Deuteronomy 7-10:11 A Holy & Treasured People

Ch 7:

Four ways the Israelites were to deal with the idolatrous Canaanites (v1-5):

Destroy them totally
Make no treaty with them
Don't intermarry with them
Break their altars, sacred stones, Asherah poles & idols

We are to completely separate ourselves from the idols of this world - destroying them in our lives, not making any treaty with them, intermarrying or doing anything that unites us with them.

v6-11  The reasons for this are:

They are a holy people to God.  He has chosen them to be His treasured possession.  He loved them and will keep His promises.

Likewise, we are to be a holy people to God.

v12-16  3 blessings God promises will come with the faithful pursuit of this policy:

God will keep His covenant of love
He will bless them and increase their numbers
He will keep them free from every disease

We are called to be separate as believers - we are to be different.

Remember who God is and all that He is capable of - we must remember He alone has the power to help us through things.  We have no power in and of ourselves.

Ch 8:

God's threefold purpose in taking the Israelites through the wilderness:

To humble them
To test them
To teach them

Jesus reminded Satan that man does not live by bread alone - we need the Word of God.

We must remember never to forget - always remind yourselves and remember.  Barnabas reminded them also - we must never forget.

Ch 9:

The Israelites were at risk of thinking it was because of their own self-righteousness that God had won victories.  They had to realise and remember it was only because of God that they won anything.

Moses' example is a reminder of the value of intercessory prayer - it changed things for the Israelites as God worked in response to all that Moses prayed.  The effective fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.