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Robert D. Pace

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Driving out the Canaanites

Deuteronomy 7:1-6

By Robert D. Pace

 

Opening Remarks

 

As we discuss Driving out the Canaanites I want you to understand we're using imagery from the Old Testament.  The Canaanites were Israel's archenemies that occupied the land God promised to Abraham's descendants.  In comparison, they represent the evil that encroaches upon Christians and obstructs their ability to receive God's promises.

 

When God commanded Joshua and Israel to claim their Promised Land the Canaanites weren't about to simply surrender and leave.  Israel had to forcefully depose the Canaanites from their land.

 

And that's the message God has for Christians.  We have to contend against sin and expel it from our lives, because if we don't it will defile our heart, obstruct our fellowship with God, and ultimately "bring forth death."

 

(Transition)  Let's read our text in Deuteronomy 7:1-6.

 

For 400 years Israel had lived as strangers in Egypt.  Now they were returning to reclaim their land of Promise. According to our text God commanded the Israelites to execute ‘cruel and unusual punishment' against the Canaanites that occupied their land.  Every man, woman, and child was to be killed.

 

In verse two He told Israel to: "utterly destroy [the Canaanites] . . . and show them no favor."

 

In verse sixteen He said: "You shall consume all the peoples whom the LORD your God will deliver to you; your eye shall not pity them, nor shall you serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you" (NASU).

 

For centuries critics of the Bible have used this command to malign God's character.  How can a God that the Bible reveals as loving, good, and compassionate command such horrific retribution?  God's command to exterminate the Canaanites seems to violate His very nature. Ezekiel 3:11 even says: "As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live."

 

So what is God doing when He commands Israel to exterminate the Canaanites? If this were the only passage that contained God's dealings with His enemies it would be terrifying because it would contradict all we know about His goodness.  But you have to understand that God's dealings with man can't be defined from one single passage any more than His character can be defined from one single passage.

 

God is the fearful Judge of the earth, but He is also loving, merciful, compassionate, holy, and righteous!  And these characteristics combined give us a clearer picture of God and why He deals with mankind as He does.  And there is an unmistakable explanation as to why the all-wise and good God marked the Canaanites for utter destruction.  And that's what I want to deal with for the next few minutes.

 

A.      First, we need to remember that God gave the Canaanites 400 years to repent as Israel was held bondage in Egypt and then an extra forty years to repent when Israel wandered through the wilderness.  But the Canaanites remained stubborn and unrepentant.

 

The Canaanites had ample opportunity to recognize that Israel was God's chosen people, but they ignored what they knew to be true.

 

They heard how Egypt had withered under God's terrifying acts of judgment.

 

They knew the drama of how the Red Sea opened and made a highway for Israel's exodus.

 

They had personally watched the heavenly cloud shepherd Israel through the desert.

 

And in all probability they even drew near to scoop and sample the manna that fell around Israel's camp. 

 

The Canaanites saw the miracles and knew Israel was coming for their land, but they ignored it and remained stubborn.

 

God always deals patiently with man before issuing judgment, but His patience has limits.  And His patience expires when His conviction can no longer prick our conscience or move the heart.  The Bible says in Proverbs 29:1 that: "A man who remains stiff‑necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy."

 

But there was another people-group living in the Promised Land known as the Gibeonites.  The Gibeonites recognized God's providence toward Israel, made peace with them, and God spared them in the day of battle.  And this what God always desires.

 

Now let me personalize this for us:

 

We live in the Age of Grace where God has given men 2000 years to hear the loving message of Jesus Christ's death on the Cross for our sins.

 

We have the complete book of Scripture that is confirmed with pinpoint prophecies and historical and archeological testimony.

 

We have the witness of miracles, and "signs and wonders" down through the ages that testify to the truth of God's Word.

 

We have the conviction of the Holy Spirit that moves our heart toward Christ.  But time is running out, God's patience is waning, and He's making His final appeal. I want to ask you: "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation."

 

(Transition)  But there's another reason God dealt harshly with the Canaanites.

