Today’s passage: Deuteronomy 7
Helpful thoughts:
- Israel is warned about snares along the path ahead that could turn them from worshiping the Lord alone:
- The failure to execute God’s justice against the nations that were to be driven out. This included the potential of intermarriage with the people’s the Lord was going to judge through them (Genesis 15:16).
- Desiring the idols they find in their conquest because of their appearance or because they were made with precious metals.
- Both of these actions would lead to worship of false gods.
- Israel was God’s chosen nation, because He chose to love them.
- They were not greater, bigger, more beautiful, less naturally sinful, etc. He chose to show His love to them. This is true of our salvation and inclusion in the kingdom of God as well!
- Because Israel had a covenant with the Lord, they were not to be in covenant with any other (Nation or god). There was no need for it because God is sufficient. And, to join in covenant with another was unfaithfulness to the One they were already covenanted.
Questions to consider:
- How quickly was Israel to take control of the Promised Land (Verses 22-23)? What did this practically look like? How do we see this happening (To an extent) in the book of Joshua?
- What was it about these other nations that God did not want the Israelites to share with? Did it have to do with any physical characteristic or their race or was it their faith/religion and sin? What made Israel God’s chosen people? How did others born outside Israel become part of Israel (Ruth 1:16)?