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Judges 2:7,10-19 - The people worshiped the Lord throughout Joshua's lifetime and during the lifetimes of the elders who outlived Joshua. They had seen all the Lord's great works He had done for Israel. 10 After them another generation rose up who did not know the Lord or the works He had done for Israel. 11 The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord's sight. They worshiped the Baals 12 and abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods from the surrounding peoples and bowed down to them. 14 The Lord's anger burned against Israel, and He handed them over to marauders who raided them. He sold them to the enemies around them, so that they could no longer resist their enemies. 15 Whenever the Israelites went out, the Lord was against them and brought disaster [on them], just as He had promised and sworn to them. So they suffered greatly. 16 The Lord raised up judges, who saved them from the power of their marauders, 17 but they did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted themselves with other gods, bowing down to them. They quickly turned from the way of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the Lord's commands. They did not do as their fathers did. 18 Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for the Israelites, the Lord was with him and saved the people from the power of their enemies while the judge was still alive. The Lord was moved to pity whenever they groaned because of those who were oppressing and afflicting them. 19 Whenever the judge died, the Israelites would act even more corruptly than their fathers, going after other gods to worship and bow down to them. They did not turn from their [evil] practices or their obstinate ways.

ISRAEL’S REPEATED PATTERN OF SINFULNESS:
FORGETTING GOD & WHAT HE'S DONE.
Judges 2:10 - did not know the Lord or the works He had done for Israel.
DOING EVIL IN GOD'S EYES.
Judges 2:11 -The Israelites did what was evil in the Lord's sight.
BEING RULED BY CULTURAL GODS.
Judges 2:12 - They went after other gods from the surrounding peoples and bowed down to them.

Judges 21:25 - In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did whatever he wanted.

1 Samuel 8:1-9, 19 - When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.2 His firstborn son’s name was Joel and his second was Abijah. They were judges in Beer-sheba. 3 However, his sons did not walk in his ways—they turned toward dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. 4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not follow your example. Therefore, appoint a king to judge us the same as all the other nations have.” 6 When they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” Samuel considered their demand sinful, so he prayed to the Lord. 7 But the Lord told him, “Listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you; they have rejected Me as their king. 8 They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to Me, since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning Me and worshiping other gods. 9 Listen to them, but you must solemnly warn them and tell them about the rights of the king who will rule over them.” 19 The people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We must have a king over us. 20 Then we’ll be like all the other nations: our king will judge us, go out before us, and fight our battles.

Kings Evaluation: Good vs Evil
Definitions:
• Good kings: Followed the LORD’s commandments, led Judah or Israel in obedience.
• Evil kings: Led people into idolatry, Baal worship, or other practices contrary to God’s law.

Northern Kingdom (Israel)
All kings of Israel after Jeroboam I are judged as evil.
Evil: Jeroboam I, Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, Omri, Ahab, Ahaziah, Jehoram, Jehu (complicated; partial reform), Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jeroboam II, Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, Hoshea.
Good: None. Israel’s kings were uniformly condemned.

Southern Kingdom (Judah)
Judah had a mixture of good and evil kings:
Good: Asa, Jehoshaphat, Joash (early), Amaziah (partially), Uzziah/Azariah, Hezekiah, Josiah.
Evil: Rehoboam, Abijam, Jehoram, Ahaz, Manasseh, Amon, Jehoiakim, Jehoahaz, Zedekiah.

Approximate Totals (1 & 2 Kings):
• Northern Kingdom (Israel): ~20 kings, all evil.
• Southern Kingdom (Judah): ~19 kings, 8–9 good, 10–11 evil.

Matthew 7:13-14 – 13 Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. 14 How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it.

ALL HUMAN EFFORT TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT ONLY GOD IS MEANT TO DO WILL ALWAYS RESULT IN FAILURE.

OUR PATTERNS OF SINFULNESS CAN ONLY BE REDEEMED BY GOD'S PATTERN OF FAITHFULNESS THROUGH JESUS.

Ephesians 2:4-5 God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, 5 made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. By grace you are saved!