Sometimes we think that a new location is the solution to all our problems, so we change jobs or addresses. It has well been said that a change in geography does not overcome a flaw in character. A change can bring out the best in us, but it might bring out the worst in us.
有的时候，我们认为一个新的环境能解决所有的问题，所以我们选择更换工作或住址。然而，地理位置是无法改变性格上的缺陷。改变或许能带出我们最好的一面，但它也有可能带出我们最糟的一面。
Moses warned that the new land could be a place of entanglement (vv. 1–4, 29–32) if the people disobeyed God. Today’s pluralistic society tends to treat all religious faiths alike, but God demands that we worship and serve Him alone.
摩西警告，如果百姓在一个新的地方违背神，这地可能会成为一片网罗（1-4节、29-32节）。今日的多元社会倾向于把所有宗教信仰视为同等，但神要我们唯独敬拜事奉祂。
The land would be a place of enjoyment (vv. 5–19) if they followed the Lord, for God would give them safety, rest, and blessing. We receive our spiritual inheritance by God’s grace (Eph. 1:3), and we claim it by faith; but we enjoy it only if we are obedient to His will.
如果百姓跟随主，这地能成为他们享乐之地（5-19节），因神会保护他们，赐予祝福和安息。我们因着神的恩典得到各样属灵的福气（弗1:3），而我们是凭信心领受这一切的；唯有当我们顺从祂的旨意时，我们才得以享福。
The land was to be a place of enlargement (vv. 26–28) as the people trusted God to give them victory. God wants to enlarge our lives; however, we must be careful that enlargement does not result in estrangement from God. It is folly to gain ground materially but lose it spiritually.
由于百姓信靠神给予他们胜利，所以这地也是以色列将扩展的地方（26-28节）。神要扩展我们的生命，但我们要小心不得因此疏远神。获得物质利益却丢失属灵福气是件很愚蠢的事。
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- Why did the Lord want to destroy Canaanites and give their land to Israelites? It is because the religions of the Canaanite peoples were both false and extremely filthy. They worshiped a multitude of gods and goddesses, chiefly Baal, the storm god, and Asherah, his consort. The wooden “Asherah poles” (groves) were sex symbols, and the people made use of temple prostitutes as they sought to worship their gods. Since the major goal of the Canaanite religion was fertility for themselves and for their crops, they established places of worship on the mountains and hills (“the high places”) so as to get closer to the gods. They also worshiped under the large trees, which were also symbols of fertility. Their immoral religious practices were a form of magic with which they hoped to please the gods and influence the powers of nature to give them bountiful crops. But Moses pointed out that anything idolatrous remaining in the land was dangerous because it might become a tool for the devil to use in tempting Israel. Paul warns us, “Neither give place to the devil.” (Eph. 4:27) Whenever we disobey the Lord and cherish that which He wants us to destroy, we provide Satan with a foothold in our lives. Israel was even to wipe out the names of the pagan deities, because their names might be used in occult practices to cast spells. Let’s pray that we obey God fully and trust His wisdom and not our understanding.
主为何要毁灭迦南人并把他们的土地赐给以色列呢？这是因为迦南人的敬虔都是虚假的，而且极其污秽。他们崇拜众多的神，其中最主要有巴力, 即风暴之神和它的伴侣亚舍拉。木制的“偶像 ” （柱）是性的标志，而迦南人敬拜神的时候是借着庙妓的。由于迦南人敬拜的主要目的是为了自己的生育和庄稼的生产，他们便在山地和丘陵建立敬拜的场所（“高处”），想借此接近他们的神。他们也在大树下敬拜，是因为大树是生育能力的标志。迦南人希望通过众多不道德的宗教习俗，形成一种魔力取悦他们的神，并影响自然界的力量赐予他们丰富的作物。然，摩西指出存留在迦南地任何与偶像相关的东西都是危险的，因为它可能会成为魔鬼的工具诱惑以色列人。保罗警告我们“不可给魔鬼留地步。”（弗4:27）每当我们违背神，珍惜祂命我们要毁灭的东西时，我们便是让撒旦有机可乘了。以色列人甚至必须涂抹所有异教神的名，因为这些名字可能会在邪教的习俗里被用来施法。让我们祈祷，不要依靠自己的聪明，而是完全顺服神并信靠祂的智慧。
