Today’s Scripture reading contains promises that Yahweh would give Israel possession of the Promised Land even though the current inhabitants of Canaan were stronger and more numerous than Israel. Yahweh told Israel not to fear the Canaanites because He was more powerful than the Canaanites. This illustrates some verses we see in the New Testament which tell us to fear God, not man.
In yesterday’s passage, Moses instructed Israel to destroy the Canaanites and the Canaanite gods, so that Israel would not be corrupted by the Canaanite religion. Moses reminded Israel that they are a chosen people, holy to God; therefore, they needed to obey Yahweh when they entered the Promised Land. If they obeyed, then they would prosper.
Deut. 7:14 You shall be blessed above all peoples; there will be no male or female barren among you or among your cattle.
Look at the word “blessed”. The blessing was conditional upon obeying Yahweh (see Deuteronomy 7:12).
Notice the word “cattle”. Even their cattle would not experience barrenness.
Deut. 7:15 And Yahweh will take away from you all sickness; and He will not put on you any of the harmful diseases of Egypt which you have known, but He will give them to all who hate you.
Take note of the phrase “which you have known”. Apparently, when Israel was in Egypt, they suffered from various diseases which were common in Egypt. Yahweh promised that if Israel obeyed Him, then they would suffer no more from those diseases.
Deut. 7:16 And you shall consume all the peoples whom Yahweh your God will give over to you; your eye shall not pity them, nor shall you serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you.
Once again we see a somewhat ruthless command to consume the peoples and have no pity on them.
Deut. 7:17 ¶ “If you should say in your heart, ‘These nations are more numerous than I; how can I dispossess them?’
Deut. 7:18 you shall not be afraid of them; you shall well remember what Yahweh your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt:
Look at the word “not”. Israel was told not to fear the Canaanites, even though the Canaanites were more numerous.
Israel was supposed to remember that Yahweh brought them out of Egypt, even though Egypt was more powerful than them. Since Yahweh delivered Israel out of Egypt, He was capable of conquering Canaan for them.
Deut. 7:19 the great trials which your eyes saw and the signs and the wonders and the mighty hand and the outstretched arm by which Yahweh your God brought you out. So shall Yahweh your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.
Notice the words “your eyes saw”. Some of the Israelites listening to Moses had been teenagers when Yahweh destroyed Egypt with the plagues.
Deut. 7:20 Moreover, Yahweh your God will send the hornet against them until those who remain and hide themselves from you perish.
Deut. 7:21 You shall not dread them, for Yahweh your God is in your midst, a great and fearsome God.
Again we see the word “not”. Israel was told again not to dread the Canaanites.
Just as the Egyptians had been more powerful than Israel, so too the Canaanites were larger, stronger, and more numerous than Israel. It would have been natural for Israel to be pessimistic about their chances of conquering Canaan. However, Yahweh is the most powerful force in the universe. Israel should have been 100% confident they could win against Canaan because they had Yahweh on their side.
We see something similar in the New Testament. Jesus said “And do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28).
As we go through life serving Jesus, there are humans who will be opposed to us and threaten us in various ways. It is natural to fear those people. However, while other humans can inflict harm on us, they have no control over our eternal destiny. God determines our eternal destiny and our eternal rewards. Therefore, we should be more afraid of disobeying God than we are afraid of how some humans might persecute us.
The author of Hebrews quoted Psalm 118:6 and wrote “THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?” (Hebrews 13:6) The answer is man is helpless compared to God.
Deut. 7:22 And Yahweh your God will clear away these nations before you little by little; you will not be able to put an end to them quickly, lest the wild beasts become too numerous for you.
Deut. 7:23 But Yahweh your God will give them over before you and will throw them into great confusion until they are destroyed.
Deut. 7:24 And He will give their kings into your hand so that you will make their name perish from under heaven; no man will be able to stand before you until you have destroyed them.
Deut. 7:25 The graven images of their gods you are to burn with fire; you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it, for it is an abomination to Yahweh your God.
Don’t overlook the word “abomination”. Idols are an abomination.
Deut. 7:26 And you shall not bring an abomination into your house and become devoted to destruction like it; you shall utterly detest it, and you shall utterly abhor it, for it is devoted to destruction.
The words “detest” and “abhor” are strong words to describe how the Israelites were to feel about idols.
Deut. 8:1 ¶ “The entire commandment that I am commanding you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Yahweh swore to give to your fathers.
Deut. 8:2 And you shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not.
Deut. 8:3 And He humbled you and let you be hungry and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh.
The reason for taking Israel through the wilderness and letting them experience hunger and thirst was to make them understand that there is more to life than simply having food. It is necessary to obey Yahweh.
Jesus quoted this verse when He was tempted by Satan. After fasting forty days, Jesus was hungry. Satan suggested that Jesus prove He is the Son of God by turning stones into bread. Jesus refused because the Spirit had led Him into the wilderness to fast. Jesus understood that obeying the Father and continuing to fast was more important than having food. (see Matthew 4:1-4).
Deut. 8:4 Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years.
Many people who are opposed to Christianity have the ability to persecute followers of Jesus. However, those who persecute us have no control over our eternal destiny, nor their own. We Christians should fear God, not man, because God determines our eternal destiny and our eternal rewards.
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”