Thought for the Week

God gave Israel responsibility to eliminate the nations that were occupying the “Promised Land.” Why? Well, to begin with, these nations were evil. We note they were evil way back when Abraham lived more than 700 years before the times of Joshua and Judges. There is a little phrase God shared with Abraham. It was that ‘their cup of evil was not full’. What can we gather from that? Did God want more evil to come? Certainly not. God is long-suffering. He does not want to destroy anyone. He is giving these nations every chance to change. We should not suppose that everything God said and did is written in the pages of Scripture. But I believe God had sent warnings. Those warnings were not heeded. Joshua chapter two gives us some concept that warnings were given. Rahab was a resident of Jericho. She said: “We know the Lord has given this land to you. Fear of you has fallen on us. Our whole country is melting with fear of you. We heard how God dried up the Red Sea when He delivered you from Egypt. We heard how you destroyed the two kings of the Amorites. Our hearts sank, our courage failed. Because your God is Lord of Heaven and Earth. Yet, knowing these things, the heathen nations made no effort to repent, to change their ways, or to seek God.” Rahab, herself, did. She pled for her life and the lives of her family. There is evidence that when Jericho was destroyed, Rahab was saved. She lived with Israel. She learned of God through them. She became one of them She was even included in the family and lineage of King David and of Jesus. (See St. Matthew 1:5ff) If evil is not cleansed away, it will infect and corrupt people. Idolatry is contagious. Since Adam and Eve, all people born of human parentage are born in sin. They have a ‘fallen nature’, and succumb to temptation. Deuteronomy chapter six is a wealth of marvelous instruction. Moses surely emphasized it: 1. “Love and obey God, the true God alone. 2. Teach your children carefully about God and their duties to Him. 3. Be thankful to God for His blessings. 4. Separate yourselves from pagan gods.” God had given careful warnings. Israel had failed to pass on the truth of God’s word. Solomon had not yet written, “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people.” (Proverbs 14:24) It is imperative to fight against evil strongly. Israel, and we too, need to resist the devil. If we do not fight hard, we will lose. Every generation must recognize they can be defeated unless we resist strongly. I have spoken about the cycle of Israel: They are blest by God. They fail to thank God but worship other gods. God sends punishment because of unthankful Israel. Israel repents. God delivers and sends blessing again. This cycle occurred over and over. It happened in various locations. God calls a judge (deliverer). He keeps Israel in a right relation with God. The judge dies or stops serving. The cycle of Judgment repeats. At the end of that age, a sequence of kings, a cycle begins again. Finally comes the end of the judges, the end of kings, and unto the fall of Israel and the fall of Judah consummating the nation. Israel finally realized the danger of idolatry and ceased committing idolatry. This was the end of idolatry. It was not the end of sin but God ended the regular idolatry with which Satan commits.

Scriptures to Read

Deuteronomy 6:1-3

Deuteronomy 6:4-6

Deuteronomy 6:7-9

Deuteronomy 6:10-12

Deuteronomy 6:13-19

Deuteronomy 6:20-25

Deuteronomy 7:1-9