 

B.      The Canaanites were "utterly destroyed" because of the depth of their corporate perversion.

 

The Canaanites' sins were so abominable they literally disqualified themselves from forgiveness. And what were the sins that forced God to disqualify them from His mercy?  Both secular and biblical history agree that the Canaanites incorporated an unrivaled system of paganism.

 

They openly paraded sorcery and sensuality.

 

They held public orgies of homosexuality and bestiality.

 

The Canaanites took their children and literally slaughtered them before their demon gods.

 

Their practices were barbaric and totally repudiated the innate law of morality and God could not let their actions go unpunished.  Consequently, after years of depravity God's patience expired and they reaped the sentence of being disqualified from God's mercy. (Leviticus 18:21-30 expounds on the sins that condemned the Canaanites.)

 

God is never passive concerning sin. At some point, sin will always face its judgment.  God is good but His justice will not let Him ignore sin and let it pass without its due sentence.

 

(Transition)  So how should we deal with the Canaanites of sin that threaten our welfare?  I want to tell you it involves a matter of hatred.  You need to hate sin!

 

Hate Sin!

 

(Illustration)  Billy Sunday was the boxer turned preacher of the early 1900's who preached in dramatic fashion.  There were times that he choreographed fights with Satan.  Here's what Billy Sunday once said about sin: "I'm against sin . . . I'll kick it as long as I've got a foot, and I'll fight it as long as I've got a fist.  I'll butt it as long as I've got a head. I'll bite it as long as I've got a tooth. When I'm old and fist-less and footless and toothless, I'll gum it till I go home to Glory and it goes home to perdition."  (7700 Illustrations, P.L. Tan, Assurance Publishers, # 5703.)

 

That's how we should feel about sin.  But unfortunately, sin has an incredible magnetism and charm.  It has pleasures that make us feel good.  Let's face it, if sin wasn't appealing it couldn't tempt us.  That's why it's so difficult to reject.  But regardless of how it's packaged it's ruinous!  No sin is so innocent that it wouldn't eventually devastate you.

 

(Illustration)  Years ago a Methodist minister preached ardently against sin.  When he referred to it, he would often call it "that abominable thing that God hates." After using that phrase repeatedly a member of his church objected to his constant warning of sin.  The member said: "Dr., we wish you would not speak so plainly about sin. Our young people . . . will be more likely to indulge in it. Call it something else, [such] as ‘inhibition' or ‘error' or a ‘mistake' or even a ‘twist in our nature.'"  The pastor opened his desk drawer, pulled out a bottle of strychnine and said to the member: "[This] red label here reads ‘Poison.'  Would you suggest that I change the label, and paste one on that says, ‘Wintergreen?'" (IBID, Tan.)

 

You see, the more innocuous the name the more dangerous the dose.  And the problem is, Satan has made sin like ice tea—something that's supposed to quench our thirst.  But it's not iced tea and it's more toxic than strychnine! And if it's left unchecked it will destroy the body on earth and the soul in hell!

 

Jesus never offered one positive statement about sin.  And if you have ever dealt with a loved one that was destroyed by sin you have no problem despising it.  We should hate it just as Christ hates it!

 

(Transition)  The best plan of action you and I can take against sin is this: Declare war on the Canaanites of sin!

 

Declare War on the Canaanites of Sin!

 

As I stated at the outset, Israel's claiming of the Promised Land was contingent upon them dispossessing the Canaanites. This command was non-negotiable. And the Lord used an interesting phrase to stress the necessity of Israel driving out the Canaanites.  He told them: "though their chariots be made of iron," they must be driven out—don' cohabit with them!

 

If that were translated into modern vernacular it would read: "Though their arsenal includes laser-guided missiles, stealth aircraft, chemical weapons, and computerized firing devices they must be driven out!" 

 

(Quote)  In the 1800's Spurgeon put it this way: "Every sin has to be slaughtered.  Not a single sin is to be tolerated.  Off with their head!  Drive the sword into their hearts!  They are all to die.  Not one of them may be spared.  The whole race is to be exterminated and so buried that not a bone of them can be found." (The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Spurgeon, "Driving out the Canaanites And Their Iron Chariots," Pilgrim Publications.)

