22 The Lord your God will clear away these nations before you little by little. You may not make an end of them at once, lest the wild beasts grow too numerous for you. Deuteronomy 7:22 ESV
Some verses on the Bible are clear. "Jesus wept." Others murky. Such as the locusts in Revelation that had "on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, 8 their hair like women's hair, and their teeth like lions' teeth." Yet another group require just a quick trip to a commentary for illumination. Deuteronomy 7:22 falls into this category.
God had promised the people of Israel lands flowing with milk and honey. Vast tracts of land were to be given to His chosen people. The entire Exodus took place so that the God's elect could conquer, through God's hand, nations of peoples who did not recognize Yahweh as the only true God. But this domination was to come "little by little". Not through one awe-inspiring battle or sword-wielding angelic army. God was using "ordinary" means to fulfill His promise to the 12 tribes. Wouldn't one miraculous, game-changing event have demonstrated God's power and sovereignty more than a long-drawn out campaign? BOOM! It's done. "I am ELOHIM! Don't mess with Me or My elect."
Perhaps, but we neglected to account for the "wild beasts". Huh? This where the commentaries came in handy. Had God elected to destroy in one fell swoop the tens and hundreds of thousands of people living in the land promised to Israel, the areas would have been overrun with wild beasts gathering to feed on the carcasses. Predators and scavengers alike would have gathered, dined, and become problematic for the conquering Jews.
God knows not only our capacity for temptation and suffering, but He also knows our capacity for victory. A stellar rise up the corporate ladder results in an inflated sense of self. A miraculous cure from cancer fails to produce the depth of relationship with Jehovah Nissi. The overnight release from an addition keeps us off our knees in fervent, sustained prayer.
Success too quickly produces a weak faith, a sense of entitlement, a "look-what-I-did" attitude. God can, and may produce a miraculous victory in your life. If that is the case thank and praise Him. But for most of us, expect victories to be "little by little lest the wild beasts grow too numerous."
No comments:
Post a Comment