Beginning of the End - Ellen G. White

The Lord answered them through one of His prophets: "Did I
not deliver you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites and from
the people of Ammon and from the Philistines? ... You cried out to
Me, and I delivered you from their hand. Yet you have forsaken Me
and served other gods. Therefore I will deliver you no more. Go and
cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in
your time of distress."
The Israelites now humbled themselves before the Lord. "So
they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the
Lord." And the Lord's heart of love "could no longer endure the
misery of Israel." Oh, the long-suffering mercy of our God! When
His people put away the sins that had shut out His presence, He
heard their prayers and began to work for them immediately. He
raised up a deliverer named Jephthah, who made war against the
Ammonites and completely destroyed their power. At this time
Israel had suffered under the oppression of her enemies for eighteen
years, but the people again forgot the lesson taught by suffering.
As His people returned to their evil ways, the Lord permitted
them to be oppressed by powerful enemies--the Philistines. For
many years they were constantly harassed, and at times completely
conquered, by this cruel and warlike nation. They had mingled with
these idolaters, uniting in pleasure and in worship until they seemed
to be one with them in spirit and interest. Then these professed
friends of Israel became their bitterest enemies and tried to bring
about their destruction.
500