Condemned to Repeat it

The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord
—Judges 4:1

I swear the Israelites had amnesia.

The Book of Judges shows God’s people caught in a cycle: They embrace God, reject God, hurt God and themselves, and then beg forgiveness.

This cycle happens six times in the book of Judges.

Spoiler alert: They never learn.

In fact, you can see this same cycle playing out over and over again in scripture. You can see it still happening today.

As philosopher and novelist George Santayana famously said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

It’s so hard to be part of a broken system, know it needs to change, and feel powerless to change it. Certainly, I’ve felt shame and frustration for some of my unhealthy patterns. If you’ve ever felt that way, on a personal or corporate level, I have some Good News.

God could have abandoned us long ago, and hasn’t.

God has seen political movements rise and fall. Nations prospering and suffering devastation. People waxing and waning in the level of their commitment and integrity. God’s seen it all.

And hasn’t left.

“I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33) This is the refrain we hear throughout scripture. We may have a short memory, but God does not.

Rather than make empty apologies and promises to do better in the future, I’d love to see us develop a stronger cultural memory. Christians pass down traditions, theologies and testimonies. Why not a little more situational awareness?

An example: Every time “we” try to exclude people from God’s Kingdom, we are perpetuating violence against God and God’s children. Restrictions on women, Black people, gay people, trans people–they never produce the faithful community God hopes for.

How about we double down and actually learn from all these centuries of gracelessness?

God isn’t going to force us to break out of this terrible cycle–but that doesn’t mean we’re destined to forever repeat our apostasy (rejection of God).

Jesus was God entering into history to show us how to disrupt our broken patterns. We see Jesus as a model to follow and a living reminder of a covenant that will never be broken.