How does Deuteronomy 2:21 connect with God's sovereignty in other scriptures? Setting the Scene Moses is rehearsing Israel’s journey. As they skirt Ammonite territory, he reminds them that God once cleared out a race of giants so the Ammonites could settle there. The point: when the Lord decides a nation’s rise or fall, nothing—size, strength, history—can resist Him. Key Verse: Deuteronomy 2:21 “a people great and numerous and tall like the Anakites; but the LORD destroyed them so that the Ammonites dispossessed them and settled in their place.” What This Reveals about God’s Sovereignty • He controls demographic realities—“great and numerous and tall” did not intimidate Him. • He times events—He “destroyed them” precisely when Ammon needed land. • He transfers territory—“Ammonites dispossessed them” by His directive, not by blind chance. Old Testament Echoes • Psalm 135:6 —“The LORD does whatever pleases Him in heaven and on earth.” • Job 12:23 —“He makes nations great and destroys them; He enlarges nations, then disperses them.” • Daniel 2:21 —“He removes kings and establishes them.” • Isaiah 45:7 —He orchestrates prosperity and calamity alike. • Deuteronomy 9:3; Joshua 11:6 —God promises and personally accomplishes dispossession of stronger foes. New Testament Confirmation • Acts 17:26 —God “determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.” • Romans 9:18 —He “has mercy on whom He wants… hardens whom He wants.” • Ephesians 1:11 —He “works out everything by the counsel of His will.” • Revelation 11:15 —ultimately “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord.” Connecting the Dots 1. National shifts in Deuteronomy preview God’s ongoing right to raise or remove empires. 2. What He did for lesser‐known Ammon proves He is not Israel’s God only, but Governor over every land. 3. The same sovereignty guiding ancient borders also steered history toward the cross “when the fullness of time had come” (Galatians 4:4). 4. Because He is this decisive, individual believers can rest in Proverbs 16:9—our planning matters, yet “the LORD determines” final steps. Personal Takeaways • History is not random; it is authored. • Powerful opposition cannot thwart God’s purposes—for nations or for you. • Confidence in mission flows from confidence in the One who “does whatever pleases Him” and calls His people to walk in that sure plan. |
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