86_Commands for the conquest

Exodus 23:20-33 “Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. 21 Pay careful attention to him and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression, for my name is in him.

22 “But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.

23 “When my angel goes before you and brings you to the Amorites and the Hittites and the Perizzites and the Canaanites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, 24 you shall not bow down to their gods nor serve them, nor do as they do, but you shall utterly overthrow them and break their pillars in pieces. 25 You shall serve the Lord your God, and he[a] will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you. 26 None shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfill the number of your days. 27 I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. 28 And I will send hornets[b] before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you. 29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. 30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land. 31 And I will set your border from the Red Sea to the Sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates,[c] for I will give the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you. 32 You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.”

In the early 1800s, Adoniram Judson, one of the first American missionaries to Burma, faced huge challenges in his mission field. The tropical climate, dangerous travel routes, language barriers, and local hostility, were huge obstacles. Yet Judson pressed on, relying on God’s promises, and trusting that the Lord would prepare the way ahead. Years of toil, imprisonment, and personal loss yielded few converts, but Judson’s unwavering faith in God’s presence and purpose ultimately bore fruit. By the time of his death, Judson had translated the Bible into Burmese, established churches, and planted seeds of faith that transformed the spiritual landscape of Burma. His story testifies to the power of faith in God’s promises to overcome the forces of evil, even when the path is unclear and the opposition overwhelming.

This same theme permeates Exodus 23:20–33. These verses, part of the “Book of the Covenant” in Exodus, reveal God’s commitment to His people as they journey toward the Promised Land. Here, God assures them of His provision and warns them against unfaithfulness to him. The passage reminds us of the dangers of compromise.

God appointed an angel to lead Israel on their journey. This angel, distinct yet closely identified with God, carries divine authority. Phrases like “My name is in him” and “he will not pardon your transgression” signify that this angel represents God’s presence, power, and holiness. The angel’s role is to bring Israel in safely to the land God promised. When Joshua later encounters the “commander of the army of the Lord” near Jericho, he meets this same divine figure, who commands reverence and embodies God’s presence among His people.

The certainty of God’s promise is striking. In verse 23, God says, “When My angel goes before you and brings you to the land…” The conquest is not a matter of “if” but “when.” God is sovereign, and His purposes will prevail. God’s declaration stems from His covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15, where He foretold the judgment of the Amorites once their iniquity was complete. God’s patience in delaying judgment until there was no remedy demonstrates His justice and mercy.

Yet, God tells Israel (Deuteronomy 9:5): “It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations.” God’s judgment on the Canaanites was rooted in their rebellion against all that was good, including religious prostitution, human sacrifices, even of children, and unspeakably evil practices. He warned his people not to imitate but rather to utterly reject and destroy all vestiges of their abominable practices. Compromise would corrupt their godly fear. “A little leaven leavens the whole lump,” and tolerating Canaanite culture would inevitably lead Israel astray from their covenant relationship with God.

The Lord guarantees His presence, saying, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” He promises to defeat their enemies and drive them out, something which Israel could hardly have done by their own might. They were a nation of former slaves with no military experience. Again, God promises them health, fertility, and provision, all that they need, if they trust and obey him. Lastly, He vows to establish them securely in the land.

These promises, however, require Israel’s commitment. They are to worship God alone and live in godly obedience. Any covenant with the inhabitants of Canaan would lead to idolatry and spiritual ruin. Israel’s history demonstrates the consequences of disobedience. Despite God’s warnings, they failed to fully drive out the Canaanites. The presence of the remnant of these nations in their midst led Israel to adopt their practices. Repeated cycles of idolatry, oppression, and exile were the result. Despite God’s covenant faithfulness, their unfaithfulness brought devastating consequences.

Just as Israel was called to trust God’s promises and reject compromise, we are called to live with singular devotion to Him. Many things compete for our attention and allegiance: materialism, the pursuit of success, and the pressures of an ungodly culture. Matthew 6:33 assures us that God’s single goal for us is that we “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” for everything else we need will be provided.

Walking in obedience to God’s commands is the tangible evidence of our love and trust. In John 14:15, the Lord says, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” His everlasting love for us is the only foundation for a commitment that mirrors His unwavering faithfulness to us. This commitment involves not only rejecting overt sin but also being vigilant against compromises with ungodly practices. Like the Israelites, we must tolerate nothing that threatens to take God’s place in our hearts.

Adoniram Judson’s life exemplified this kind of trust and commitment. Despite overwhelming odds, he held fast to God’s promises and purposes. His work bore fruit because God is faithful. We too are called to follow God with unwavering faith, trusting that He will fulfill His promises and lead us to victory. The road may be long and challenging, but God’s presence goes with us, and His rest awaits us.

The conquest of Canaan serves as a powerful metaphor for the spiritual battles we face. God promises to go before us, to be our strength, and to give us victory. Let us trust Him completely, avoid compromise, and remain obedient to His Word. The Israelites could not defeat their enemies without God. But with God, victory was assured.
Let us commit ourselves to obey the Lord in humility and godly fear. Let us cleanse our hearts and our lives. Let us, like Judson, be courageous and steadfast in our faith, for His promises are sure and His presence is with us always. God bless.