Today we start to read the sad story of Israel’s behavior. Through instructions given to Moses, the tabernacle had been built and the priests established to be the go-between for God and His people. The priests became careless and disobedient, so that God could not use them. He never comes to the end of the instruments (people or things) He can use. His new instruments are now the judges — the name of our book. Whether in the days of the judges, or today, power (in the believers) is lost only through disobedience to God and His Word. The children of Israel were troubled later on by these same enemies. But here you are reading why — they did not drive them out of the land which God had given them. They left some, and these were the causes of the trouble later on. This teaches us that Satan will overcome by trickery in telling us that we don’t need to be out and out for the Lord — so long as we are morally good, everything will be fine. But this is how we are deceived. Faith in God and obedience to His Word will bring personal joy, peace and blessing as we shall see as we go on in this book. And as we will also find in our own life as we go on for the Lord.