Daily Devotions
Exodus
"The earth, O LORD, is full of Your mercy; Teach me Your statutes." Psalm 119:64
Text: Exodus 23 : 27-29
PLANS REVEALED
How gracious the Lord was to Israel. He revealed Himself by speaking to them directly. When they were too overcome by fear, He spoke to them through His faithful servant Moses. God wanted His people to know that He had carefully worked out a wonderful plan for the conquest of the land!
“I will send My fear before you,
I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come,
and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.”
EXODUS 23:27
1. Psychological warfare
Warfare is never just conducted in the battlefield. Psychological warfare is just as important. If the enemy could be made to fear, Israel would have a distinctive advantage! But how would God cause them to fear Israel? He had already begun to do that when Pharaoh’s army was destroyed! News of the mighty acts of God would have been made known to the inhabitants of Canaan! There would be great confusion among the different tribes who inhabited Canaan! Israel could take advantage of the confusion that God would send!
2. Spiritual Warfare
The best part must be the knowledge that God Himself would be personally involved in the conquest of Canaan. Only He could create fear and confusion in the hearts and minds of the enemy! The Lord assured Israel that their enemies would flee from them! Israel would only see “their backs”.
CAREFULLY LAID-OUT PLANS
God’s plans were carefully thought out. Israel had much to learn from the Lord about warfare. They would do well to pay close attention as God laid out His plans before them.
“And I will send hornets before you,
which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite,
and the Hittite from before you. I will not drive them out
from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate
and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you.”
EXODUS 23:28-29
1. “And I will send hornets before you”
Would God actually use “real hornets”? Well, He used frog, flies etc in Egypt. God would use whatever means He deemed fit to help Israel!
2. “I will not drive them from before you in one year”
The conquest of the land must of necessity take time! Israel must learn both patience and perseverance in the conquest of the land!