there is a whole additional aspect of spiritual, supernatural warfare happening here—concerns that go beyond property and land. These fallen divine beings were also behind some of the conflict between Israel and the Canaanites and give us additional insight into why these battles were important. God didn’t want his people, the Israelites, to be influenced and corrupted by false gods whose culture might persuade Israel to participate in the evil practices and worship of these false gods. We see God saying precisely this in offering this warning from Deuteronomy 20:16–18: “However, in the cities
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