How does Joshua 12:13 connect to God's covenant with Israel in Deuteronomy? The Verse at a Glance “ The king of Geder—one; the king of Hormah—one, ” (Joshua 12:13) The Covenant Promises in Deuteronomy • Deuteronomy 7:1-2 – God promises to “drive out many nations before you… and you shall devote them to complete destruction.” • Deuteronomy 7:24 – “He will deliver their kings into your hand, and you will wipe out their name from under heaven.” • Deuteronomy 11:23-25 – “The LORD will drive out all these nations before you… No one will stand against you.” • Deuteronomy 31:3-5 – Moses foretells that Joshua will lead Israel and that the LORD “will do to them as He did to Sihon and Og… and deliver them over to you, and you shall do to them according to the whole commandment.” Point-by-Point Connections • Every king named in Joshua 12 is tangible proof that the covenant promises of Deuteronomy were not abstract; they happened exactly as foretold. • “The king of Geder” and “the king of Hormah” represent specific strongholds inside Canaan, showing that even localized rulers fell under God’s sweeping decree (Deuteronomy 7:24). • The collective total of thirty-one kings (Joshua 12:24) fulfills the promise that “no one will stand against you” (Deuteronomy 11:25), illustrating complete, not partial, obedience and victory. • Hormah recalls Israel’s earlier defeat in Numbers 14:45 after they presumed to fight without God. Its inclusion here demonstrates covenant reversal: where failure once stood, covenant faithfulness now triumphs. • The list of kings satisfies the covenant command to “show them no mercy” (Deuteronomy 7:2). Joshua’s record proves the people kept that hard command in the power God supplied. • By naming each king, Scripture spotlights God’s faithfulness more than Israel’s prowess. The pattern echoes Deuteronomy 9:1-3—Israel conquers not by strength but because the LORD “is the One who goes before you.” Key Takeaways for Today • God’s promises in His Word are concrete; Joshua 12:13 is one brick in a wall of evidence that He does exactly what He pledges. • Covenant obedience brings covenant blessing; Israel’s faithfulness to Deuteronomy’s commands precedes and secures their victories. • Past failures (Hormah) need not define the future when God’s people walk in His covenant way. • Remembering God’s fulfilled promises fuels trust for promises still ahead (Philippians 1:6). |
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