Today we turn our attention to understanding the book of Judges, where Israel, newly settled in the Promised Land, faces a different kind of battle—no longer combat with swords and spears, but with the temptation to adopt the culture of those around her.

Surrounded by Canaanite customs and religion, God's chosen people begin to lose sight of who they are, as they attempt to trade faithfulness for what feels like security.

For Israel, YHWH may have delivered them from captivity in Egypt; but that was a long time ago. And life in Canaan presents new challenges, challenges for which, perhaps, the gods of the Canaanites are better suited…? What's so wrong with a dash of pagan worship here or idolatry there, if it brings the rain or secures the harvest? The short answer: If you're YHWH's priestly people, a lot!

And as we'll see, this temptation to replace faith in YHWH with obedience to the deities of the larger culture is hardly limited to the ancient past. We, too, are inclined to hedge our bets – to put our trust in the gods the locals worship so devoutly: power, wealth, security, status…, if they can only grant us comfort and peace. It's not a trade worth making. But it's a trade even many in the church today are attempting!

Interested in Rev. Mike Regele's class? Here the link to A Primer on Christian Nationalism: What It Is, Why It's Not Christian, and What We Can Do. (It really is oustanding! I hope you'll take a look or listen!)

And if you have thoughts on the sermon, the series, the podcast..., I'd love to hear them. You can reach me anytime via the contact link at jesusat2am.com, by sending me email, chatting with me on BlueSky, or finding me on Facebook or Instagram.

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Want to follow along with the biblical texts for this sermon? Here's the link: Judges 2:1-23 (NRSV)