What role did divine hardening play in the Canaanites' resistance? Setting the Verse in View “For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that they were devoted to destruction and annihilated without mercy, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.” — Joshua 11:20 What “Hardening” Means • God actively stiffened the inner resolve of the Canaanite kings so they would keep fighting instead of surrendering. • This was not mere foreknowledge; Scripture presents it as purposeful divine action. • The result: they pressed the battle to the end, ensuring the full judgment God had pronounced. Why the LORD Hardened Them • To carry out the judgment promised centuries earlier (Genesis 15:16). • To protect Israel from pagan influence by removing entrenched idolatry (Deuteronomy 20:16-18). • To showcase His power and faithfulness, the same reason given for Pharaoh’s hardening (Exodus 9:16). Echoes Throughout Scripture • Pharaoh, repeatedly (“the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart,” Exodus 10–14). • Sihon king of Heshbon: “the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn” (Deuteronomy 2:30). • Nations in the last days: “God will send them a powerful delusion” (2 Thessalonians 2:11). • Paul sums it up: “He has mercy on whom He wills, and He hardens whom He wills” (Romans 9:18). God’s Sovereignty and Human Responsibility • The Canaanites were already steeped in evil (Leviticus 18:24-25). • Hardening did not create new sin; it confirmed them in the rebellion they loved. • They still chose to fight; God simply removed restraining grace so their choices would ripen to judgment. The Bigger Picture • Hardening secured Israel’s swift conquest, fulfilling promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. • It prevented compromise that would have corrupted Israel’s worship. • It magnified God’s holiness: mercy to Israel, justice to persistent rebels. Take-Home Reflections • God’s patience has limits; persistent sin can lead to judicial hardening. • His purposes never fail: even resistance serves His redemptive plan. • The same Lord who hardens also invites all to repentance today (2 Peter 3:9). |
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