You Shall Drive Them Out

Daily Devotional – Thursday, November 9, 2023
Then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you…
Numbers 33:52 (NKJV)

When cracks appeared on one of the walls of his relatively new house, John summoned the contractor for an explanation. While pointing to John’s favorite mango tree near the verandah, the builder said, “Sir, you insisted we should not uproot this tree. Its roots are expanding towards the walls, hence the cracks.”

Get Rid of Them

John’s heart sank. He realized he was the cause of the problem. He had allowed his love for the tree, its fruits, and its shade to blind him. Now, he would have to uproot the tree to save his house. He could not have both the tree and his house in good condition. One must give way to the other.

John’s story mirrors that of the Israelites. Before they entered Canaan, God told them, “Then you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their engraved stones, destroy all their molded images, and demolish all their high places.” (Numbers 33:52).

They Shall Be Irritants

The Lord also gave a warning: “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then it shall be that those whom you let remain shall be irritants in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall harass you in the land where you dwell” (Verse 55).

Like the tree John had refused to uproot, the Canaanites that the Israelites would refuse to drive away would become a thorn in their flesh. They would destabilize the Israelites and lead them away from God. Did the children of Israel listen to God?

They Did Not Drive Them Out

Here is a sample of their responses: “Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, but the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land. And it happened, when the children of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor but did not utterly drive them out.” (Joshua 17:12-13).

We, too, can fall into the same trap. God desires that we become totally committed to Him.
He demands of us that we make a complete separation between us and sin. When we entertain sin in our lives, even what we think is of little significance, we risk leaving the Lord and swimming in sin.

You Shall Drive Them Out

Concerning the sins you may still be entertaining, God insists, “You shall drive them out.” Search deep within you for any area of weakness that you have not conquered. Submit yourself to God and ask Him for power to overcome and ensure you get rid of all sin from your life.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, empower me to drive out all remaining sin from my life.