What role did divine intervention play in Israel's conquest of the land? Nehemiah 9:24 in Focus “Their descendants entered and possessed the land. You subdued before them the Canaanites, who inhabited the land; You delivered them into their hands, along with their kings and the peoples of the land, to do with them as they pleased.” • Two decisive verbs—subdued and delivered—place the conquest squarely under God’s direct action. • The verse is a retrospective summary: centuries after Joshua, the returning exiles confess that every victory was God-wrought. Divine Promise Preceding the Conquest • Genesis 15:18-21 —God covenants the specific borders long before Israel is a nation. • Exodus 6:8 —He pledges, “I will bring you into the land… and give it to you as a possession.” • Deuteronomy 7:1-2 —Moses assures them that the LORD “will drive out many nations before you… and deliver them over to you.” God’s Visible Actions During the Conquest 1. Miraculous entry • Joshua 3:13-17 —Jordan River stops flowing the moment the priests’ feet touch the water. 2. Supernatural battle strategies • Joshua 6 —Jericho’s walls collapse after silent marches and trumpet blasts. 3. Cosmic intervention • Joshua 10:11-14 —hailstones slay more than Israel’s swords; the sun and moon stand still at Joshua’s petition. 4. Psychological warfare • Exodus 23:27 and Joshua 2:9-11 —terror from the LORD melts Canaanite hearts before a sword is lifted. 5. Selective preservation • Joshua 2:12-21; 6:22-25 —Rahab spared, proving God’s control over individual destinies amid national judgment. How the People Participated in God’s Work • Obedience to explicit commands—circumcision at Gilgal (Joshua 5:2-9). • Active combat—swords drawn, feet on the necks of kings (Joshua 10:24). • Covenant fidelity—reading of the law at Mounts Ebal and Gerizim (Joshua 8:30-35). • Reliance on divine guidance—consulting the ark and the priest (Joshua 6:6-7; Numbers 27:21). Results of Divine Intervention • Complete territorial transfer—“He gave them the lands of the nations” (Psalm 105:44). • Rest on every side—“The LORD gave them rest… Not one of all their enemies withstood them” (Joshua 21:44). • Preservation of inheritance lines—tribal allotments fixed by God (Joshua 13–21). • Ongoing testimony—Psalm 44:1-3 credits victory not to swords but to God’s “right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face.” Continuing Significance for Believers • God keeps covenant promises, no matter how long the delay. • Victory belongs to the Lord; human effort succeeds only under His hand. • Remembering past divine acts fuels present faith and obedience. |
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