joshua lived.

But as with everything else in this world, people died.

Judges 2:8–9 NKJV

Now Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died when he was one hundred and ten years old. And they buried him within the border of his inheritance at Timnath Heres, in the mountains of Ephraim, on the north side of Mount Gaash.

Moses is gone, and now Joshua is gone.

But their influence still exists in Israel.

That is until…

Judges 2:10 NKJV

When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.

Isn’t it amazing how quickly we forget.

Not just ancient Israel, but here, today, in the 21st century.

As Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

But we, as a people, cannot remember the past.

We make the same mistakes over and over again.

Just as with Israel.

While traveling in the desert, the Israelites forgot what life in Egypt was like.

Then, there were not only the miracles while Joshua was alive,

But the tremendous victories that got them the land.

Yet when Joshua, and his generation died, what happened.

Another generation rose who did not know the Lord.

Guess where that led them.

Judges 2:11–13 NKJV

Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals; and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. They forsook the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.

What happened between Moses leading them out of Israel, Joshua leading them into the Promised Land, and this new generation?

We look back and wonder,

Did they forget the Red Sea, the Manna, the victories over the nations all around them?

Or did they just forget who those victories came from?

Are we any better?

Do you remember what it felt like when you first “met” Jesus?

When He was more than just a story in a book?

The little baby we sang carols about?

Have we forgotten what He had done?

God did not leave Israel in this mess of forgetfulness.

Judges 2:16 NKJV

Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them.