🌿 [Deuteronomy 7] Why the Seven Nations Were Destroyed

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📖 Summary of Deuteronomy 7

Deuteronomy 7 explains how Israel was to deal with the seven nations of Canaan and reveals the reason behind God's commands.

① What Israel was to do when the Lord delivered the seven nations into their hands (vv.1–5)

• Completely destroy them.
• Make no covenant with them and show them no mercy.
• Do not intermarry with them.

→ Because they would turn Israel's children away from the Lord to worship other gods (v.4).

→ Then the Lord's anger would burn against Israel, and they too would be destroyed (v.4).

✔️ Israel was to:

• Tear down their altars.
• Break their sacred pillars.
• Cut down their Asherah poles.
• Burn their carved idols.

② Why God chose Israel among all peoples (vv.6–11)

• Not because they were numerous, but because they were the smallest among the nations (v.7).
• God chose them because He loved them and to keep the oath He had sworn to their ancestors.

③ The blessings promised for obedience (vv.12–16)

• Prosperity for their descendants and daily life.
• Fruitful harvests and flourishing livestock.
• Protection from diseases while bringing them upon those who hated Israel.

→ Therefore, Israel was not to spare those nations or serve their gods, because they would become a snare (v.16).

✔️ God repeatedly commanded their destruction because if Israel failed to obey, they too would fall into idolatry and become subject to God's judgment (v.4).

④ Do not be afraid (vv.17–26)

• Israel was not to fear nations greater than themselves.
• They were to remember the signs and wonders God performed against Pharaoh and Egypt.
• God would do the same to the nations they feared.
• He would even send hornets to drive out those who remained.

Furthermore,

• God would drive out the nations little by little so that wild animals would not become too numerous.
• Those nations would eventually be completely destroyed, and their names would disappear.

🔎 Conclusion

Israel was to burn the carved images of their gods and not covet the silver or gold on them, for they were detestable to the Lord.

✔️ Deuteronomy 7 teaches that the seven nations were destroyed because they practiced idolatry and abominable customs before God.