1 NOW these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;
2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;
3 Namely, afive lords of the
Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that
dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entering in of
Hamath.
4 And they were to prove
Israela by them, to know whether
they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded
their fathers by the hand of Moses.
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4a to prove Israel This life
is a test and a probation that we may be proven herewith as to the our faith
and dedication unto the Lord. What is of interest is that Israel of the Old
World follows that same cyclic pattern as do the Nephites in the New World.
That is they come unto the Lord, they prosper, pride and wickedness begins
and sets in, then the Lord must humble them by afflictions, they then repent,
and return unto the Lord and the cycle begins again. In this chapter two
such 'cycles' are recorded, one has the affliction administered by the king
of Mesopotamia and the other by the king of Moab. In each case when Israel
returns and calls upon the Lord, the Lord responds by providing them
deliverance from their affliction. This is one benefit of affliction, it
keeps us humble and reliant upon the Lord.
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