Therefore understand today that the LORD your God is He who goes over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and bring them down before you; so you shall drive them out and destroy them quickly, as the LORD has said to you. (v.3)
Here in chapter 9 Moses is telling the people it’s time to crossover the Jordan River and to possess the land promised to their fathers. He describes the land as; having nations greater and mightier than they, great cities with high walls and a people strong and tall like giants. (v.1-2) However in our key verse, he also reminds the people that, God will go before them as a consuming fire and destroy each nation and bring them down so they (Israel) can drive them out. (v.3)
It was a battle too big for Israel, but not too big for the LORD. By themselves, the job was impossible (without Me you can do nothing, John 15:5), but in God the battle could not be lost (I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, Philippians 4;13). God was calling Israel then to a partnership in winning the battles. He will destroy them does not contradict you shall quickly drive them out and destroy them quickly.
So, was God going to do it, or was Israel going to do it? Both, really – God was calling Israel to be workers together with Him (2 Corinthians 6:1). Why would God do this, because of Israel’s righteousness? Absolutely not! As David wrote in the Psalms, “There is non righteous, no not one.” (Psalm 53:1-3) In fact in verse 4, Moses cautions them not to have the least thought of their own righteousness, as if that were the reason for God’s favor. It was for the wickedness of these nations that God drove them out - not wanting the Israelites to show mercy to the Canaanites. He wanted Israel to be a unique army of judgment against the Canaanites and their culture, which was so depraved that it deserved this kind of judgment.
Archaeologist William F. Albright, in his book From the Stone Age to Christianity, describes what the primary focus of Canaanite religion was: sex. The featured idols recovered by archaeologists are hundreds of nude female forms in sexually suggestive forms, as well as male idols associated with homosexual cults. Thus the Canaanites were replaced by Israel.
Scripture tells us, all whom God rejects, are rejected for their own wickedness (Romans 2:8); but none whom he accepts are accepted for their own righteousness (Romans 3:20). Thus boasting is forever done away with through His grace and unmerited favor. For if not for Jesus Christ we all would be rejected. Thank God for His Son and His unmerited favor.
The Truth: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
