This small group Deuteronomy 7 Bible study guide contains commentary, discussion questions, cross-references, and application to encourage life change. Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.
Deuteronomy 7 Bible Study Commentary And Discussion Questions
Outline
I. Do not intermingle (1-6a)
II. God’s grace toward Israel (6b-10)
III. The blessings of obedience (11-16)
IV. Be bold and trust in God (17-26)
I. Do not intermingle (1-6a)
Discussion Questions
• What is the significance of the phrase, “When the Lord… brings you into the land” instead of “if?”
• What would be the source of their victory?
• Why should Israel not make a covenant with the people of the land?
• What command is given in verse 3?
• Why were they commanded not to intermarry?
• Is this command about ethnicity or faith?
• What is a New Testament command to believers that is similar to this one?
• What are the likely consequences when a believer marries an unbeliever?
• What would you say to a believer who is contemplating a serious romantic relationship with an unbeliever?
• How was Israel to approach the religions of the land?
• How should we approach other faiths today? Should we break down and burn their idols?
• What reason is given in verse 6 for Israel to be separate from the people in the land?
Cross-References
1 Corinthians 15:33 – Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”
2 Corinthians 7:1 – Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.
1 Peter 1:15-16 – But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. When not if –
Deuteronomy 7:1 – When the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it.
God was going to give Israel victory and bring them into the land. He promised this land to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3) hundreds of years before. Later, he promised it to Isaac and Jacob. Their victory was not a question of “if” but “when.”
All of God’s promises will be fulfilled in His good time.
Application – God’s promises to us will also be fulfilled in due time. Knowing this should build up our faith when the waiting seems long.
2. Devote them to complete destruction – This topic was shared about extensively in our study on Deuteronomy 2. See notes on that chapter for a detailed look at this command.
In this passage, the focus is specifically on intermarriage and the consequences of disobedience.
3. You shall not intermarry with them – God’s command to Israel cannot be more clear. They are forbidden from intermarriage with the pagan nations of the land. To make sure there were no loopholes, they were forbidden to marry either the men or women of the land.
Deuteronomy 7:4 – For they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.
The results of intermarriage would be devastating for their faith. Intermarriage would lead the Jews away from God. This was not an issue of ethnicity but of faith. Thus it is a command against interfaith relationships.
Marriage is the most intimate relationship people experience. It is impossible for a person not to be influenced in some way by their spouse.
Solomon is an example of this. He was the wisest person in the world, but his marriages to unbelieving women shipwrecked his faith in the Lord.
This is not only a command for Old Testament Jews. The same principle is true for believers in the church today. Paul taught extensively on this issue in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 – Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
Paul here makes five contrasts here as to why believers should not be bound together with unbelievers.
Righteousness vs. lawlessness – He contrasts righteousness and lawlessness. Believers have the righteousness of Christ. Unbelievers are enslaved to sin. The direction, purpose, and vision of their lives are at odds.
Light vs. darkness – Jesus has opened the eyes of believers and shown them the light. Unbelievers are in the dark, slaves of sin, and blind to the truth. Jesus also warned us to beware of “blind guides” (Matthew 15:14.) Generally, the two sides of a dating relationship will both give advice to the other side on many life issues. It would be unfair to be in this kind of relationship and never listen to the other side, but if you do listen to the other side, it is listening to a blind guide.
Christ vs. Belial (that is Satan) – No one can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). There is no middle. Either we belong to Christ or we belong to Satan. There should be no partnership between the two.
Believer vs. unbeliever – From 2 Corinthians 5:17, we know that the believer is a new creation; the old has gone and the new has come. One cannot mix old and new. The believer still has his old flesh nature as well as the new nature. The unbeliever only has a sinful nature, not a new nature. This will be two against one.
If you believe in God, then you know that He is the creator. He made you. He made you for a purpose. You will one day face Him. He is the highest being in the universe. He is the King of Kings. Now He sits on the throne. This belief should guide every aspect of your life, every decision that you make. Unbelievers do not believe or accept that.
The worldviews are completely incompatible.
