Who Is Doing The Work?

Deuteronomy is the fifth book in the Bible in the section called the “Pentateuch”, which are the five books of Moses. Penta meaning five, and teuchos meaning scroll or book. In Deuteronomy, Moses is 120 years old and he delivers a series of farewell messages aimed at the people who will take possession of the promised land.

As I read these two verses below in chapter 7, you will notice the words in Bold which are key words that stood out to me.

Deuteronomy 7:1-2
1 “​​When the Lord your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, ​​seven nations greater and stronger than you,
2 and when the Lord your God delivers them before you and you ​defeat them, ​​then you shall ​utterly destroy them. ​​You shall make no covenant with them ​​and show no favor to them.”

One truth found here is that God is the one who does the work, not us. We are simply to follow Him and leave the results to Him. Notice the words “God shall bring you into the land”. The key words here is “God shall”. Not “we shall” or “I shall”.

God is calling Israel to “possess” the land and He “shall clear away” the nations standing in the way. But notice that it was “seven nations greater and stronger then you…” Israel was not capable of defeating and clearing away all these nations. It simply was not possible. Moses said, “the Lord your God shall deliver them before them…you shall defeat them…”

All the people had to do was attack and watch God do the work. God’s promise was that “you shall utterly destroy them”. Many times life can feel impossible and you ask, “How will I be able to get through the difficulties I’m facing?” The truth of this passage is that God wants us to walk with Him, trust Him, and ask Him to walk before you to pave the way through the issues you’re facing.

Why not stop fretting and give God control and ask Him to go ahead of you. God is a big enough to take care of your issues, your emotions, and disappointments. Life will never be perfect but we have a faithful and loving God who promises to be by your side.