by J. Riddle (Cheshunt)
Read Chapter 7
Having reminded Israel of the covenant made with them at Sinai, ch.4-5, and told them how they were to keep it, ch.6, Moses now describes the effect of this on their relationships with the nations. The chapter commences with reference to the possession of the land. This is the recurring theme of Deuteronomy, and emphasises God’s desire for His people to possess and enjoy their inheritance. Notice that the possession of the land was never in question. "When (so there was no doubt) the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it." The ongoing enjoyment of the land was a different matter! We can analyse the chapter as follows:
(1) Compromise with the nations, v1-6;
(2) Choice by God, v7-11;
(3) Conditional blessing, v12-16;
(4) Conquering the enemies, v17-26.
The history of Israel illustrates the danger of compromise, but the pitfalls could have been avoided if due attention had been paid to these verses. God played His part in preserving His people from danger, but Israel had a role to play as well. Both are emphasised here.
A) God’s part, v1-2A
"When the Lord thy God shall bring thee into the land … And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them (the nations) before thee," v1-2. He would bring them into the land, v1, and he would dispossess the inhabitants of the land, v2. God has richly provided for us as well. We "have obtained (‘have received,’ JND) like precious faith … His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness … whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises," 2Pet.1.14.
B) Israel’s part, v2B-6
"Thou shalt smite them … thus shall ye deal with them," v2,5. We can now complete the quotations from 2Pet.1. We have noticed what God has given. Now we must notice what we are to give. "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue … knowledge … temperance … patience," v5-7.
Notice the pattern in these verses: i) A directive, v2-3, followed by the reason, v4: "for they will turn away thy son from following me." (ii) A directive, v5, followed by the reason, v6: "for thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God." The first directive related to the people themselves: the second related to their religion.
i) They were to deal ruthlessly with the people, v2-4. "Thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them." We must remember that the "iniquity of the Amorite" was now "full," Gen.15.16. The sword of Joshua was not the sword of military conquest, but the sword of divine judgment on the sinful nations of Canaan. Note the repetition of "Thou shalt." There was to be no compromise with the original life of Canaan, in the same way that there must be no compromise with the old life of the believer. See Col.3.5-8. Israel was to deal with the ‘old life’ of Canaan out of love for God and His Word, but it wasn’t long before they "dwelt among the Canaanites … and they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons, and served their gods," Jud.3.5-7.
These solemn instructions include reference to marriage: "neither shalt thou make marriages with them." We must be good stewards of our emotions and affections, and any inclination towards a relationship with an unsaved person must be snuffed out immediately. The reason for the prohibition follows: "For they will turn away thy son from following Me, that they may serve other gods." The books of Ezra and Nehemiah both conclude with reference to this problem. The latter days of Solomon are an eloquent testimony to the danger. See 1Kgs.11.4. Notice that it happened in his old age.
ii) They were to deal ruthlessly with the religion, v5-6. "Ye shall destroy their altars … images … groves." Religion still has its altars and images. Christendom is full of redundant Judaism with its priestly vestments, its incense, and its trained choirs.
The reason for the destruction follows: Israel was (a) "a holy people": (b) a "chosen" people: (c) "a special people (‘a peculiar treasure’)". See Ex.19.5, Deut.14.2, 26.18, Ps.135.4, Ecc.2.8. In short, Israel was to be distinct amongst the nations, because she had a distinctive place in God’s purpose. This passage is cited in the New Testament. "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people," 1Pet.2.9. But this is no reflection on our personal worthiness, as the next section shows:
We should notice here (A) The reasons for His choice, v7-8, and (B) The responsibilities attaching to His choice, v9-11.
