Deuteronomy 9:1

Moses continued his speech in this chapter with the objective of providing an antidote to the conceited self-righteousness of Israel, marshalling the facts of their repeated failures and rebellions against God as proof that Israel in no way merited the great blessing they were about to receive from God. Some of the things one reads in the commentaries about this unmerited blessing are not true. For example, Scott wrote: "All is due to God's grace alone."[1] It is the word alone which is incorrect and improper. Not even the salvation of the N.T. is by grace or faith only (James 2:24). It is true, of course, that both here and in the N.T. God's grace and mercy are exalted above any human merit, but there simply has to be some factor of difference between the saved and the unsaved, and if that is not true, the whole matter of redemption is unreasonable, capricious, arbitrary, and unworthy, absolutely, of the just and impartial God of heaven and earth. There was, of course, a difference between the Israelites and the Canaanites, and in that difference we are compelled to find one of the reasons for the election of Israel.

In order to prove the opposite of this, a number of authors quoted Ephesians 2:8,9. The choice of Israel to possess Canaan was "entirely on the basis of `grace through faith ... not of yourselves ... not of works, lest any man should boast.'"[2] Also Cook stated that, "The lesson of this chapter is exactly that of Ephesians 2:8-9, `By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.'"[3]

Now it is not true that Israel's entry into the promised land was due entirely and solely to God's grace, because a whole generation of Israel who came up out of Egypt did not enter, also another 24,000 were put to death on the commandment of God in the defection at Baal-peor, neither did they enter. Why? Simply because, in the whole sacred record of God's dealings with mankind, it was ever and always ONLY THE BELIEVING AND THE OBEDIENT who received the blessing. Therefore, even though God's grace and mercy are paramount, above all else, and most important of all, there is also one other little factor that has to be supplied by the elect himself, namely, his faith and his obedience (to the best of his ability), or at least in some degree acceptable to God. Present-day theology denies this principle, just as Israel did of old, for it is a matter of history that Moses' warnings here were ignored by the historical Israel.

In view of so many O.T. commentators appealing to Ephesians 2:8,9, we shall make a few observations about that verse. (For a full discussion of it see Vol. 8 in my N.T. series of commentaries, pp. 158-164.)

F. F. Bruce declared that the "watchword of Reformation theology is: `sola gratia, sola fide, soli Deo gloria' (`by grace alone, through faith alone, to God alone be glory')."[4] Thus, it is that in Reformation theology men have yoked the ox with two asses, namely, `sola gratia and sola fide.' If salvation is by grace alone, it cannot, at the same time, be by faith alone. Could a person be married to Ruth alone and Ann alone at the same time? Thus, the key slogans of the Reformation theology are corrupt "scriptures," being found nowhere in the Word of God. The only reference to "faith only" in the Bible is in James 2:24, where it is declared that "justification (or salvation) is not by faith only."

It is a little-known fact that the meaning of Ephesians 2:8,9 is actually this:

"By grace are ye saved through the Christian faith, and that not of yourselves (meaning that people did not invent or produce our holy religion), it is the gift of God; (It was God who gave his Son, sent the Holy Spirit, and gave the gospel to mankind), not of works (that is, not by doing the works of the law of Moses), lest any man should boast (works here have no reference whatever to terms of salvation such as faith, repentance, baptism, etc.)."

Now, coming back to the question of why the Canaanites were driven out and the Israelites were ushered in. Yes, it was by the election, the grace, the mercy, and the will of God. Yes, it was in spite of the fact of Israel's having deserved no such thing, in spite of their never having merited such a blessing in any sense whatever, and with no thought whatever of their having in any sense earned it.

Why, then?

(1) The Canaanites had become so wicked that God could no longer tolerate their existence in the land of Canaan; and

(2) also, the Israelites were, at this point in time, better people than the Canaanites.

Furthermore, the tenure of Israel in Canaan was upon exactly the same terms as had been true of the Canaanites, when Israel became, in fact, another Canaanite civilization, God removed them. Does that sound like "unconditional" ownership of the land of promise?

"Hear, O Israel: thou art to pass over the Jordan this day, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fortified up to heaven, a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the sons of Anak? Know therefore this day, that Jehovah thy God is he who goeth over before thee as a devouring fire; he will destroy them, and he will bring them down before thee: so shalt thou drive them out, and make them to perish quickly, as Jehovah hath spoken unto thee. Speak not thou in thy heart, after that Jehovah thy God hath thrust them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness Jehovah hath brought me in to possess this land; whereas for the wickedness of these nations Jehovah doth drive them out from before thee. Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thy heart, dost thou go in to possess their land; but for the wickedness of these nations Jehovah thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may establish the word which Jehovah sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."

