The Sons of Canaan, Part One
A Devotional Series from Genesis
Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
7/26 Reading Portions: Judges 9; Acts 13; Jeremiah 22; Mark 8
Genesis 10:15
Canaan fathered Sidon his firstborn and Heth,
CAUGHT
The descendants of Canaan lived throughout the territory known as the Promised Land, that property west of the Jordan River spanning westward to the Mediterranean Sea. The Canaanites were never completely conquered by Israel after God’s people entered the Promised Land. One of the reasons for this is that entering the Promised Land was a foreshadow of entering the promises of God’s gospel through faith in Christ. Although we are saved, there are still spiritual battles to be fought in our lives.
Sidon was known as a wealthy commercial seaport on the coast of the Mediterranean, north of the Promised Land, twelve miles from Tyre in Syria. Sidon’s name comes from a Hebrew root, צוּד (tzood), which means “to catch” by lying in wait for prey. Riches and wealth are not evil in and of themselves; yet when the love of money arises, it may give birth to all kinds of evil (1 Tim 6:10). Cities, situations, and circumstances like Sidon and the Sidonians are allowed in our lives as opportunities to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, forsaking covetousness that comes with wealth and riches that might appear alongside our sojourn upon this fallen planet. Jesus said,
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Matthew 6:24
Heth was the patriarch of the Hittites. Heth’s name in Hebrew, חֵת (chāt), means “terror.” While it was from the Hittites that Abraham purchased a cave in the field of Machpelah to bury Sarah after her death (Gen 23:1-20), the sons of Heth, or if you will, the “sons of terror” had grown in reputation as being so fierce and terrifying, that the thought of fighting them frightened the Syrian army (2 Ki 7:6). There may be times in our lives when we may face terrifying persons, but when we have willingly surrendered to Christ, keeping our lives free therefore from the love of money because we love Christ Jesus first and foremost, the Holy Spirit will remind us regularly that Jesus is with us by the Spirit’s omnipresent work, and that we need not fear the terror of men; as it is written,
Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6
Hallelujah! What a Savior!