A Promise And a Warning
August 26, 2022
Commentary
In this passage God makes promises about directing His people into the promised land where the laws just given will be practiced. It contains promises of cursing for those who disobey and blessings for those who obey (vv. 20-22). When the people arrive in Canaan God promises to do away with her enemies (v. 23). Then the Israelites were to destroy all of the Canaanites idols (v. 24). Obeying God would result in good health, long life and a prosperous way for them (vv. 25-26).
God also promised that He would give them the land gradually (vv. 27-30). In fact Joshua’s conquest took seven years and they still did not wipe out all of the enemies (1406-1399 B.C.). If God had given them the land all at once, it would have become desolate and inhabited by wild animals before Israel could have settled in and cultivated it.
God describes the location of the borders of the Promised Land. He said they were to extend all the way to the Red Sea and from the eastern deserts to the Mediterranean Sea on the west. He also said that He would drive the Canaanites out of the Land (v. 31). However, strict adherence to God’s covenant was required; and they were to make no covenant with the heathen (vv. 32-33). The precept with this promise is, that they should not make friendship with idolaters. Those that would keep from bad consequences, must keep from bad company. It is dangerous to live in a bad neighborhood. Our greatest danger is from those who would make us sin against God.
Application
Just as God promised to go before the Israelites and conquer their enemies He wants to do the same for me today. However, if I want to fight my own battles He will probably let me do so.
Exodus 23:20– 33 (NET)
20 “I am going to send an angel before you to protect you as you journey and to bring you into the place that I have prepared. 21 Take heed because of him, and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my Name is in him. 22 But if you diligently obey him and do all that I command, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will be an adversary to your adversaries. 23 For my angel will go before you and bring you to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I will destroy them completely.
24 “You must not bow down to their gods; you must not serve them or do according to their practices. Instead you must completely overthrow them and smash their standing stones to pieces. 25 You must serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will remove sickness from your midst. 26 No woman will miscarry her young or be barren in your land. I will fulfill the number of your days.
27 “I will send my terror before you, and I will alarm all the people whom you encounter; I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28 I will send hornets before you that will drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite before you. 29 I will not drive them out before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild animals multiply against you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you become fruitful and inherit the land. 31 I will set your boundaries from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the desert to the River, for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you will drive them out before you.
32 “You must make no covenant with them or with their gods. 33 They must not live in your land, lest they make you sin against me, for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”
Illustration: Fred Brown Dentist Detecting Cavities
Evangelist Fred Brown used this image to describe the purpose of the Law. He likened it to a dentist’s little mirror, which he sticks into the patient’s mouth. With the mirror he can detect any cavities. But he doesn’t drill with it or use it to pull teeth. It can show him the decayed area or other abnormality, but it can’t provide the solution. Jesus is the only solution. (Evangelist Fred Brown)