Why did Israel become just like the heathen Canaanites?
Israel became just like the heathen Canaanites because they sinned against the Lord, walked in the statutes of the heathen, served idols, and set up images on every high hill. They rejected His statutes and covenant, hardening their necks, so they adopted the wicked practices of the nations the Lord had cast out.
Les explains that Israel's conformity to the Canaanites was not merely an external matter of bowing to idols, though that was bad enough. Whenever people go into idolatry, they also go into abject immorality in the name of religion. Israel walked in the statutes of the heathen whom the Lord had cast out before them, set up images and groves on every high hill, and burned incense in all the high places as the heathen did. They served idols despite the Lord's command, did secretly things that were not right, hardened their necks, and rejected His statutes and covenant. Thus they became exactly like the heathen Canaanites all around them.
And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.
More Questions
What did Israel become by walking in the statutes of the heathen?
Walking in the statutes of the heathen made the children of Israel become just exactly like the heathen Canaanites all around them.