Deuteronomy 7:18

7:12-26 We are in danger of having fellowship with the works of darkness if we take pleasure in fellowship with those who do such works. Whatever brings us into a snare, brings us under a curse. Let us be constant to our duty, and we cannot question the constancy of God's mercy. Diseases are God's servants; they go where he sends them, and do what he bids them. It is therefore good for the health of our bodies, thoroughly to mortify the sin of our souls; which is our rule of duty. Yet sin is never totally destroyed in this world; and it actually prevails in us much more than it would do, if we were watchful and diligent. In all this the Lord acts according to the counsel of his own will; but that counsel being hid from us, forms no excuse for our sloth and negligence, of which it is in no degree the cause. We must not think, that because the deliverance of the church, and the destruction of the enemies of the soul, are not done immediately, therefore they will never be done. God will do his own work in his own method and time; and we may be sure that they are always the best. Thus corruption is driven out of the hearts of believers by little and little. The work of sanctification is carried on gradually; but at length there will be a complete victory. Pride, security, and other sins that are common effects of prosperity, are enemies more dangerous than beasts of the field, and more apt to increase upon us.

Thou shalt not be afraid of them,.... Neither on account of their number, nor their strength: but shall well remember what the Lord thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt; a people more numerous and potent than the Canaanites, among whom the Lord wrought such wonderful things by his power, which obliged them to let Israel go; and his power was now the same, he could do as great things to the Canaanites as he had to the Egyptians; and as he had delivered them out of the hands of the Egyptians, he could as easily deliver the Canaanites into their hands, and put them into the possession of their country.

Deuteronomy 7:18-19 . Thou shalt remember what the Lord thy God did — Frequently and considerately, for thy encouragement; for people are said to forget those things which they do not remember to good purpose. The great temptations — The trials and exercises of thy faith, and obedience to my commands.

(18) Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember . . . Egypt. —No free nation could ever have the same ground for terror as a nation of slaves rising up against its masters. If Israel had been delivered by Jehovah in that position, it was a security for all time that He would give them the victory in every enterprise He called them to undertake.

There seems to be here not so much as a reference to the plagues inflicted miraculously by God on Egypt (compare Exodus 15:26 ), as to the terrible diseases with which, above other countries, Egypt was infested. Compare Deuteronomy 28:27 , Deuteronomy 28:35 . It is not without significance that Egypt, which represents in Scripture the world as contrasted with the Church, should thus above other lands lie under the power of disease and death.

15. the evil diseases of Egypt—(See Ex 15:26). Besides those with which Pharaoh and his subjects were visited, Egypt has always been dreadfully scourged with diseases. The testimony of Moses is confirmed by the reports of many modern writers, who tell us that, notwithstanding its equal temperature and sereneness, that country has some indigenous maladies which are very malignant, such as ophthalmia, dysentery, smallpox, and the plague.

Westphal, Sources du Pent. ii. 111. whither ye go over to possess it ] A formula distinctive of the Pl. passages occurring, besides here, Deuteronomy 4:14 , Deuteronomy 11:8 ; Deuteronomy 11:11 ; whereas when the Sg. passages use the verb go over they add the Jordan , Deuteronomy 9:1 , Deuteronomy 30:18 , but elsewhere prefer the equivalent phrase, the land whither thou art entering (or thou art entering the land ), Deuteronomy 6:18 , Deuteronomy 7:1 , Deuteronomy 9:5 , Deuteronomy 11:10 ; Deuteronomy 11:29 , Deuteronomy 12:29 , Deuteronomy 18:9 , Deuteronomy 23:20 , Deuteronomy 28:21 ; Deuteronomy 28:63 , Deuteronomy 30:16 . The only verse in which this phrase occurs with the Pl. Isaiah 4:5 b ( q.v. ); while Deuteronomy 4:1 (Pl.) gives a variation.

To suppress the thought that was rising up in their heart, how could it be possible for them to destroy these nations which were more numerous than they, the Israelites were to remember what the Lord had done in Egypt and to Pharaoh, namely, the great temptations, signs, and wonders connected with their deliverance from Egypt (cf. Deuteronomy 4:34 and Deuteronomy 6:22 ). He would do just the same to the Canaanites.