The Downward Spiral

In our passage we see the religious life of the generations following the death of Joshua. This is often called the second introduction for it starts again with the death of Joshua. It is like a "flashback" to show the spiritual state of Israel following his leadership.  This introduction will offer us a kind of road map for the book of Israel’s repeated fall into apostasy.  We see not only our propensity to fall into sin over and over, but it also shows us how God is willing to save over and over.