As can be seen in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, however, under the rule of the judges the people must demonstrate loyalty to the Lord and His commandments for this ideal form of government to function properly. IsraelвЂ™s political covenant showed the mercy and long-suffering of the Lord and would have been the best possible government in Israel. (Such a form of government was advocated in the Book of Mormon by King Mosiah. Their temporal leaders were to be ruling judges, under whom the people retained religious and political liberties. The Lord had directed Israel into the promised land and had provided them with a political covenant. вЂњAnd 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.вЂќ ( Judges 2:10, 12.) вЂњAnd there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. JoshuaвЂ™s generation remained faithful to the Lord (see Joshua 24:31), but spiritual apostasy soon occurred in the following generation.

Each tribe began to look to its own resources without giving help or asking aid from their fellow Israelites.

When Joshua and the leaders of Israel who served under him died, the national spirit of Israel also died.

Joshua a parable for today summary