God promised to make a great nation from Abraham's family. This would be the nation from which Christ would come. After Moses died, Joshua became the new leader for the children of Israel and was charged with the task of delivering them into their homeland. Joshua was given explicit instructions from God that should the Canaanites refuse to leave this land, the Jews must wipe them out. It was made undeniable apparent that the Canaanites were incredibly immoral and idolatrous people; so much so that the Jews could not live with them as neighbors. God was using the Israelites as his sword of judgment. Israel needed a land, a space to develop a culture as a people, set apart from other peoples, for the redemption of all peoples. They needed
