You are a Stiff-Necked People
9: 1-6
You are a stiff-necked people DIG: What are the enemies like who live in this Land? How are they to be conquered? What role is Isra’el to play? What role is ADONAI to play? Why does God select the Israelites? What does this reveal about Him? In what way were the Israelites a “stiff-necked people?” What was the formula that Isra’el thought would bring her victory? But what was the formula in reality?
REFLECT: In what ways do you feel like underdog Isra’el? How has God used you, despite the odds, to further His Kingdom? How does this make you feel? When are you most likely to forget that your victory is from God? Is it not also true of us, that all we are, and everything we are able to accomplish, is due to the mercy and grace of YHVH? What will happen to us if we fail to acknowledge this reality in our lives?
God’s provision of victory over the Canaanites is totally unrelated to Isra’el’s righteousness. Isra’el inherits the Land because ADONAI had promised it to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Hear, O Isra’el! This cry is heard five times in Deuteronomy (4:1, 5:1, 6:4, here, and 20:3), and each time these words called the people to consider something very serious, something that would challenge the very survival of their nation. The Jews couldn’t see their God, but they could hear Him; while their pagan neighbors could see their gods, but couldn’t hear them. Here, Moshe reminded the people that their conduct since leaving Egypt had been anything but exemplary, in spite of the long-suffering grace of ADONAI.252
A. To drive them out (9:1-3): You are about to cross over the Jordan today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourself – cities great and fortified up to the heavens. The people are great and tall, sons of the Anakim. You know them, and you yourselves have heard, “Who can stand before the sons of Anak?” But you will know today that ADONAI your God is the One who is crossing over before you as a devouring fire. He will destroy them, and He will bring them down before you, so that you may drive them out and make them perish quickly, as ADONAI has promised you (9:1-3). The task ahead was formidable. The cities and nations that had induced such fear in the exodus generation were still there and the next generation knew all about them. Moses even recites the list of superior attributes of the sons of Anak that the spies had brought back. But his strategy was not to counter the fear of the enemy with false propaganda, but rather, to strengthen faith in Isra’el’s one great ally – YHVH their God. He would go before them. The devouring fire that they had feared so much at Sinai (4:24 and 5:25) would be turned against their enemies. Ha’Shem is the one who would destroy and bring them down.253
B. It is not because of your righteousness (9:4a): How would Isra’el interpret such a victory? After ADONAI your God has driven them out from before you, do not say in your heart, “It is because of my righteousness that ADONAI has brought me in to possess this Land” (9:4a). Moshe makes it clear to God’s chosen nation that all they are, and everything they are able to accomplish, is due to the mercy and grace of YHVH. None of these things is based on their own merit or worth. It appears that the Israelites thought: our victory = our righteousness + their wickedness. They correctly understood the moral condition of the Canaanites, but were utterly wrong in the estimation of themselves.254
A. To drive them out (9:4b-5): The wickedness of the Canaanites did not prove the righteousness of Isra’el. Far from the victory being because of their righteousness, it was actually in spite of their stubborn resistance to His mitzvot. It is because of the wickedness of these nations that ADONAI is driving them out from before you. It is not by your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you are going in to possess their land. Rather, because of the wickedness of these nations, ADONAI your God is driving them out from before you, and in order to keep the word ADONAI swore to your fathers – to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob (9:4b-5). Since Isra’el had been chosen to fulfill the purpose of YHVH, the fulfillment of that purpose would require a victory.255
B. It is not because of your righteousness (9:6): So, you should understand that it is not because of your righteousness that ADONAI your God is giving you this good Land to possess – for you are a stiff-necked people, stubborn and unresponsive (9:6). It was only by God’s grace (and the intercession of Moses in 9:18-29) that Isra’el was not destroyed along with the other pagan nations. Therefore, in reality, the correct calculation was: our victory = God’s promise to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob + the wickedness of the enemy. These verses in the TaNaKh are comparable to the arguments made by Paul in Romans Chapters 1-3. Isra’el had many advantages and blessings that were undeniable, but they were all based on God’s election. When it comes to a moral standing before Ha’Shem, to matters of guilt or innocence, there was, and is, fundamentally no difference between Isra’el and the goyim, between Jews and Gentiles: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).256
Is it not the same for us today? For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not from yourselves – it is the gift of God. It is not based on deeds, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). The emphasis here is on the grace of God, not the goodness of God’s people, and this emphasis is needed today (Titus 2:11-3:7). When we forget the grace of God, we become proud and start thinking that we deserve all that YHVH has done for us. Then, ADONAI has to remind us that we are blessed, not because we are good, but because He is good! That reminder might be very painful. That’s the theme of the next part of Moshe’s message.257
Dear Great Heavenly Father, How Merciful You are! All praise and glory for any victory won goes to You, not to us. Though we may have used our mind or physical strength to get the victory – it is You who so skillfully crafted our minds and body by just Your spoken word. You are amazing (Genesis 1:26-27)! It is a joy that when a battle comes, we do not have to trust in our own strength or wisdom, but we can lean into you for Your help and guidance. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all without hesitation and without reproach; and it will be given to him. (James 1:5). You are always right there near us to help and to guide us. For God Himself has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you,” (Hebrews 13:5c). We love to worship You. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen
Leave A Comment