Temple of God vs. idols – As believers, even our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. We are supposed to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God. Unbelievers are dedicated to fleshly desires: sex, money, security, big house, education, career, position, fame, etc. These cannot mix.
Even after that, he quotes God’s command that we be separate from the world. Romans 12:2 tells us not to conform to the world or its ways. We have to be set apart and dedicated to God. How can we be set apart to God if we are involved in a dating relationship with an unbeliever?
The dangers of intermarriage
There are many dangers of intermarriage.
Amos 3:3 – Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
Shouldn’t your closest companion be agreed with you on the most important thing in life? If two are not agreed on the most important things, there will be lots of problems later on. How will these problems be reconciled? Most likely, they will be solved by the believer giving in, at least a lot of the time.
Marriage is the most intimate and important relationship you can have. Whom you marry will have a dramatic effect on your life. Your spouse will influence you in big and small ways every day. But if you date or marry an unbeliever, there will be fundamental disagreements in almost every arena. Here are some examples:
• How to spend your money – Believers should practice giving offerings to God. Not only do they give God some part of what they make, but they also should seek to use it for His glory and His kingdom. The unbeliever is not interested in contributing to missions. Neither is he interested in investing in God’s kingdom. He wants to use it to satisfy his desires or get more.
• How to raise your children – Believers want to prepare their children to face God one day. So they desire to teach them the Bible and a Christian worldview. They want to teach their kids about the errors of evolution and train them from a young age to know and follow God. Unbelievers do not agree with these things. And what is more, their entire approach to education is different. Their vision for education is preparing them to be successful in this world. They will follow the culture around them. So will you give your kids a Christian education or a secular one? Will you send your kids to church or soccer league? Will you spend time having devotions with your kids or instead have them tutored to raise their grades? Will you discipline your kids or pamper them? These are a few of the thousands of potential areas of disagreement.
• How to spend your free time – Study the Bible, go to prayer meetings, or go see a movie? Spend Sundays worshiping God or going shopping? There is a fundamental disagreement on what is worth doing.
• What careers to pursue – One’s worldview affects his choice of career. Some careers may be unethical. Others may “require” doing something unethical to advance yourselves. Other times career and family or God may be at odds. How will you solve these conflicts with your spouse if your priorities are so different?
The list of potential disagreements is endless. One’s worldview affects everything about one’s life, every decision that one makes. If you marry an unbeliever, then you are putting yourself into a dangerous situation that will either stunt your spiritual growth or lead you away from the Lord completely.
The people around us influence us. We should proactively establish relationships with godly believers so that we can be strengthened in our faith. At the same time, we should avoid unhealthy relationships which will influence us negatively.
Proverbs 13:20 – Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.
Marriage is the best opportunity to have some walk alongside you and help you in your walk with the Lord. It can also represent the biggest risk to your relationship with God if you marry the wrong person.
Application – The application is very simple. Obey God’s command. Do not get married to or date an unbeliever. Also, encourage those around you to obey this command by giving them wise counsel.
Proverbs 6:27-28 – Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?
4. Break down their altars – God knew that allowing the pagan religious idols and relics to remain would ensnare the people. They would be curious about and attracted to these expensive, beautiful, artistic, and mystical objects.
Ephesians 4:27 – Give no opportunity to the devil.
God wanted His people to be holy and separate. They were not to intermingle with the pagan people in the land or become assimilated.
Even though God gave this command, Israel would soon start turning to idolatry. They did not obey this instruction and the result for them as a nation was catastrophic.
We should take note that this command was given to a specific people (the nation of Israel) at a specific time. God does not command all believers from all eras to destroy our neighbors’ idols.
My family was traveling in Indonesia and while we were in a car on the road we were praying for the country. One of my sons prayed that “God would send lightning from heaven to destroy their idols.” This started a good conversation about whether we should raze them as Israel did in the Old Testament.
Our conclusion was that we should do “all things for the sake of the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:23) Most likely, demolishing idols would cause great offense and push people away from the message of the gospel.
While God gave Israel this authority, we do not have this authority in many places today. But we do have this authority in our own homes and churches.
