Deuteronomy Chapter 20

God gave the Israelites instructions on how to handle future battles and wars that they would encounter with enemy peoples.  He explained later in the chapter that these instructions did not apply to their handling of the current inhabitants of the promised land.  They were to destroy and annihilate the wicked people who resided in the promised land.  God wanted them to understand how while they were a nation that had been held captive by another nation for 400 years, they would be victorious in their future battles.  They would be victorious because God would go with them just as He had been there for them when they escaped out of Egypt.

Let's Reflect

1.  In the middle of God’s instructions on how to handle future battles with their enemies, God reminds them in verses 16-18 how they were to take care of the inhabitants of the promised land.  What people groups were they to totally annihilate?

2.  According to verse 18 why did God instruct them to annihilate the inhabitants?

3.  When it would come time to do battle with enemies who lived in far countries from the promised land, they were not to be afraid even if the enemy had far greater military strength.  They should not fear because God would be with them.  And God said that there would be someone who would stand up to remind them of their strength before going to battle.  Who would remind them?

4.  The officers would also speak to the men, and he would allow those to go home for various reasons including those who were too fearful to fight.  Why would the officers allow the frightened men to return to their homes?

5.  When they marched off to battle and came to a city, what was the first thing they should do to try to end the conflict?

6.  If the Israelite men were paying attention, God told them ahead of time what would happen in battle.  What did He tell them in verse 13?

7.  God told them what they could and could not take as spoils of war.  Verses 19-20 is interesting in that God specifically mentioned they should not destroy what when taking a city in battle?

8.  What can you apply to your own life from this chapter when you think of trials that you face now or that you may face in the future?