Why did Israel follow pagan gods when they knew the living God?
Israel followed pagan gods because human nature has an innate bent and drawing power toward worshiping false gods and idols. Though Israel had proof of the living God from its beginning and should have known better, that inclination led them after pagan deities, as seen in Jeremiah 44 and the Baal prophets at Mount Carmel.
Les explains that this problem has plagued the human race ever since at least the Tower of Babel: people have a bent to worship a false god, and it is innate in human nature to follow that drawing power toward idols of one sort or another. Even Israel, who had the proof of the living God all the way back from their beginning and should have known better, followed after pagan gods. Les points to Jeremiah 44 as one example, and he recalls the controversy Elijah had on Mount Carmel with all the prophets of Baal because Israel had been following them. In the surrounding list, idolatry and pagan worship are grouped with witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, and heresies.
But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.