1 - 11 A Chosen People
The author says Isreal will last longer than the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. How many of those have you seen in the news lately. God chose Isreal "because the LORD loved you and because of his fidelity to the oath he had sworn to your fathers, that he brought you out with his strong hand from the place of slavery, and ransomed you from the hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt." (8) Therefore, the Isrealites must keep the commandments.
12 - 26 Blessings for Obedience
If one follows the Lord, the Lord will bless him protecting him. This passage ends with a warning: "You shall not bring any abominable thing into your house, lest you be doomed with it; loathe and abhor it utterly as a thing that is doomed" (26)
Question of the Day: Why does the Lord not wish for the Isrealites to intermarry? Why not bring "abominable" things into the house?
3 comments:
God does not want the Israelites to take on the custom and religious practices of a pagan people. These nations did not follow or know God and therefore distract the Israelites from God. God is a holy and jealous God who will not tolerate divided loyalties. He told the people of the consequesces and the blessings of their choices. He gave them all they needed to follow him.
In Ps 101:3 David says that he will not set any wicked thing before his eyes. God wanted the people to be holy, set apart from the cultures of the pagan nations they would come into contact with. God gave the Israelites the formula for success. He also give us the same formula but we have to choose. The Israelites didn't make the right choices and are an example to me of how going against what God wants me to do can be very costly. I am glad God cares so much for me that he gives me instructions on how to live.
God knows how easy it is for us to give in to temptation. If you marry a drug addict or an alcoholic, how easy would it be to say "well, I'll just try it once." Before you know it, sin is ruling your life. Often we overestimate our self control. It's pretty much impossible for me to be "close to" sin and not give in. If you bring abominable things into your house, it just opens you up for way too many chances to turn your back on God.
My notes compare the destroying of the nations little by little (v.21-24) to our growth as Christians. God could take out those nations all at once if he chose. He could do the same thing with us when we choose to follow Him. But He wants us to grow "step by step." After a while, you look back and see an awesome transformation. I just thought that was neat.
Good to see you ladydi!
I agree with fireboy - "God knows how easy it is for us to give in to temptation" I think it's easy to give in to distractions, especially when you bring them into the house. And it's hard now because these things come in through the TV and computer!
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