Thou art to pass over Jordan this day ... Here we have another meaning of the word "day"; and this points up the multiple uses of the same word, which is a prominent feature of the Pentateuch. Here are some of the meanings of day as used in the Bible:

(1) a day of creation;

(2) a day of the week;

(3) a thousand years;

(4) a watch in the night when it is past;

(5) the whole period of God's works in the six days of creation, and here;

(6) day means "at this time."[5]

Actually, it appears to have been a matter of some weeks, or perhaps about a month, from the time Moses said this until they crossed Jordan. Clarke stated that: "This was spoken about the eleventh month of the fortieth year of their journeying, and it was in the first month of the following year that they passed over. Moses died in the interim."[6]

Nations greater and mightier than thyself ... The odds against Israel's being able to dispossess the kingdoms of Canaan must have appeared to be fantastic. "The Canaanites had the advantage over Israel."[7] They greatly outnumbered Israel. They possessed the walled cities (walls forty feet high). They were inhabited by the Anakim, traditionally the tallest, strongest, and mightiest men of antiquity. Parker referred to the "mythical Anakim,"[8] but the mythical theory about this race of powerful people fits none of the facts. They were sufficiently large to instill fear into the hearts of the twelve spies. They are referred to here as "known to the Israelites," and also as having been heard of them by Israel. The existence of giants in that period is too well authenticated to be set aside solely on the basis that some unbeliever of the Bible says he doesn't believe it!

Keil's chapter heading for this whole chapter is: "A Warning against Self-righteousness, Founded on a Recital of their Previous Sins."[9] The fact that is reiterated over and over again throughout the chapter is that the reason behind God's dramatic action on behalf of Israel was, "not due to intrinsic merit of Israel, but to the iniquity of the indigenous peoples."[10]

Some mote-hunters find an alleged "contradiction" between "make them to perish quickly" (Deuteronomy 9:3), and Deuteronomy 7:22 which speaks of possessing the land "little by little." "There is no contradiction for the reference there is to taking possession of the land, and here it is to the sudden destruction of the Canaanites."[11]

This was a tremendous thing that was about to occur. Israel was about to defeat, plunder, dispossess, and confiscate an entire civilization composed of many nations, some of whom were considered invincible, and in possession of mighty fortifications. How easy it would be for a people taking part in such an experience to get "the big head" about themselves, their ability, their righteousness, etc. All of this is "for my righteousness" (Deuteronomy 9:4) is what Israel would be tempted to think. Therefore, God gave them the warnings of this chapter. Alas, Israel did not heed it. They did not heed it, either in that generation, nor at any time in their whole history. Even in the days of Paul, that apostle wrote of them as follows:

"If you bear the name of `Jew,' relying on the Law, priding yourself on God ... if you are persuaded that you are a guide to the blind, a light to darkened souls, a tutor for the foolish, a teacher of the simple ... Well then, do you ever teach yourself?. You teacher of other people? You preach against stealing; do you steal? You forbid adultery; do you commit adultery? You detest idols; do you rob temples? ... Why, it is owing to you that the name of God is maligned among the Gentiles!" - from Moffatt's translation of Romans 2:17-24.

Since the almost unbelievable wickedness of the Canaanites was the prime reason for God's dispossession of them, it is a gross error to suppose that there was anything wrong in God's consigning their whole civilization to destruction. Note this:

"Their religion was polytheistic, with a strong emphasis on fertility rites. In the temples of the Canaanites, there were both male and female prostitutes (the [~qadesh] and the [~qadeshah]), and all sorts of sexual excesses were practiced. They thought these rites caused crops and herds to prosper. Asherah was the goddess consort of Baal, and she was the inspiration of every form of passion, whether in war or in love."[12]

The above description is by a famed archaeologist, and all of the unmentionable perversions suggested by him have been confirmed in the utmost detail by the spade of the archaeologist. These "prostitutes" were called "priests" and "priestesses" by the people, due to their connection with the "temples." The extent of this can hardly be imagined, some of the temples of antiquity boasting a thousand, or more, of these at a single location!

God in this passage made it clear that this settling of Israel in Canaan was connected with the promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Deuteronomy 9:5), but concerning that famed promise to the patriarchs, it should always be remembered, as Harrison pointed out that:

"The promise is to Abraham's seed (the seed singular) who is Christ (Galatians 3:16) and to all who are "in Him." Also, the blessings of the gospel demand obedience of Christ's followers."[13]

Alexander pointed out the distinction between "righteousness" and "uprightness" in Deuteronomy 9:5, thus: "The first applies to deeds and actions, the second to all inward actions and purposes."[14]