Deuteronomy 7:1-2 - "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, 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."
God told Israel that when they entered the land they were to drive out the inhabitants of the land completely. He reiterates it in Numbers 33:51-52, 55-56 where He says - "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images and demolish all their high places; But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live. And as I plan to do to them, so I will do to you.’"
But they didn't listen to Him. When Israel entered the promised land they compromised time and time again.
Joshua 15:63 - "Now as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah could not drive them out; so the Jebusites live with the sons of Judah at Jerusalem until this day."
Joshua 16:10 - "But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites live in the midst of Ephraim to this day, and they became forced laborers."
Joshua 17:12-13 - "But the sons of Manasseh could not take possession of these cities, because the Canaanites persisted in living in that land. It came about when the sons of Israel became strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely."
They put the people of the land into bondage. They compromised, and instead of driving them out completely they simply made them slaves, but that's not what God told them to do.
At another time they said they could not drive the people out because they had iron chariots, but God said to them in Joshua 17:18 - "But the hill country shall be yours. For though it is a forest, you shall clear it, and to its farthest borders it shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, even though they have chariots of iron and though they are strong." But Judges 1:19 says - "Now the Lord was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots."
In fact the whole first chapter of the book of judges lists compromise after compromise that Israel made.
Verse 21 - "But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day."
Verse 27-28 - "But Manasseh did not take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; so the Canaanites persisted in living in that land. It came about when Israel became strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely."
Verse 29 - "Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer; so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them."
Verse 30 - "Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol; so the Canaanites lived among them and became subject to forced labor."
Verse 31-32 - "Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, or of Achzib, or of Helbah, or of Aphik, or of Rehob. So the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out."
Verse 33 - "Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, but lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; and the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath became forced labor for them."
Verse 34-35 - "Then the Amorites forced the sons of Dan into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the valley; yet the Amorites persisted in living in Mount Heres, in Aijalon and in Shaalbim; but when the power of the house of Joseph grew strong, they became forced labor."
They transgressed the command of the Lord and instead of driving out the people of the land, in many cases, they pressed them into forced labor. But that's not what God told them to do! After all this compromise the angel of the Lord comes to the people again and reminds them of what the Lord told them at first. Judges 2:1-3 says - "Now the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you, and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done? Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they will become as thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.’"
The word which God had spoken to them at first surely came to pass. Because of their compromise everything God said would happen to them did. And once you compromise it just becomes easier and easier to do. By the time we reach Judges chapter 3, instead of just having them as slaves, the people of Israel are intermarrying with the Canaanites and worshiping their Gods, all because they didn't do what God had told them to do at first.
As Gods people we cannot afford to compromise. Compromise with the world always leads to conformity to the world. In Romans 12 we're told to not be conformed to this world, and that means not compromising with them. There are so many people who call themselves Christians who try to mix Gods word with popular theory. There are people, for instance, who will manipulate the creation account to make it fit with the evolution theory. The Word of God is the standard. We cannot compromise. In Second Corinthians 6 it says "'Come out from among them and be separate,' says the Lord" God wants us to be separate form the world. He says "what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?" God wants us to stand firm and not compromise with the world. And He tells us how to do this in Ephesians 6:10-18 where we read - "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints."
We can't let down our guard. We need to check everything against the Word of God, and stand firm in what God has said. No compromise.
God told Israel that when they entered the land they were to drive out the inhabitants of the land completely. He reiterates it in Numbers 33:51-52, 55-56 where He says - "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you cross over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their figured stones, and destroy all their molten images and demolish all their high places; But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall come about that those whom you let remain of them will become as pricks in your eyes and as thorns in your sides, and they will trouble you in the land in which you live. And as I plan to do to them, so I will do to you.’"
But they didn't listen to Him. When Israel entered the promised land they compromised time and time again.
Joshua 15:63 - "Now as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah could not drive them out; so the Jebusites live with the sons of Judah at Jerusalem until this day."
Joshua 16:10 - "But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites live in the midst of Ephraim to this day, and they became forced laborers."
Joshua 17:12-13 - "But the sons of Manasseh could not take possession of these cities, because the Canaanites persisted in living in that land. It came about when the sons of Israel became strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely."
They put the people of the land into bondage. They compromised, and instead of driving them out completely they simply made them slaves, but that's not what God told them to do.
At another time they said they could not drive the people out because they had iron chariots, but God said to them in Joshua 17:18 - "But the hill country shall be yours. For though it is a forest, you shall clear it, and to its farthest borders it shall be yours; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, even though they have chariots of iron and though they are strong." But Judges 1:19 says - "Now the Lord was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had iron chariots."
In fact the whole first chapter of the book of judges lists compromise after compromise that Israel made.
Verse 21 - "But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day."
Verse 27-28 - "But Manasseh did not take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; so the Canaanites persisted in living in that land. It came about when Israel became strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but they did not drive them out completely."
Verse 29 - "Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who were living in Gezer; so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them."
Verse 30 - "Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol; so the Canaanites lived among them and became subject to forced labor."
Verse 31-32 - "Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, or of Achzib, or of Helbah, or of Aphik, or of Rehob. So the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out."
Verse 33 - "Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, but lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; and the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and Beth-anath became forced labor for them."
Verse 34-35 - "Then the Amorites forced the sons of Dan into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the valley; yet the Amorites persisted in living in Mount Heres, in Aijalon and in Shaalbim; but when the power of the house of Joseph grew strong, they became forced labor."
They transgressed the command of the Lord and instead of driving out the people of the land, in many cases, they pressed them into forced labor. But that's not what God told them to do! After all this compromise the angel of the Lord comes to the people again and reminds them of what the Lord told them at first. Judges 2:1-3 says - "Now the angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land which I have sworn to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you, and as for you, you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed Me; what is this you have done? Therefore I also said, ‘I will not drive them out before you; but they will become as thorns in your sides and their gods will be a snare to you.’"
The word which God had spoken to them at first surely came to pass. Because of their compromise everything God said would happen to them did. And once you compromise it just becomes easier and easier to do. By the time we reach Judges chapter 3, instead of just having them as slaves, the people of Israel are intermarrying with the Canaanites and worshiping their Gods, all because they didn't do what God had told them to do at first.
As Gods people we cannot afford to compromise. Compromise with the world always leads to conformity to the world. In Romans 12 we're told to not be conformed to this world, and that means not compromising with them. There are so many people who call themselves Christians who try to mix Gods word with popular theory. There are people, for instance, who will manipulate the creation account to make it fit with the evolution theory. The Word of God is the standard. We cannot compromise. In Second Corinthians 6 it says "'Come out from among them and be separate,' says the Lord" God wants us to be separate form the world. He says "what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?" God wants us to stand firm and not compromise with the world. And He tells us how to do this in Ephesians 6:10-18 where we read - "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints."
We can't let down our guard. We need to check everything against the Word of God, and stand firm in what God has said. No compromise.
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