Deut. 7:1 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
Deut. 7:2 And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
Again, it stands out to me that the Lord says “when” I bring you into the land and deliver these mighty nations into your hands. In God’s mind the deed was as good as done. Seven mighty nations are going to be displaced by the Hebrew children as they take possession of the land that will become Israel. I remember in my study of Genesis 15 that the Lord was allowing the sin of these nations to reach such fullness that His longsuffering was pointless because they had reached the point of no return.
Moses stresses the point that they are to “utterly destroy” these nations and show no mercy. If they were obedient in that regard, it is obvious that they could not enter into covenant with them. The future would prove, however, that these were not empty words. In Joshua 9 we learn how they are tricked by the people of Gibeon, a Hivite city, to enter into a promise of living in peace with them.
Chuck Smith gives a good illustration of this principle. Suppose you see an obviously rabid dog with a foaming mouth approaching the school playground. Doesn’t the danger to the children justify killing the dog?
Deut. 7:3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
Deut. 7:4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.
Moses goes on to forbid them from intermarriage with people from other nations. Why? Because these relationships would prove to lead the people into rebellion against the LORD and invoke His anger and judgment. Again, this instruction is intended to protect them.
Remember, these heathen nations had been given much time to turn from their wicked ways. They totally rejected God; their eternal condemnation was certain. In effect, they were as good as dead already. God’s people, on the other hand, had the opportunity to embrace a future filled with the blessings of God. To have them destroy “dead” people was not wicked and unfair; it was an instruction with the intent of preserving life.
Deut. 7:5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.
Not only were the people to destroy the people they conquered, they were to destroy the altars to their false gods, their idols and their places of heathen worship. They were specifically told to burn their idols with fire. This was interesting to me because of the connection to the lake of fire that He has prepared for the judgment of those not found written in the book of life.
Revelation 20:15 “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
It also brought to mind the verses in Isaiah that speak of the foolishness of worshiping idols made from the same wood that is used to make a fire for cooking and to provide warmth.
Isaiah 44:14-17 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it. Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.”
Deut. 7:6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
YHWH had chosen the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to be distinct among the other people on earth. They were appointed to be clean and undefiled through obedience to God. The reference to special in Hebrew identifies the Jewish people as God’s “peculiar treasure” among all other people on earth.
I couldn’t help but think of the verse in 1Peter that describes believers that make up the true church with that same word.
1Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light….”
Just as Peter explained it to the believers of his day, the Jews were to “show forth the praises” of the God who had blessed them with such a privileged position.
Deut. 7:7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
Deut. 7:8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
The LORD knows how we think, so He has Moses answer the question that truth raised in the minds of many. Why would He choose us? It certainly wasn’t because they were many and mighty; they weren’t. They were the smallest in number among the nations. They were chosen simply because YHWH loved them and had made an unconditional promise to their forefathers (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob). Again, Moses reiterates that this is the same God that delivered them from slavery under the oppression of the powerful Egyptians.
This reminder emphasizes the greatness of their God. He initiated His promise with Abraham over 400 years earlier. It is this same God that is instructing them and empowering them now.
Deut. 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
Deut. 7:10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.
These verses emphasize what I just said in the previous paragraph. YHWH, the God of Israel, is THE God; He is faithful to keep His promises and show mercy to those who love and obey Him. But there is another side of this coin. He is just as sure to judge with destruction those that hate Him or position themselves as His enemy. This brings to mind the scripture that describes His word as a sword that cuts both ways.
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword….”
I think the expression “to a thousand generations” is probably a figurative expression picturing the surety of this truth.
Deut. 7:11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.
Deut. 7:12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers:
“therefore” – Based on how you have just been instructed….
Again, Moses boldly commands the people to obey God and DO what He says. Verse 12 distinguishes God’s covenant with the people through Moses and His covenant through Abraham. His promises through Moses were dependent upon their keeping covenant with the LORD, as was His willingness to show mercy. “If” may be a small word, but it identifies the determining factor for great blessing or terrible judgment.
Deut. 7:13 And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
Deut. 7:14 Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle.
Deut. 7:15 And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee.
Deut. 7:16 And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee.
These verses begin identifying specific blessings that will be theirs “if” they will keep covenant with God by obeying Him. These blessings would identify them as the most blessed people on earth.
He will love them.
He will bless them.
He will multiply them.
He will bless their children.
He will bless their crops.
He will bless their cattle and sheep.
