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John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Deuteronomy 7:10

Verse 10 10.And repayeth them that hate him. There is no mention here made of the vengeance “unto the third and fourth generation? (222) Those who expound the passage that God confers kindnesses on the wicked, whilst they are living in this world, (223) that He may at length destroy them in final perdition, wrest the words too violently. Nor is the opinion of others probable, that God repays the wicked with the reward of hatred, in His face, or anger. I therefore interpret it to mean the face... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:1-11

A holy people's policy of self-preservation. We have in this paragraph a glance onward to the time when Israel's march through the wilderness would be completed, and when the people to whom God had given the land should be confronted with those who had it previously in possession. In our Homily on it let us observe— I. WE HAVE HERE POINTED OUT THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH ISRAEL WOULD TAKE POSSESSION OF THE LAND . 1. There was a great covenant promise... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:1-11

Israel's iconoclastic mission. Material idolatry is the great peril of humanity. To what corruption and misery such idolatry leads, we in Christianized England can scarcely conceive. What the history of our world would have been if that hotbed of Canaanite corruption had continued, it would be difficult to imagine. Many methods were open to God by which he might arrest that plague of vice; out of them all, his wisdom selected this , viz. to employ the Hebrews as his ministers of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:5-8

They were not only to have no fellowship with the idolaters, but they were to root out their idolatry, everting their altars and destroying their idols; and this because they were a holy people, graciously chosen of God to be his special possession—a high privilege and honor which they were to be careful not to cast away. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:6-8

On the election of rations. We are here introduced to remarkable words touching the election of, or we might say, selection of the Jews. The leading principles of the Divine administration are here set before us. The following points may be noticed:— I. THE JEWS WERE SELECTED NOT ON ACCOUNT OF ANY NATIONAL SUPERIORITY . Moses tells them that, numerically, they were the fewest of all people. It was not numerical strength, nor national advantages of any kind,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:6-9

Reasons for non-conformity to the world, and for aggression on its evil. I. THE HOLINESS OF OUR CALLING . ( Deuteronomy 7:6 .) The believer stands to God in the relation described in this verse. He is one chosen from the unholy mass to be peculiarly God's property. He belongs to God in body, soul, and spirit. He is a vessel for the Master's use. His every power is to be consecrated. What higher dignity could a human being sustain than that? But the obligations are coextensive... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:7

Set his love upon you. The Hebrew verb meaning primarily to cleave to, to be attached to, is used to express ardent and loving affection (cf. Genesis 34:8 ; Deuteronomy 10:15 ; Isaiah 38:17 ). The fewest of all people . It might have been supposed that, in choosing a people to be his special treasure, the Almighty would have selected some one of the great nations of the world; but, instead of that, he had chosen one of the smallest. They had, indeed, grown till now they were as the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:8

Because the Lord loved you. Targum Onkelos, "Because he had complacency in you;" Vulgate, quia vobis junctus est . "Instead of saying, He hath chosen you out of love to your fathers, as in Deuteronomy 4:37 , Moses brings out in this place love to the people of Israel as the Divine motive, not for choosing Israel, but for leading it out and delivering it from the slave-house of Egypt, by which God had practically carried out the election of the people, that he might thereby allure the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:9

To a thousand generations ; rather, to the thousandth generation . As God is faithful to his covenant, and will show mercy and do good to those that love him, whilst on those who hate him he will bring terrible retribution, the people are warned by this to take heed against rebellion and apostasy from him (comp. Exodus 20:5 ). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Deuteronomy 7:9-10

Lessons from history. I. A LESSON IN GOD 'S GOODNESS . In putting Israel into possession of the land of promise after so long a period of waiting, and at the cost of so much miracle, God gave the nation an irrefragable proof of his covenant-keeping faithfulness. How many difficulties, to the human eye, stood in the way of the fulfillment of that promise! And by what nice adjustments of providence, and what a subtly linked succession of events, was the fulfillment at length... read more

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