Nevertheless

 In the book of Judges, we see once again, as in all the former history of Israel, a pattern of "forsaking the LORD, their God".  Joshua had led well and the people were blessed by God's favor as they followed the godly leadership of His servant Joshua.

Joshua exhorts the people to "fear and serve God in sincerity and truth and put away other gods".  (A great topic for a post another time!)  But Joshua dies and while the people served for a time, Judges 2:10 tells us "another generation arose who did not know the LORD nor yet the work He had done for Israel".  They continually provoked God to anger and found themselves God less.  They would no longer stand against their enemies with success.  They become "greatly distressed".  (v. 15)

Oh, my, what a picture of our own nation!  And not just now in 2020!  It's been going this way for many years.  But listen to this amazing mercy and love of God toward His people in the midst of turmoil, "Nevertheless"!  I so love this translation's rendition of this word.  My NASB says, "then" which is a time word.  But "nevertheless" is a word of mercy!  Dictionary meaning: even so, yet though, in spite of that, be that as it may, regardless and the list goes on.  While God's hand went against this stubborn people (and  that is not just Israel, but a picture of the human race in its entirety), "nevertheless, the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them".

What could be written is "because of His great love and by His mercy, He had compassion on them and provided, yet again, a way out of their great distress".  This is our God, Who does not change.  His mercies, Jeremiah says in Lamentations, "are new every morning".  I'll stop there and continue in my next post.