Judges 10:16 “So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD. And His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel.”
The Israelites rebelled against God again, and again. They rebelled so many times that by the time we get to Judges 10 God has had enough. From Judges 10:6 we read, “Then the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the people of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; and they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him. 7 So the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the people of Ammon.” Under the hands of the enemy the Israelites suffered greatly. They finally decided to call on God. From Judges 10:16 we read, “And the children of Israel cried out to the LORD, saying, “We have sinned against You, because we have both forsaken our God and served the Baals!”
With this cry for help they get a different response from God. Judges 10:11 says, “So the LORD said to the children of Israel, “Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites and from the people of Ammon and from the Philistines? 12 “Also the Sidonians and Amalekites and Maonites oppressed you; and you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hand. 13 “Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods. Therefore I will deliver you no more. 14 “Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress.”
Oh my. “Therefore, I will deliver you no more.” What a statement. The patience and longsuffering of God has reached its end.
Hearing this we read now of genuine repentance. Judges 10:15 And the children of Israel said to the LORD, “We have sinned! Do to us whatever seems best to You; only deliver us this day, we pray.” Then comes verse 16 that tells of their actions to go with their repentance. “So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD.”
Their repentance was followed with resolve and now God sees hearts that desire Him, breaking His heart. 16c says, “And His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel.”
One commentator said when they repented God repented. When they changed their mind about sin and turned away from it & turned to God, God changed His mind about them and turned to help them. And in doing so we see a loving, gracious and merciful God responding to a repentant sinner.
This verse makes me think of 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Continue Strong keeping out idols and serving the Lord only,
And remember to DATE The Word!