A) The reasons for His choice, v7-8
As C. H. Mackintosh observes: ‘It is the settled purpose of God that "no flesh should glory in his presence," 1Cor.1.26. All human pretensions must be set aside … They were, in no wise, better than the nations around them; and therefore, if called to account for their high elevation and moral greatness, they had simply to trace it all up to the free love of God, and His faithfulness to His oath.’ See Ps.115.1. The passage gives two reasons for God’s choice of Israel.
i) His love. "Because the Lord loved you." Compare 23.5. The great statement in Rom.8, "For whom He did foreknow … predestinate … called … justified … glorified," causes Paul to exclaim, "who shall separate us from the love of Christ?" and that nothing "shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." We can say with John, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins," 1Jn.4.10.
ii) His promises. "Because He would keep the oath which He had sworn unto your fathers." Israel were a chosen people, secondly, because of God’s promise to the patriarchs. See Rom.11.28-29. God cannot renege on His promises. The ultimate blessing of Israel will not rest on their virtue. God will bless them for His "Holy Name’s sake," Ezek.36.22. God is faithful to His own promise so far as we are concerned. As "God’s elect," we enjoy eternal life "which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began," Tit.1.2.
B) The responsibilities attaching to His choice, v9-11
But divine sovereignty and human responsibility are never separated in Scripture. We must now notice the practical implications of God’s choice. "Know ye therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God which …":
a) "Keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations." See Ps.105.8. Compare 1Jn.3.21-22. "Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God, and whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in His sight." In the context of Deut.7, to "love Him, and keep His commandments," involves the separation urged in the opening section of the chapter. Compare 2Cor.6.14-7.1. Notice how Paul develops this subject in Rom.6.17-23.
b) "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." Compare 2Pet.3.9-10, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise … the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night." For the believer, Gal.6.7 is relevant here.
In both cases, God is faithful. He is faithful to His own character in rewarding both obedience, and disobedience. The conclusion is given in v11: "Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them." In view of God’s love for Israel, obedience to His Word should not have been an onerous duty. God’s faithfulness in rewarding the obedience of His people follows:
"Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to do 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." Notice two groups of words. Israel was to "hearken," "keep," and "do." God was to "love," "bless," and "multiply." Four results follow:
i) They would enjoy God’s love. "He will love thee, and bless thee," v13. See Jn.14.23, "If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him."
ii) They would enjoy fruitfulness. "He will … multiply thee: He will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land … Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle," v13-14. God wants us to be fruitful too. See, for example, Col.1.10. Compare 2Pet.1.8.
iii) They would enjoy good health. "And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knewest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee," v15. As a result, there was "not one feeble person among their tribes," Ps.105.37. This sounds far better than our Health Care Plans! Gaius was a splendid example of robust spiritual health. See 3Jn.2.
iv) They would enjoy victory. "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," v16. Notice that God-given victory over the enemy involved their utter destruction, see v2-5. This is now developed further:
"If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them? Thou shalt not be afraid of them." See C. H. Mackintosh here: ‘How did Moses seek to encourage the hearts of his brethren?’ "Be not affrighted," he says; but why? Was it because there were no enemies, no difficulties, no dangers? No; but "the Lord thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible." Compare 2Chron.20.12. It was a case of, "If God be for us, who can be against us?"
Israel could be confident in facing their enemies for two reasons.
(a) Because of what God had done, v18-19. "Thou … shalt well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharoah, and unto all Egypt … so shall the Lord thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid."
(b) Because of what God would do, v20-24. Victory was assured. The words "will" and "shall" are repeated, Notice the reference to "the hornet." Compare Ex.23.28 and Jos.24.12. (Some commentators suggest that this is figurative of ‘ills and calamities of various kinds,’ but it makes good sense to take it literally). However great the enemies might seem, God was "mighty" and "terrible," v21. Compare 1Jn.4.4. Note the expressions: He shall deliver," and "thou shalt destroy," v24.
The chapter ends with a strong warning, v25-26. ‘Israel had no need to fear the power of the enemy. Jehovah would see to that. But here was something far more to be dreaded than the enemy’s power, and that was the ensnaring influence of their idolatry,’ C. H. Mackintosh. Idols and idolatry are an "abomination" to God, which gives weight to Eph.5.5 and 1Jn.5.21. Notice that Israel was not to ‘pick and choose’ when it came to idols." Thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them." It is all too easy to give up some things which are wrong, but not others, especially if we can see some advantage in retaining them. Remember that what is "highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God," Lk.16.15. God expects us to make ‘a clean break’ with the evil things which once commanded our attention.
—to be continued (D.V.)