Application – We need to be aware of and deal with any negative influences that could become a snare to us or our families. God has given parents authority in the home and elders authority in the church. Those with authority should use it to get rid of sinful influences.
Reflect – What are some examples of bad influences that should not be allowed in the home?
Some examples of sinful influences to demolish and forbid in the home include:
• Pornography
• Sexually suggestive music, movies, and video games
• Idols, amulets, or superstitious good luck charms
• Items associated with black magic, such as tarot cards and certain video games
• Many types of books including those that are seductive, teach evolution, or advance LGBT ideas.
• Immodest clothing
Meanwhile, church leaders should guard the flock against false teachings. One way to apply this principle is to preview books available in the church library to make sure that they adhere to solid theology.
II. God’s grace toward Israel (6b-10)
Discussion Questions
• What can you learn from this passage about God’s relationship with Israel?
• What do you learn about God?
• What do you learn about Israel?
• Why did God choose them?
• How should Israel react to the fact that their relationship with God was wholly due to His grace and favor?
• Are we different than them?
• How should we react to God’s grace in our lives?
Cross-References
1 Peter 2:9 – But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Ephesians 1:4 – Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.
Romans 11:6 – But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.
Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. The Lord your God has chosen you –
Deuteronomy 7:6 – The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
Israel was chosen to be the recipients of God’s covenant. That fact should encourage them. It should embolden them and strengthen their faith.
At the same time, such knowledge could have the potential to puff them up. They could be tempted to become conceited and think, “I am special. I am chosen by God! He chose me and not others!”
However, the next verses make it clear that they were not chosen because of any inherent qualities that they possessed. It was not their number or their power. Other passages make it clear that it was not because they were better or more righteous than others (Deuteronomy 9:5). In fact, He calls them a “stubborn people” (Deuteronomy 9:6).
John the Baptist tried to teach humility to the self-righteous Pharisees by telling them not to be proud of their ancestry.
Matthew 3:9 – And do not presume to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
The Pharisees needed a healthy dose of humility. They needed to read and study Deuteronomy 7:6-10.
The Jews were not chosen because of their goodness. Neither are believers today. You are not better than your neighbors who are not saved. You are simply a recipient of grace. That grace should humble us.
Application – Next time you are tempted to be proud because of your spiritual condition, remind yourself that it is God’s grace. Remind yourself that apart from God’s breath of life in you, you are only dust (Psalms 90). Everything good we are we owe to Him. Humility is not thinking lower of ourselves than what we ought. It is simply having a correct view of ourselves, God, and His grace.
2. Why did He choose us? – He chose us because of His love (Deuteronomy 7:8). His choice of us magnifies His character. He is faithful.
Application – Take a moment and offer a prayer of thanks to God that He chose you. Thank Him for His love and faithfulness in your life. Meditate on the ways He has been faithful to you this week.
III. The blessings of obedience (11-16)
Discussion Questions
• What is the main point of verses 11-16?
• What would be the results of obedience?
• Does God make the same promises to us today?
• What are the results of obedience today?
• How can we develop a long-term perspective rather than focusing on short-term enjoyment?
Cross-References
Luke 6:46-49 – “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
Luke 11:28 – But he said “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Be careful to obey the commandments – The book of Deuteronomy contains 24 instances of this command to “be careful” to obey (5:1, 5:32, 6:3, 25, 7:11, 8:1, 11:22, 32, 12:1, 28, 32, 15:5, 16:12, 17:10, 19:9, 23:23, 24:8, 26:16, 28:1, 13, 15, 58, 31:12, 32:46). Clearly, this is a key theme in the book.
Deuteronomy is a review of the law. The law is summarized and repeated for a new generation. But it wasn’t only to be head knowledge. It was given for them to obey. Perhaps no book stresses the importance of obedience more than Deuteronomy.
Application – How important is obedience in your Christian walk? Do you consider a great sermon to be one that has many illustrations, or is deep theologically, or encourages you to obey? Is God’s Word changing your life on a regular basis?
We need to evaluate our walks with the Lord to consider how important obedience is to us and if we are being careful to obey His commands.
2. The result of obedience –
Going along with the theme of obedience, Deuteronomy is filled with promises of blessings for those who obey.
