Unrepentant Repentants

Then the Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of The Lord. They worshipped the Baal's and Ashtoreths, and the gods of the Ammonites and the Philistines. They abandoned Yahweh and did not worship Him. So the Lord's anger burned against Israel, and He sold them to the Philistines and the Ammonites. They shattered and crushed the Israelites that year, and for 18 years they did the same to all the Israelites who were on the other side of the Jordan in the land of the Amorites in Gilead.

The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim. Israel was greatly oppressed, so they cried out to The Lord, saying, " We have sinned against you. We have abandoned our God and worshipped the Baals." Judges 10:6-10

Same old, same old. Yet this time The Lord said, "No!"

They came back with, "we have sinned, deal with us as You see fit, but only deliver us." This time thy got rid of their idols.

Imagine crying out, "Please help!" And God comes to help but the idols are still in the house. How rude!!!

Have you done this? Many do this. Yet what God really wants is hearts that are His. Hearts that are His don't need convincing to repent, they do because they love The Lord with all they are and to hurt Him, hurts them.

God cannot be manipulated, to do so spoils us and treats Him with contempt.

Manipulation of anyone is wrong, it despises them and makes us look like horrible fools.