They will retain possession of their land.
Not one man or woman would be unable to father or give birth to children respectively.
Neither would their cattle be unable to reproduce.
They would not experience physical disease or sickness or anxiety (from the Hebrew).
They would completely conquer their enemies.
This is a pretty amazing list. Most of us would consider that we were living in heaven on earth if this were true of our lives. This just tells me that the lust of the flesh was a very powerful force in their lives. Why would anyone jeopardize such blessings for the temporary “pleasures for a season” offered by the flesh.
Hebrews 11:25 “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season….”
It also tells me that the deceit of the enemy was very devious and effective. Only the belief that God was lying could account for jeopardizing such blessing.
I believe this all applies to the “church” today. There are many tares growing among the wheat that can’t withstand the lusts of the flesh or the deceit of the enemy because they don’t possess the Holy Spirit. They are play acting in church for whatever reason, but they have no true desire for spiritual blessing.
Deut. 7:17 If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?
Deut. 7:18 Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt;
Deut. 7:19 The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.
Moses continues to encourage the people. He acknowledges that they might develop doubts in view of the overwhelming power and might of the nations they are to dispossess. If that happens, they are to remind themselves that they have nothing to fear. Why? The LORD is on their side. They should remember what He did to Pharaoh and the armies of Egypt. They are to remember the mighty signs and miracles that YHWH used in delivering them from Egypt. These enemies would be no different. God would empower them to defeat these nations.
I can’t help but be reminded of the old saying: God + me = victory.
Deut. 7:20 Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed.
Deut. 7:21 Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible.
Deut. 7:22 And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.
Moses goes on to declare that if any of the enemy succeeds in hiding from them as they take the land, the LORD would send a scourge like leprosy (from the Hebrew for hornet) upon them to destroy them. They have absolutely nothing to fear as long as Almighty God is with them. He even assures them that they won’t have to face all their enemies at once. God is going to lead them forth “little by little.” Why? To control the encroachment of the wild animals. I would assume that Israel’s population needed to grow in order to utilize all the land they were possessing. Land left untended would soon be taken over by the wild animals.
Deut. 7:23 But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed.
Deut. 7:24 And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them.
The people were to focus on trusting God and believing His word. He promises them victory as they go up against these powerful kings/kingdoms. Their obedience to God would result in the destruction of their enemies.
Deut. 7:25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.
Deut. 7:26 Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.
Moses again instructs the people to burn the idols to destroy them. They are not to be tempted to salvage the gold or silver that might adorn them. This would be yielding to the lust of the flesh. God hates the idols and all they represent. What God hates, His people should hate. As in previous verses, if the people were obedient to the first instruction, there would be no need for the second—to avoid bringing anything the LORD hates into their house (either idol or the gold/silver adorning it). To disobey God in this regard is to curse yourself.
What God hates, we are to hate. Frankly, this should be a no-brainer for one who has faith in God. Why do we constantly try to compromise with the world and involve ourselves with things God hates? It’s a choice to listen to the lust of the flesh or the deceit of the enemy rather than the voice of the Holy Spirit. It’s a warped sense of love of self over love of God.
Deut. 8:1 All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers.
This is the fifth time that Moses has referenced the need for keeping “all” the commandments of God. The human tendency is to want to choose the laws that will govern one’s life according to one’s own desires. This is such an obvious truth as one looks as you look at how those in the church today seek to manipulate scripture to suit their own purposes. One way they corrupt God’s word is to use it out of context. Another way is to argue that the Word is outdated and applies differently today than it did in times past. Others tend to think that God won’t notice if we withhold submitting to Him in some areas of our lives as long as we are submissive in “the main things,” or at least appear to be submissive before others.
Moses is emphatic concerning the importance of the “whole word of God.” He clearly tells the people that these are the commands that are to govern how they live. Obedience to these commands is key to taking possession of the land and growing as a mighty nation.
This is the fourth time so far that Moses has reminded the people that the land God is giving them is in accordance with the covenant He made with their fathers—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In other words, their inheritance of the land is an act of God’s faithfulness to His word—not something they deserve.
Deut. 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
Deut. 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
Deut. 8:4 Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
As they prepared to face the challenges that would confront them in the process of taking possession of the land, Moses instructs them to “remember” all the ways that God had showed up for them during their time in the wilderness. Though condemned to wander for 40 years as part of God’s judgment for the unbelief of their parents, God had consistently guided them and provided for them. During that time His purpose was three-fold:
To humble them. – God wanted this to be a time of destroying the pride of the people. A time of recognizing that His desires for them would bring blessing and that following their own desires would bring judgment.
