Day 152: Breaking Satan's power - Deuteronomy 7 vs 17 – 26

17-21 Perhaps you will think to yourselves, ‘How can we ever conquer these nations that are so much more powerful than we are?’ But don’t be afraid of them! Just remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all the land of Egypt. Remember the great terrors the Lord your God sent against them. You saw it all with your own eyes! And remember the miraculous signs and wonders, and the strong hand and powerful arm with which he brought you out of Egypt. The Lord your God will use this same power against all the people you fear. And then the Lord your God will send terror to drive out the few survivors still hiding from you! “No, do not be afraid of those nations, for the Lord your God is among you, and he is a great and awesome God. 

22 The Lord your God will drive those nations out ahead of you little by little. You will not clear them away all at once, otherwise the wild animals would multiply too quickly for you. 23-24 But the Lord your God will hand them over to you. He will throw them into complete confusion until they are destroyed. He will put their kings in your power, and you will erase their names from the face of the earth. No one will be able to stand against you, and you will destroy them all.

25-26 “You must burn their idols in fire, and you must not covet the silver or gold that covers them. You must not take it or it will become a trap to you, for it is detestable to the Lord your God. Do not bring any detestable objects into your home, for then you will be destroyed, just like them. You must utterly detest such things, for they are set apart for destruction. Deuteronomy 7:17-26 New Living Translation (English Standard Version link)

Verses 1-16 of this chapter told how God was going to use Israel as His instrument of judgement on the nations in the region where He was going to settle the people He’d rescued out of Egypt. For over 400 years those nations had despised God and blotted the land with idolatry and ugly lifestyles. But that wasn't an easy thing to do. Many of the nations were powerful and lived in strongly fortified cities. The Israelites were just freed slaves with little experience of war. But why did Moses say they must not be afraid to do battle with the evil forces ahead of them? (vs 17-21 & 23-24)

The Israelites were also not to be discouraged if it took a long time to drive out the enemy? Why was that? (vs 22).

That's interesting because it means that, although those nations were wicked, they were still being used for God's plans for Israel. This is still true today. God can use unsaved people to help Christians. So, for example, in Romans 13:1-4 the apostle Paul says: “Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God . . . the authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good.” I've even read reports that say the Church in China actually grew stronger when Chinese Communism was at its worst. God can make even evil people serve His purposes.

In vs 25-26 Moses tells the people that they were NOT to take ANY of the silver or gold that was used in making the pagan idols, nor any of the objects pagans used in their worship. Those things were to be totally destroyed. What does this show us about God?

It shows just how much God hates idolatry. It is something utterly detestable. Idolatry is Satanic and blinds people to the true God, distorts their view of right and wrong, and brings all manner of twisted behaviour that destroys lives completely. (We see the same results from atheism today) And God didn't want Israel to go down that road.

Christians are also called to have nothing to do with Satan's ways. We are called to spread the gospel so that Satan's power over people's lives can be destroyed. And, as Moses said to Israel, we mustn't be afraid because “the battle we are fighting is on the spiritual level; and the weapons we use are not those of human warfare - but powerful in God’s warfare for the destruction of the enemy’s strongholds. Our battle is to bring down every deceptive fantasy and every imposing defence that men erect against the true knowledge of God.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 J B Phillips New Testament.)