Why have you done this?

By Pastor Lazarus Muoka

Opening Text: Judges 2:1–2 (KJV) “And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?”

There are questions in life that demand serious reflection, and there are questions that cannot be answered without examining the condition of our hearts. One of such questions is the question God asked the children of Israel in Judges 2:2: “Why have ye done this?” This was not a question asked because God lacked knowledge of what they had done. God knew their actions, their decisions and their disobedience. Rather, it was a question intended to awaken their conscience and bring them to the realisation of how far they had departed from His instructions.

God had delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt, brought them through the wilderness, protected them from their enemies and given them the land He had promised their fathers. He had been faithful to His covenant, yet Israel failed to remain faithful to Him. God commanded them not to make any league with the inhabitants of the land and to destroy their altars, but they disobeyed His instructions. Consequently, God confronted them with a searching question: “Why have ye done this?”

Today, this same question deserves the attention of every man and woman. God has been good to us. He has preserved our lives, provided for our needs, shown us mercy and given us opportunities to serve Him. Yet, how have we responded to His goodness? Are we living in obedience to His Word, or have we become comfortable with disobedience? Have we followed His instructions, or have we chosen our own way? The question remains: Why have you done this?

God has done so much for humanity that no man has any reasonable excuse for living in rebellion against Him. He created us, sustained us and provided salvation through the death of His only begotten Son. The Bible says in Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” What greater demonstration of love could anyone demand? Yet, many who have received the message of this love continue to live as though God has done nothing for them.

The children of Israel did not completely reject the presence of God in one day. Their disobedience began with their failure to carry out God’s instructions. They tolerated what God commanded them to remove. They made compromises where God demanded obedience. This is how spiritual decline begins. A little compromise today can become a serious spiritual problem tomorrow.

Beloved, what are you tolerating in your life that God has commanded you to remove? Is it bitterness, unforgiveness, dishonesty, immorality, pride, covetousness or an ungodly relationship? Have you allowed something to remain in your life simply because you have become comfortable with it? Remember that whatever God commands you to forsake should not be protected by your personal feelings.

The Bible says in 1 Samuel 15:22, “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”

God is not impressed by religious activities when the heart is unwilling to obey Him. You may give offerings, support church programmes, occupy important positions and even preach to others, but if you deliberately refuse to obey God’s Word, your religious activities cannot replace genuine obedience.

Why have you done this? Why have you neglected your spiritual responsibility? Why have you stopped praying as you used to pray? Why have you abandoned the study of God’s Word? Why have you allowed the fire of your devotion to become cold? Why have you become careless about the salvation of your soul?

The Bible warns us in Hebrews 2:3, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him?”

Salvation is too precious to be neglected. Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price for our redemption. He shed His blood to deliver us from the power of sin and eternal destruction. Yet, some people treat salvation as though it were an ordinary matter. They postpone repentance, delay surrendering their lives to Christ and continue making excuses for their spiritual condition.

My beloved, tomorrow is not guaranteed. Nobody knows the exact hour of his departure from this world. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:2, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Do not wait until it is too late before you realise the value of your soul. Do not allow the pleasures of this passing world to rob you of eternity with God. Whatever you have gained in this world cannot compensate for the loss of your soul. Jesus asks in Mark 8:36, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”

When the children of Israel heard the words of the angel of the LORD, they lifted up their voices and wept. Judges 2:4 says, “And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.”

Their response teaches us that God’s rebuke should not be treated lightly. When the Word of God exposes our sins, we should not harden our hearts. We should humble ourselves, acknowledge our failures and seek His mercy. God does not expose our sins merely to condemn us; He calls us to repentance so that we may be restored to fellowship with Him.

The Bible says in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

There is forgiveness for the repentant sinner. There is mercy for the person who genuinely turns away from sin. There is restoration for the backslider who returns to the Lord with a sincere heart. But you must not continue to resist the voice of God.

The question is still sounding: Why Have You Done This?

If you have wandered away from God, return today. If you have compromised your faith, repent today. If you have been living in sin, surrender your life to Jesus Christ today. Do not defend what God condemns. Do not justify what the Word of God has exposed. Do not postpone the decision that concerns your eternal destiny.

May we never become people who enjoy the blessings of God but refuse to obey His voice. May we never become so comfortable with the world that we forget the God who redeemed us. Let our lives bring pleasure to Him, and let our conduct demonstrate that we truly belong to Christ.

Today, God is calling you to examine your ways. The question is no longer what others have done, but what you have done with the life, mercy, grace and opportunities God has given you. What is your answer?

May the Lord grant us the grace to repent, return to Him and remain faithful unto the end, in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.