To prove them. – The Hebrew for prove made reference to testing. This would explain why He allowed them to face thirst and hunger—to give them the opportunity to trust Him in spite of the circumstances and to instill confidence that He could and would provide their every need.
To know what was in their hearts regarding submitting to Him in obedience. – Did God not already know the answer to this? Yes, He did. But the people needed to know; they needed to experience the rewards of obedience and the consequences of disobedience. This experience would be most valuable in preparing them to face the challenges of taking possession of the Promised Land.
Moses reminds them that when they faced hunger, God provided manna from heaven to nourish them. He made them dependant upon Him for their daily physical sustenance as they obeyed His instruction regarding the gathering of that provision. This provided a daily object lesson regarding the importance of obeying God’s word. Without His provision they would have perished. Not only did God provide their food, He also caused their clothes to remain durable and strong, and He strengthened their very feet to endure the rigors of all their travels.
I couldn’t help but think of these verses from the Sermon on the Mount.
Matthew 6:25-30 “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?”
Deut. 8:5 Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
Deut. 8:6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
Moses next asks the people to consider God’s actions toward them in light of their actions toward their own children. Why do they chasten or punish their own children? The obvious answer—Because they love them and want to teach them to do what is right. Why do they establish rules for their own children? Again, the obvious answer--Because they love them and want to protect them. If they would just look at the commands of God with that same understanding, they would understand the importance of obeying God’s commands and giving Him the reverence He deserves.
Deut. 8:7 For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;
Deut. 8:8 A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;
Deut. 8:9 A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.
Moses encourages them by describing the land that God is giving them. It is a good land with lots of water, abundant with brooks, wells and springs. It is a land of abundant crops, including wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, pomegranates and olive trees. It is also a land abundant with honey. There will be plenty of food for everyone, and they will lack nothing they need. The land will also supply them with the iron and brass/copper they need for cooking utensils, tools, etc.
Deut. 8:10 When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
Moses is basically saying that once you enjoy the abundance of God’s provision for you in your land, you will be ready to praise YHWH for His wonderful gift.
Moses is reminding the people that the abundant provision of the land isn’t to be taken for granted. God specifically chose this land for His people; and as the Creator, He had prepared it to supply their needs.
Deut. 8:11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
Deut. 8:12 Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
Deut. 8:13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
Deut. 8:14 Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
Moses goes on to warn the people against becoming complacent and taking their blessings for granted. It is so in our nature to take the credit for our achievements and the material wealth we have accumulated as a result of our prowess and hard work. It’s that spirit of pride that prompts us to forget that everything we have is from the hand of God. We may have been blessed with a good mind, creative abilities and strong bodies—but they are all gifts to us from our Creator. Whatever we reap from the utilization of those gifts would not have been possible without His first having blessed us with those capabilities.
I couldn’t help but think of a verse from James as I wrote this.
James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
Deut. 8:15 Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
Deut. 8:16 Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
Deut. 8:17 And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
Again Moses reminds them of how Almighty God has taken care of them already. He led them safely through a wilderness full of poisonous snakes and scorpions. He gave them water from a rock when there was no water to be found. He fed them with manna from heaven as discussed in the verse above. They should realize that only through God’s provision would they be so blessed. They, better than any other people, should recognize that everything they have is a gift from God.
Deut. 8:18 But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
This verse reiterates the truth of all that has been said before. They are to remember that their ability to get wealth comes from God. They are also to remember that these gifts from God are theirs because of the faithfulness of His covenant to their fathers—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
I almost missed this. God wants to “establish” the covenant that He made with their fathers. He wants the people to accept Him as LORD and experience the blessings that are part of that covenant forever. But….
Deut. 8:19 And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
Deut. 8:20 As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.
Moses is reminding the people that although they are being blessed according to God’s covenant with their forefathers, their continued blessing is conditional upon their keeping covenant with Him as established at Sinai. If they decide to forget about God and turn to serve and worship “other gods,” they will perish as a nation. Just as He is empowering them to destroy the nations now inhabiting the land, He will see to it that they are destroyed if they choose to continue in disobedience to Him.
I thought it was interesting that the Hebrew for “other” gods made reference to strange, which Webster defines as foreign or not pertaining to one’s self. In other words, the Hebrew people were singled out as belonging to God and He to them.