 

Romans 8:5-8

 

That's a frightening passage for those who refuse to deal with the encroachment of sin, because look what the Bible says about these people: (1) They're on a road that leads to death; (2) their thoughts are hostile toward God; (3) they're in rebellion with God; (4) they cannot conform to God's will, and; (5) they have incurred the Lord's displeasure!

 

The sinful man is at total variance with God . . . and that is a frightful relationship to have with the Creator of the universe.

 

(Example)  I know there is a teaching in America today that proposes God never gets mad at people.  It suggests that Christians and sinners can live as they please, but don't worry, "God is not mad at you no matter what." There is only one minor flaw in that heresy: It is indisputably wrong!

 

Here is how I would correct that: "God loves you no matter what, but that doesn't mean He's never angry with you!"

 

The Bible says in Isaiah 47:6: "I was angry with My people, I profaned My heritage."

 

Hebrews 3:10 says: "I was angry with this generation, and said, they always go astray in their heart."

 

Psalm 85:4 says: "Restore us, O God of our salvation, and cause Your indignation toward us to cease. (5) Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?"

 

Numbers 11:33 mentions the consequences of Israel's grumbling about their food when it says, "While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck the people with a very severe plague."

 

There is no need to fool ourselves, because God gets angry with us.  God isn't on His golden throne smiling and cooing at us when we're ignoring His voice and living as we please.

 

(Illustration)  I read the story recently about a girl that accrued a handful of parking tickets. In a short time her tickets amounted to $700.00 and she was summoned to court. The Judge said, "Why did you ignore the officer's tickets and warnings and continue breaking the law?" The girl responded: "Because I figured I'd eventually just come to court and pay the fine." The judge said: "Well, you've misjudged this court.  I'm going to discharge your $700.00 fine.  You don't have to pay.  You're going to jail!"  That's the way it will be for many people on Judgment Day.  They have taken sin far too lightly.

 

(Transition)  Do you know why we succumb to sin? We allow sin to trap us because we excuse it.

 

Make No Excuse For Sin

 

Listen to some excuses for sin:

 

"I can't help what I do, I was made this way."

 

Others say: "My sin is hereditary.  My father or mother or grandfather was plagued with a violent temper so I don't stand a chance."  (I'm Irish, so . . .)

 

Or, we hear: "My sin is uncontrollable.  I'm overpowered and helpless before us."

 

I have a healthy fear of sin.  I understand sin's power and appeal.  But while I fear sin, I also understand that,"Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world"!

 

You know what we need to do?  We need to enter the dimension of resurrection living!  Paul said in Ephesians 2: "You were dead in your transgressions and sins [but now you have been] . . . made alive with Christ."

 

Paul was saying Christ has triumphed over death and if He can raise the dead He can conquer our sins.  In other words, if Christ can raise the dead He can perfect the living.

 

(Transition)  I want to show you an interesting discovery I made about how God helps us conquer our sins. Turn to Deuteronomy 7.  God gives an incredible promise here.

 

 Deuteronomy 7:17-24

 

 Did you see that?  It didn't matter that the Canaanites were stronger or more crafty. "Though they have laser-guided missiles, stealth bombers, and infrared tracking systems," when you have resisted with all your might and have exhausted your strength, then God will arise and supernaturally avenge!

 

That's what verse twenty says: "Moreover, the Lord your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished."   ("Call for the hornets.")

 

(Transition)  Sin seeks to ruin and wreck your life. You need to, Hate it, Refuse to excuse it, and Declare war on it!

 

Conclusion

 

(Example)  Here's the difference between Christians that sin and sinners that sin: Christians that stumble and sin are grieved by their failures. Their intentions aren't to pursue sin, if fact, they're trying to avert it!  Sinners, however, enjoy their sin and even pursue it.  The difference between sheep and swine is while both may get muddy sheep try to elude the mud while swine search for the mud-hole and enjoy wallowing in it!

 

Just because you're tempted doesn't mean you're unspiritual.  The fact that you're tempted proves your humanity. Your spirituality is gauged by how you resist it.  "Give no place to the 32devil." Cast out the Canaanites of sin!