7:2God told the Israelites to completely destroy their enemies. How can a God of love and mercy wipe out everyone, even children? Although God is loving and merciful, he is also just. These anemy nations were as much a part of God's creation as Israel was, and God does not allow evil to continue unchecked. God had punished Israel by keeping out of the Promised Land all those who had disobeyed. The command to destroy these nations was both a judgment (9:4-6) and a safety measure. On one hand, the people living in the land were being judged for their sin, and Israel was God's instrument of judgment—just as God would one day use other nations to judge Israel for its sin (2 Chronicles 36:17; Isaiah 10:12). On the other hand, God’s command was designed to protect the nation of Israel from being ruined by the idolatry and immorality of its enemies. To think that God is too “nice” to judge sin would be to underestimate him.
Life Application Study BibleDeuteronomyChapter 7
Deuteronomy 7
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 274, 275, 276
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
The Privilege of Holiness
17 “When the LORD your God brings you into the land you are about to enter and occupy, Haut 20:17 he will clear away many nations ahead of you: the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Acts 13:19 Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. These seven nations are greater and more numerous than you. 2When the LORD your God hands these nations over to you and you 7:2 conquer them, you must completely destroy* them. Make no treaties with them and show nee 29:32 them no mercy. 3You must not intermarry with them. Do not let your daughters and sons Josh 23:12 marry their sons and daughters, ‘for they will lead your children away from me to worship other gods. Then the anger of the LORD will burn against you, and he will quickly destroy you. 5This is what you must do. You must break down their pagan altars and shatter their sacred pillars. Cut down their Asherah poles and burn their idols. For you are a holy people, who belong to the LORD your God. Of all the people on earth, the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure. 7“The LORD did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! ®Rather, it was simply that the LORD loves you, and he was Keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the LORD rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. 9Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. 10But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him. 11Therefore, you must obey all these commands, decrees, and regulations I am giving you today. 12“If you listen to these regulations and faithfully obey them, the LORD your God will keep his covenant of unfailing love with you, as he promised with an oath to your ancestors. 13He will love you and bless you, and he will give you many children. He will give fertility to your land and your animals. When you arrive in the land he swore to give your ancestors, you will have large harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil, and great herds of cattle, sheep, and goats. 14You will be blessed above all the nations of the earth. None of your men or women will be childless, and all your livestock will bear young.!SAnd the LORD will protect you from all sickness. He will not let you suffer from the terrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all your enemies! 16“You must destroy all the nations the LORD your God hands over to you. Show them no mercy, and do not worship their gods, or they will trap you. 17Perhaps you will think to yourselves, ‘How can we ever conquer these nations that are so much more powerful than we are?’ 18But don’t be afraid of them! Just remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all the land of Egypt. 19Remember the great terrors the LORD your God sent against them. You saw it all with your own eyes! And remember the miraculous signs and wonders, and the strong hand and powerful arm with which he brought you out of Egypt. The LORD your God will use this same power against all the people you fear. 20And then the LORD your God will send terror* to drive out the few survivors still hiding from you! 21"No, do not be afraid of those nations, for the LORD your God is among you, and he is a great and awesome God. 22The LORD your God will drive those nations out ahead of you little by little. You will not clear them away all at once, otherwise the wild animals would multiply too quickly for you. 23But the LORD your God will hand them over to you. He will throw them into complete confusion until they are destroyed. 24He will put their kings in your power, and you will erase their names from the face of the earth. No one willbe able to stand against you, and you will destroy them ail. 25“You must burn their idols in fire, and you must not covet the silver or gold that covers them. You must not take it or it will become a trap to you, for it is detestable to the LORD your God. 26Do not bring any detestable objects into your home, for then you will be destroyed, just like them. You must utterly detest such things, for they are set apart for destruction.
Textual footnotes
- by destroying them or by giving them as an offering; also in 7:26.
- i
- 7:2 The Hebrew term used here refers to the complete consecration of things or people to the LORD, either
- 7:20 Often rendered the homet. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain.
Life Application Notes 5 notes
7:5Asherah was a Canaanite mother goddess of the sea, associated with Baal. Baal was the most worshiped god of the Canaanites. Most often cast in the form of a bull, he symbolized Strength and fertility and was considered the god of agriculture. Asherah was Baal’s femate consort. She was worshiped by means of wooden pillars (here called “poles”).
7:6-8How did israel deserve to be chosen above all of the other Nations at that time? it was not a matter of Israel’s merit, but of
7:21-24Moses told the Israelites that God would destroy Israel's enemies, but not all at once. God had the power to destroy those nations instantly, but he chose to do it in stages, “little by little.” In the same way and with the same power, God could miraculously and instantaneously change your {ife. Usually, however, he chooses to help you gradually, teaching you one lesson at a time. Rather than expecting instant spiritual maturity and solutions to ail your problems, slow down and work one step at a time, trusting God to make up the difference between where you should be and where you are now. You'll soon look back and see that a miracutous transformation has occurred,
7:25,26Moses warned Israel against becoming ensnared by the idols of the defeated nations by desiring the silver or gold on them. We may think it’s all right to be close to sin as long as we don't participate. “After all,” we say, “I won't do anything wrong!” But being close can hurt us as we become attracted and finally give in. Avoid the snare of sin by first reigning in your desires. Then stay as far away from sin as you can.
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Study feature · page 275
THE NATION OF ISRAEL DAVID
Reference Genesis 3 Genesis 9
DANGER IN PLENTY “When you have eaten your fill in this land, be careful not to forget the LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:11, 12). It is often most difficult to follow God when life is easy—we can fail prey to temptation and fall away from God. Here are some notable examples of this truth.
Person ADAM NOAH
Comment
Adam lived in a perfect world and had a perfect relationship with God. His needs were met; he had everything. But he fell to Satan’s deception. Noah and his family had survived the Flood, and the whole world was theirs. They were prosperous, and life was easy. Noah shamed himself by becoming drunk and cursed his son Ham.
God had given Israel the Promised Land—rest at last with no more wandering. But as soon as brave and faithful Joshua died, they fell into the idolatrous practices of the Canaanites.
Judges 2
2 Samuel 11
David ruled well, and Israel was a dominant nation politically, economically, and militarily. In the midst of prosperity and success, he committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband, Uriah, murdered. Solomon truly had it all: power, wealth, fame, and wisdom. But his very abundance was the source of his downfall. He loved his pagan, idolatrous wives so much that he allowed himself and Israel to copy their detestable religious rites.
SOLOMON
1 Kings 11
God keeping his promise to their ancestors. Just as God chose the nation of Israel, he has chosen all believers today to be a part of his treasured possession. Similarly, it is not because of our merit that we have come to faith in Christ. Instead, God chose us out of his goodness and grace.