The Hebrew title for the book of Deuteronomy is 'Haddebharim'; 'ha' meaning 'the', and 'dabar' meaning 'Word', taken from the opening phrase in Deuteronomy 1:1 that says, 'These are the words...', addressed to the new generation destined to possess the Promised Land (i.e. those who survived the forty years of wandering in the wilderness). This book is therefore God's words ('dabar') for the new generation of people, a 'picture' of you and I in the New Covenant today!
The 'land' (i.e. the Promised Land) mentioned in Deuteronomy 7:1-2 speaks of 'God's inheritance and promises for your life'. Notice it is the Lord your God who 'brings you into the land' and 'has cast out many nations before you'.
The 'seven nations' mentioned here are 'symbolic' of 'the enemies illegally occupying your 'land' (i.e. your life, family, ministry, or vocation)', just like sicknesses (and viruses) illegally occupying your body! You see, these 'nations' were not supposed to be there in the Promised Land! They are the 'illegal occupants', and they have not been given the permission from the Lord to occupy the land!
Genesis 15:18-21 says, '...the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates - the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."'
Notice the word 'covenant' here? It means an agreement or a promise that cannot be broken! Notice 'To your descendants' here? Abraham's descendants! Are you Abraham's descendants? Yes! Galatians 3:29 says, 'And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed (i.e. offspring, descendants), and heirs according to the promise'!
Let's study some Hebrew words now to find out the symbolic meanings of each of these 'seven nations', and how 'you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them' (see Deuteronomy 7:2 again) - by the Word of God!
Hittites
'Khittee' in Hebrew, from the word 'khayth', meaning 'fear, terror, dread'.
The first weapon the enemy usually comes against you is by causing fear, terror or dread.
But the Word of God says:
'You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked' (Psalm 91:5-8)
'For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind' (2 Timothy 1:7)
Girgashites
'Girgashiy' in Hebrew, from the word 'garah', meaning 'strive, contention'.
The enemy likes it when you strive and struggle, instead of relying on God's grace (ability, supply) and being at rest in the Lord.
But the Word of God says:
'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you' (2 Chronicles 20:15, 2 Chronicles 20:17)
'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge' (Psalm 46:10-11)
Amorites
'Emoriy' in Hebrew, from the word 'amar', meaning 'challenge, boasting'.
The enemy likes to boast against you, and taunt you into giving up, like what Goliath did to Israel.
But the Word of God says:
'You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied' (1 Samuel 17:45)
'Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear, for the battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands' (1 Samuel 17:47)
Canaanites
'Kenaaniy' in Hebrew, from the word 'kenaan', meaning 'humiliation, shame'.
The enemy likes to humiliate you and shame you, reminding you of those dark past, sins and mistakes of yours.
But the Word of God says:
'Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame; for you will forget the shame of your youth, and will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore. For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth' (Isaiah 54:4-5)
'There is therefore now no (never, not at all, not even one) condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit' (Romans 8:1)
Perrizites
'Perizziy' in Hebrew, from the word 'paraz', meaning 'separation, nakedness'.
The enemy wants to separate you from God, just as he did to Adam and Eve (they saw their own nakedness and began to hide from God).
But the Word of God says:
'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us' (Romans 8:35, Romans 8:37)
'For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord' (Romans 8:38-39)
Hivites
'Khivvee' in Hebrew, from the word 'khavvaw', meaning 'smallness, self-pity'.
The enemy wants to make you feel 'small', miserable and discouraged, like a snake (a python that 'constricts the victim') squeezes life and energy out of you.
But the Word of God says:
'What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies' (Romans 8:31-33)
'You are of God, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4)
Jebusites
'Yebuwciy' in Hebrew, from the word 'yebuwc', meaning 'trample, oppression'.
The enemy wants to trample you (put you down), making you oppressed and depressed, so you will not fulfill all that the Lord wants you to fulfill.
But the Word of God says:
'Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you' (Luke 10:19)
'All (any, every, the whole, whatsoever) authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen' (Matthew 28:18-20)
People of God, whatever the 'illegal occupants' may be in your life at the moment, speak and declare the Word of God aloud, so that your ears will hear! Romans 10:17 says, 'So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God'! You may even want to 'personalize' these words of the Lord for yourself! Go ahead! And this is how you overcome! By the Word of God that you speak and declare aloud! 1 John 5:4 says, 'For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith'!
Hallelujah! Amen!
