Judges 3

As Israel failed to complete the instructions to destroy all the wicked nations in the promised land, we read -

"...there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
11 ¶ And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
12 And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.
13 And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth."  (Old Testament | Judges 2:10 - 13)

For -

"...the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, Hittites, and Amorites, and Perizzites, and Hivites, and Jebusites:
6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
7 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and forgat the LORD their God, and served Baalim and the groves."  (Old Testament | Judges 3:5 - 7)

In Smith's Bible Dictionary we learn why -

“Many have wondered why the Israelites were so easily led away from the true God, into the worship of idols. (1) Visible, outward signs, with shows, pageants, parades, have an attraction to the natural heart, which often fails to perceive the unseen spiritual realities. (2) But the greatest attraction seems to have been in licentious revelries and obscene orgies with which the worship of the Oriental idols was observed. This worship, appealing to every sensual passion, joined with the attractions of wealth and fashion and luxury, naturally was a great temptation to a simple, restrained, agricultural people, whose worship and laws demanded the greatest purity of heart and of life” (Smith, Dictionary of the Bible, s.v. “Idolatry,” page 264).

I see this happening even in our day.

One more point I wanted to make this morning.  In Judges, we are introduced to -

"...Deborah, a prophetess..."  (Old Testament | Judges 4:4)

Of which, Elder James E. Talmage wrote -

“No special ordination in the Priesthood is essential to man's receiving the gift of prophecy; bearers of the Melchizedek Priesthood, Adam, Noah, Moses, and a multitude of others were prophets, but not more truly so than others who were specifically called to the Aaronic order, as exemplified in the instance of John the Baptist. The ministrations of Miriam and Deborah show that this gift may be possessed by women also” (James E. Talmage, Articles of Faith, pages 228– 29)

In my mind, the gift of prophecy is to be a teacher and testifier under the influence of the Holy Ghost, recognizing the consequences that may come due to obedience and disobedience.  Moses commented -

"...would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!"  (Old Testament | Numbers 11:29)