How does Deuteronomy 20:17 illustrate God's command for Israel's obedience and purity? Setting the Scene • Deuteronomy is Moses’ final instruction to Israel before entering the land. • Chapter 20 outlines warfare principles; verse 17 names six Canaanite peoples set apart for destruction: “You must completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the LORD your God has commanded you” (Deuteronomy 20:17). • The instruction is absolute, reflecting God’s covenant terms first given in Exodus 23:31-33 and expanded in Deuteronomy 7:1-6. The Command Defined • “Completely destroy” (ḥērem) means putting something under the ban—removing it from common use and devoting it to the LORD. • It is not arbitrary violence; it is a judicial act against entrenched wickedness (Leviticus 18:24-25). • By naming the peoples, God pinpoints the cultures whose practices (idolatry, child sacrifice, ritual immorality) threatened Israel’s spiritual health. Obedience Demonstrated • Israel’s success in the land depended on following the command precisely (Joshua 1:7-9). • Partial obedience—sparing what God said to remove—always produced compromise (Judges 1:27-36; 1 Samuel 15). • The verse underscores that obedience is not negotiable; it is “as the LORD your God has commanded you.” Purity Protected • God’s purpose: “so that they do not teach you to do all the detestable things they do for their gods” (Deuteronomy 20:18). • Purity safeguards worship: mixing with idolatry defiles the covenant relationship (Exodus 34:12-16). • The land itself is pictured as vomiting out impurity (Leviticus 18:28); the command prevents Israel from sharing that fate. The Heart Behind the Command • Holiness: “You are a people holy to the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 7:6). • Exclusivity: God loves His people too much to tolerate competitors (Deuteronomy 6:5; Exodus 20:3-4). • Mission: Israel must model righteousness to the nations (Deuteronomy 4:6-8); purity preserves that witness. Christ-Centered Application • While the physical command was unique to Israel’s conquest, the principle of separation from sin continues: – 2 Corinthians 6:17-18: “Come out from among them and be separate.” – 1 Peter 1:15-16: “Be holy, for I am holy.” • Today the battle is spiritual (Ephesians 6:12); believers “put to death” sinful practices (Colossians 3:5). • Just as Israel’s obedience secured blessing in the land, our obedience nurtures fellowship with Christ (John 14:21). Key Takeaways • Deuteronomy 20:17 reveals God’s intolerance of sin and His zeal for a pure people. • Obedience is the pathway to enjoying covenant promises. • Purity is not isolation from mission but protection for wholehearted worship and effective witness. |
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