Yes — Israel's failure to fully obey God's command to destroy the Canaanites led directly to idolatry and the very corruption God had warned them about.
God gave the Canaanites roughly 400 years to turn from their iniquity, but they only went deeper into wickedness. He therefore told Israel not to spare a single one, warning that sons and grandsons would become like them if the land were not cleansed. Instead, the Canaanites took Israel into idolatry, and within a short time Israel served Baal and other pagan gods, even sacrificing their children in the fire.
Genesis 15:16 — God tells Abraham why Israel must wait 400 years before entering Canaan: the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
2 Kings 17:16-17 — This passage records the outcome of Israel's disobedience — they left God's commandments, served Baal, and caused their children to pass through the fire.
The Bible reveals that God did not send Israel into Canaan until the iniquity of the Amorites was full (Genesis 15:16). After Israel entered the land, the people of Israel were joined to the heathen nations around them and walked in their statutes. Second Kings 17 records that they set up images and groves in every high hill, left all the commandments of the LORD their God, made molten images, served Baal, and caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire. These verses show that the consequence of not removing the Canaanites was Israel's total assimilation into Canaanite idolatry and immorality.
Les Feldick explains that God waited almost 490 years from Abraham's call until Joshua led Israel in, giving the Canaanites time to turn from their iniquity. Instead they went deeper into wickedness, so God instructed Israel not to spare a single one, warning that if the land was not cleansed, their sons and grandsons would become like them. Les then shows from 2 Kings 17 that exactly what God predicted happened: the Canaanite people took Israel right into idolatry. Israel walked in the statutes of the heathen, worshiped at idols on every high hill, and ultimately sacrificed their own children to the god Moloch.
God gave the Canaanites roughly 400 years to straighten up their act, because their iniquity was not yet full (Genesis 15:16). Les says that instead of turning from their wickedness, they went deeper and deeper into immorality and abominations. When Joshua led Israel in, God said not to spare a single one — the land had to be totally cleansed or Israel's sons and grandsons would become just like them.
Les says the Canaanite people had exactly the effect God promised: they took Israel right into idolatry. Reading from 2 Kings 17, he shows that Israel walked in the statutes of the heathen, set up images and groves on every high hill, and served idols that God had forbidden. This began the roller-coaster history of Israel under the judges for the next 300 to 400 years.
The corruption reached the point that Israel rejected God's covenant and commandments, and caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire to the god Moloch. Les emphasizes that whenever Israel went into idolatry, they also went into abject immorality in the name of religion. This was the depth to which the spared Canaanites dragged God's chosen people.
Les describes the 300 to 400 years of the book of Judges as a roller coaster. Under a good judge, Israel reached a spiritual height; but because they had already been led into idolatry by the Canaanites, the nation kept falling back into the same cycle of disobedience and corruption.
God's Land Promise to Abraham
Les explains that Abraham received title deed to Canaan, but Israel could not enter for 400 years because the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full.
The Canaanites Took Israel Into Idolatry
Les says that exactly as God promised, the Canaanites took Israel into idolatry, producing the roller-coaster history of the book of Judges.
Israel Walked in Heathen Statutes
Les reads from 2 Kings 17 showing that Israel walked in the statutes of the heathen and set up images and groves on every high hill.
God's Command Not to Spare the Canaanites
Les explains God's warning that unless the Canaanites were totally cleansed from the land, Israel's sons and grandsons would become just like them.
Idolatry Led to Immorality
Les emphasizes that idolatry always brings abject immorality, and Israel went into all the sins of the heathen.
Child Sacrifice to Moloch
Les points out that Israel rejected God's commandments and caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire to the god Moloch.
God's 400-Year Waiting Period
Les repeats that God gave the Canaanites 400 years to straighten up their act because their iniquity was not yet full.
Why God Commanded Israel to Destroy Entire Nations — Deuteronomy 7
And they did. They succeeded in quite a few thousand of them. And, of course, God had to, as they say today, He had to do some ethnic cleansing, and so quite a few thousand Israelites lost their life as a result of their losing their separated position. But nevertheless, the nation of Israel remained intact. The Moabites just couldn't do anything about it.
Genesis 15:16: But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
God explains why Israel must wait before entering Canaan — the Canaanites had not yet reached the full measure of their wickedness.
2 Kings 17:10: And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:
This verse shows how completely Israel adopted the religious practices of the heathen nations.
2 Kings 17:16: And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.
This is the direct Bible record of Israel's idolatry resulting from their disobedience.
2 Kings 17:17: And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.
This verse reveals how far Israel sank, even sacrificing children to pagan gods.
God told Abraham that the iniquity of the Amorites was not yet full (Genesis 15:16). Les explains that God gave the Canaanite people 400 years to straighten up their act, but they went deeper into wickedness instead.
The Bible and Les's teaching show that the result of incomplete obedience was that the Canaanites took Israel into idolatry. Because Israel did not fully remove them, the next generations served Baal and the host of heaven.
It says Israel walked in the statutes of the heathen, set up images and groves, served Baal, and caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire. Les uses this passage to show the consequence that God had warned Israel about.
Les says the Canaanite people took Israel right into idolatry. Their influence led Israel to reject God's covenant, worship idols on every high hill, and adopt the immorality that went with pagan religion.
Watch the Teaching: Israel’s Title Deed: Understanding God's Covenant in Genesis 15