Deuteronomy 7
This chapter starts with the instruction that the land israel is to conquer is peopled by by 7 stronger nations, and the Israelites are to completely destroy them
This seems like a very bad thing to do - why would God demand that anybody should completely destroy another nation? Why should a God I believe is loving and forgiving allow such homicide let alone command it?
The reason in the bible is that these nations have incurred God's wrath by thier evil actions that they have been set apart for destruction.
Israel is commanded that they are not to forget that God drove out these nations before Israel and therefore they should not get complacent when things are going well.
Another charge that is touched on in this chapter and often levelled at the church - Israel is to completely destroy the religion of the people they take over.
this is a charge levelled at the church - that native feasts, customs, and places of worship are deliberately wiped out - In my opinion I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing, I don't agree with child sacrifice, fertility rituals and so forth. Besides which why have the ancient Greek, Roman, Egyptian myths survived if the church wiped them out? Also there are certain celebrations that are decidedly unchristian - such as halloween and various Latin American practises which mix pagan religion with Catholic faith?
Deuteronomy 8
In this chapter the Israelites are reminded that they have been living off Manna which is a food that their ancestors never knew and that their clothes and shoes did not wear out.
Many commentators use this verse to remind us to be grateful when things do not go wrong - this nearly made me throw a bible across the room when I was feeling down and something had not gone right.
I turned to the bible and read this chapter with a comment to be grateful when things go right
When Jesus is tempted in the wilderness and Satan tempts him to make bread out of stones, Jesus response is from this chapter.
But the main thrust of these chapters are that when things are going well that they should not forget the law of God when things are going well and they are settled in the land, and even with the trouble we may have with the destruction of nations in this passage it is till worth remembering God when things are going well.
If things are not going well for you, my experience is that God is actually with us in the hard times even if we cannot sense him, keep the faith, find your friends and if you need to talk to somebody, if nowhere else try your local church.
This chapter starts with the instruction that the land israel is to conquer is peopled by by 7 stronger nations, and the Israelites are to completely destroy them
This seems like a very bad thing to do - why would God demand that anybody should completely destroy another nation? Why should a God I believe is loving and forgiving allow such homicide let alone command it?
The reason in the bible is that these nations have incurred God's wrath by thier evil actions that they have been set apart for destruction.
Israel is commanded that they are not to forget that God drove out these nations before Israel and therefore they should not get complacent when things are going well.
Another charge that is touched on in this chapter and often levelled at the church - Israel is to completely destroy the religion of the people they take over.
this is a charge levelled at the church - that native feasts, customs, and places of worship are deliberately wiped out - In my opinion I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing, I don't agree with child sacrifice, fertility rituals and so forth. Besides which why have the ancient Greek, Roman, Egyptian myths survived if the church wiped them out? Also there are certain celebrations that are decidedly unchristian - such as halloween and various Latin American practises which mix pagan religion with Catholic faith?
Deuteronomy 8
In this chapter the Israelites are reminded that they have been living off Manna which is a food that their ancestors never knew and that their clothes and shoes did not wear out.
Many commentators use this verse to remind us to be grateful when things do not go wrong - this nearly made me throw a bible across the room when I was feeling down and something had not gone right.
I turned to the bible and read this chapter with a comment to be grateful when things go right
When Jesus is tempted in the wilderness and Satan tempts him to make bread out of stones, Jesus response is from this chapter.
But the main thrust of these chapters are that when things are going well that they should not forget the law of God when things are going well and they are settled in the land, and even with the trouble we may have with the destruction of nations in this passage it is till worth remembering God when things are going well.
If things are not going well for you, my experience is that God is actually with us in the hard times even if we cannot sense him, keep the faith, find your friends and if you need to talk to somebody, if nowhere else try your local church.
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