And when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this service in this month. (Exodus 13:5 ESV)
I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. (Exodus 33:2 ESV)
Over the years I've become more aware of the Sovereignty of God in that He knows what is best for my life. Sometimes I have failed miserably and tried to do things my way only to realize that my way is not the best way.
As Moses leads The Children Of Israel away from Egypt toward the Promised Land - what they expected to receive was this - a land of milk and honey and prosperity and peace. Little did they know of the obstacles to be placed in their path by God Himself.
These obstacles started as soon as the left the nest of Egypt. As they were camped by the Red Sea, the Egyptian Army began bearing down on them. There was no place to go. Moses, on their behalf cried out to God and God opened the Red Sea for them to go through to the other side. As the Egyptians followed them - they were then drowned in the sea.
Did you notice in these passages that God would bring them into the land of Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites and the Perizzites? This is significant because these were things that God wanted to cut away from them.
In other words, when delivering us - God sometimes surrounds us with the things we need deliverance from.
Look at the word means of these cities:
Canaanites: These people mostly dwelled in the "lowlands." Isn't it interesting that God takes us to the "lowlands" of our life in bringing deliverance to us. He exposes the things that repulsive to Him so that will not be allured by what they offer.
Hittites: According to The Theological WorkBook Of The Old Testament - their name is rooted in the word "broken." Are you broken? Are you hurt and wounded? Our God knows that to overcome "brokenness" in our lives - we have to deal with brokenness.
I deal with a lot of brokenness around me. A lot. People often say to me "I telling you this because I know you understand." They understand that I've dealt with a lot of brokenness is my own life. They know that I "get it." I would never been able to understand them had I not gone through the brokenness of my own life.
Amorites: This is an interesting word. It's root meaning is pride. Often, is trying to break the pride out of my life - God brings me into situations where I have to kill my pride all over again.
Hivites: There name means "tent dweller." I look at that and think of people who are never settled - moving from one place to another. Do you have those roots in your life? Is there a tendency to never get settled in a church or in a job? Do the responsibilities of life overwhelm you and do you shrug from planting your feet in life?
Israel was a lot like this in life? They were nomads, shepherds who wandered here and there. God was wanting to help them get rooted and settled.
Jebusites: There is much in the Bible about the Jebusites. Their name means "to trample down." You could take this two different ways - 1- they treaded upon other people or 2- the were treaded upon.
Have you had to deal with this in your own life? Do you tend to be a little overbearing with other people? Is this an area that God continues to deal with in you?
Or, on the other hand - are you a doormat for others? Do people trample all over you? Do they take advantage of you?
God wants to help you with these areas in your life. In deliverance, God will expose you to the very thing you need to deal with.
Perizzites: "Dwellers in unwalled villages". These are the people who have no boundaries in life. They will do anything and go anywhere. Have you been besought by these people or have you lived your life this way? Is God dealing with you about certain disciplines in life. "Others can but I cannot."
With each of these places - there were lessons that God wanted them to learn. In a way, as the children of Israel exited Egypt, they were like students just graduating from High School. They were now adults and could make choices for themselves. God brought them to these places to show and reveal to them what their hearts were really like.
It is interesting in Exodus 33:2 God promises that He will send an angel among them and "cut them off" from these wicked places and things in their lives.
Perhaps God is pruning you right now. Perhaps He is exposing you to some things that will eventually destroy you. Trust God's sovereignty and trust God's direction. Put your hand in His and allow Him to cut off all that is holding you back from the fullest blessings of God. God has a great victory ahead of you as you do this today.
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