How does Exodus 23:28 demonstrate God's sovereignty in fulfilling His promises? Setting the Scene • Exodus 23:20–33 forms a promise package God gives Israel on the way to Canaan. • Verse 28 states: “I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites, and Hittites out of your way.” • “Hornet” can be a literal stinging insect, a divinely stirred panic, or both—either way, it is God-initiated, not human-engineered. Clear Evidence of Sovereignty • God is the subject: “I will send.” The action originates solely with Him. • The means are supernatural. Israel cannot deploy swarms at will; only the Creator commands nature (Job 38:34–35). • The target is precise: three nations singled out. Only a sovereign God can orchestrate selective displacement without Israel lifting a sword (Psalm 135:6). • Timing belongs to God. The hornet “ahead of you” shows He moves before His people arrive (Exodus 23:20). Sovereignty includes perfect foreknowledge and scheduling. Faithful to His Covenant Promises • Genesis 15:18–21—God pledged specific territory to Abraham’s offspring, naming these very nations. Exodus 23:28 is the operational phase of that oath. • Numbers 23:19 proclaims that God “does not lie or change His mind.” Sending the hornet is a concrete follow-through. • Joshua 24:12 later confirms fulfillment: “I sent the hornet before you … it was not by your sword or bow”. Historical evidence matches the promise verbatim. Power That Requires No Human Assist • Israel’s role is obedience, not invention. Contemporary military strategy is unnecessary when the Lord fights (Exodus 14:14). • Deuteronomy 7:17–24 echoes the same plan, emphasizing progressive dispossession “little by little,” showing God governs both process and pace. • Psalm 44:3 credits conquest to “Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face.” Sovereignty means God alone gets the glory. Encouragement for Believers Today • What God promises, He performs—sometimes through unexpected avenues like insects or circumstances beyond human control (Romans 4:21). • His sovereignty secures confidence: the same God who moved hornets can move events in our lives to keep every covenant word (Philippians 1:6). • Dependence, not self-reliance, is the fitting response; obedience positions us to witness His promise-keeping power (Proverbs 3:5–6). Key Takeaways • Exodus 23:28 showcases divine initiative, precise control, and faithful fulfillment—all hallmarks of God’s sovereignty. • The verse is not a metaphor but a literal pledge acted out in Israel’s history, underlining that God’s promises are as dependable as His rule over creation itself. |
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