Observations and Interpretations:
(1) The first thing Israel was supposed to do when God brought them to the Promised Land was to wipe out the 7 nations who were living there and the details of the annihilation was explained in 7:1-5.
The reasons for destroying other people groups and let Isarel alone to live there was given in
v.6a, "For you are a people holy to the LORD your God."
Holy=set apart. (NAC) To be holy was to be different from those nations out of whom Israel came. (BKC) Since the Canaanites were polluting the earth, and since they might endanger Israel’s complete subordination to the will of the Lord, they either had to repent or be eliminated. And as stated, for 400 years [since the time of Abraham to the time Israel claimed the Promised Land, Gen 15:13] they had refused to repent.
v.6b, "He has chosen you to be his people, prized above all others on the face of the earth."
Prized=(NET) Or “treasured” (so NIV, NRSV); NLT “his own special treasure.” The Hebrew term סְגֻלָּה (ségullah) describes Israel as God’s choice people, those whom he elected and who are most precious to him.
Application:
Israel was set apart and was precious to God. Sin is like yeast and will rise. When the Cannites were given a chance to repent for 400 years, they did not repent, what they would face was being wiped out. Do we live a set-apart life? Do we realize that we are vulnerable like the Israelites who were easily led away from God and sin? Do we continuously allow sin to rise within us or among our family and not take care of them? What do we constantly expose ourselves to that becomes our temptation?
(2) Why were they being chosen?
v.7-8 "It is not because you were more numerous than all the other peoples that the LORD favored and chose you—for in fact you were the least numerous of all peoples. Rather it is because of his love for you and his faithfulness to the promise he solemnly vowed to your ancestors that the LORD brought you out with great power, redeeming you from the place of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt."
If we only focus on the main courses of the sentence we will get: It is not because you were numerous that the LORD favored and chose you. Rather it is because of His love and His faithfulness to the promise that He brought you out from Egypt. In other words, He loved Israel because He loves them.
Application: God, without reason, loves His chosen people. He loves Israel and He loves us. His love becomes a reason for Israel to obey. In NT, our love for Him was shown when we obey His commandment (John 14:15). Love may not have no reason to explain, but we can show love to God by our obedience.
(3) God expected Israel to learn from history
A. A warning to Israel v.4
(BKC) Moses reminded the people (Deut. 7:4b) that the LORD‘s righteous sword cuts both ways. The Canaanites were being judged for their wickedness; if the Israelites joined them in wickedness they would also join them in judgment
B. The power of God displayed in exodus from Egypt v.18 became an assurance that God would wipe out the Cannaites v.17, 19.
C. The wilderness experience was to humble Israel and to test them to see if they would obey His commandments 8:2.
(BKC) In the desert they could not produce their own food but had to depend on God for food and thus for their very lives...They had manna because it came by His command. It was therefore ultimately not bread that kept them alive but His word!
(NAC and BKC) The granting of unending supply of food, of clothing that never wore out...were all part of the process by which God instructed and prepared his people on their way to Canaan. Since all these were provided by His decree the only logical response was to observe (obey) the commands of the LORD, following and revering Him
Application: God held Israel accountable by the history they experienced. One needs to remember history and apply that in our own lives (A and B: Remembering how the wicked Cannites were wiped out. Trusting God who had saved them from Egypt would help them to fight the Cannites). Plus one needs to think why things happen this way (C) and respond to it.
Do we take the time to remember and to think through what God has done in our lives? What harms that God did not let you to have? What mighty acts have God done to you? What did God want to encourage you to do? What were the provisions from God? What attention God wants you to have on Him?
Audrey
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