Verses 13-16 contain many of those promises.
• He will love you (13)
• He will bless you (13)
• He will multiply you (13)
• He will bless the fruit of your womb (13)
• He will bless the fruit of your ground (13)
• He will bless your grain (13)
• He will bless your wine (13)
• He will bless your oil (13)
• He will increase your herds (13)
• He will bring you into the promised land (13)
• He will bless you more than any others (14)
• You will not be barren (14)
• Your animals will not be barren (14)
• He will take away your sickness (15)
• You will be victorious over all the people (16)
We should take note that we cannot copy-paste these promises from the people of Israel to believers today. Under the Old Testament covenant, God chose to bless His people with many material blessings to tangibly show His power to them and their neighbors. Under the New Testament covenant, those blessings are generally spiritual (Ephesians 1:3-14). Be wary of those who take these verses out of context to preach material prosperity for believers today.
However, it is still true that obedience results in blessing, though not always material.
Reflect – What are some blessings that result from obedience today?
IV. Be bold and trust in God (17-26)
Discussion Questions
• What might cause the Israelites to be afraid of the people in the land?
• Did their parents pass this test?
• From verse 19, what should they think about to give them a much-needed courage boost?
• What can we learn from this about how our faith can be strengthened in the face of trials?
• From this passage, what can you learn about where their confidence should be placed?
• What kind of situations may cause you worry or fear today?
• How can this passage encourage you?
• What should our attitude be toward “abominable” things?
• What are some examples of abominable things we should stay away from today?
Cross-References
Joshua 1:9 – Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
2 Timothy 1:7 – For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
1 Corinthians 16:13 – Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Do not be afraid –
Deuteronomy 7:17-18 – “If you say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I. How can I dispossess them?’ you shall not be afraid of them.
The previous generation was afraid and said exactly these things. As a result, they refused to go into the land. Their fear got the better of them.
Fear can be a natural response. There will be times in our life when we are afraid. When those times come, we need to know what to do so that we can quickly deal with it.
Psalms 56:3-4 – When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?
This is a Psalm of David. He says, “When I am afraid,” implying that even this mighty warrior did have times of fear. But he dealt with it by quickly turning to God and deciding to trust in Him. That caused the feelings of fear to quickly dissipate (verse 4).
Application – Take any feelings of fear quickly to God. Resolve to trust in Him in the midst of it. Do not allow those feelings to overcome you and affect your faith and obedience.
2. Remember God’s faithfulness in history – One way to strengthen our faith and courage is to actively meditate on God’s past faithfulness. For the people of Israel, this meant remembering God’s deliverance of them in the Exodus from Egypt.
Seeing God’s faithfulness in the past would give them confidence that He would continue to protect them in the future.
Application – When you are tempted to worry, step back and consider the bigger picture. Think about the times God has watched over and blessed you in the past. Remember testimonies of His goodness in your life. This should calm you and help you face the future with the certainty that the same God who has been faithful before is still on His throne.
3. God is in your midst – This passage is filled with assurances that God would give them victory. He said that He would send hornets among them to drive them out. In addition, He promised that God would give them over into their hands. Even the enemy kings would be defeated before them. No one would be able to stand.
But the most assuring promise of all is found in verse 21.
Deuteronomy 7:21 – You shall not be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God.
The Lord would be in their midst. He would be present with them. Because God was on their side, they had nothing to fear.
Application – We would do well to remember that God is also in our midst. He has not abandoned us. He will not forget us. He knows much more about what we are facing than we know ourselves. After all, God knows the exact number of hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7).
4. Do not bring anything abominable into your house – The Lord gives them a clear boundary to help them avoid any possibility of temptation. They may have wanted to hold on to certain valuable objects and told themselves, “I am not going to worship the idol. But it is made out of gold. I will just store it somewhere in my house.”
Such behavior was highly dangerous. Throughout Scripture, we are warned to flee temptation (2 Timothy 2:22). Trying to play with fire is dangerous and will likely result in burns.
Application – Consider if there are any harmful influences in your home. If so, clean house.
