Deuteronomy Chapter 7
It may seem unfair that God intended for the Israelites to take out the inhabitants of the promised land. But the judgement of God had come upon these people. The people were very evil, and we can learn about their satanic practices in the book of Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy 18:9-14 When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you. You shall be blameless before the LORD your God, for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the LORD your God has not allowed you to do this.
The judgement of God was upon the inhabitants of the land and God did not want the Israelites to be indoctrinated with their evil practices. These inhabitants could have repented of their evil ways and begged for God’s mercy, but they did not. It was imperative that the Israelites follow God’s commands in this matter.
Let's Reflect
1. What was true about the number of inhabitants in the promised land?
2. God told the Israelites ahead of time that they would defeat the people groups. But He did stipulate that they must do what to the people of the land?
3. God made it clear why Israel was being blessed by God to inherit the land. It was not anything that Israel did to earn it. Why did God say that they were going to be the recipients of this special gift?
4. Beginning in verse 12 God told them that He would even extend more blessings, and they would feel more of His steadfast love upon them if they kept His commandments and statues. What did God say He would do for them? The opposite of feeling God’s love was to feel God’s judgement when they turned their back on Him.
5. What did God say they should remember if they became afraid of the inhabitants of the land?
6. According to verse 21 what amazing truth did the people need to consume to combat any fear?
7. Not only were they instructed to destroy all of the inhabitants, but they were instructed to destroy all their idols and things of worship. What did God say that all these things were devoted to (including the gold or silver they were created with)?
