The verb describes a decisive, forceful movement from one place to another, whether it is people being expelled from territory or a ship intentionally thrust toward a shoreline. It conveys purposeful direction rather than random motion, and always implies that the object acted upon is removed from its former position to a new, predetermined location.

Old Testament Background

Septuagint usage links the term to God’s covenant promise of clearing the land of Canaan for Israel (for example, Deuteronomy 33:27; Exodus 23:28 LXX). The verb therefore carries a redemptive‐historical resonance: the LORD Himself “drives out” obstacles to the fulfillment of His plan. The activity is both judgment upon the wicked and mercy toward His people.

New Testament Usage

Acts 7:45 presents Stephen’s defense before the Sanhedrin. Recounting Israel’s history, he testifies: “And our fathers received it and brought it in with Joshua, when they dispossessed the nations God drove out before them, until the days of David”. Here the term underscores God’s active role in giving His people their inheritance, reinforcing Stephen’s theme that the Lord’s presence and purpose are not tied to any single geographic location or human structure.

Acts 27:39 shifts the scene from salvation history to nautical crisis: “When daylight came, they did not recognize the land, but they spotted a bay with a sandy beach, where they decided to run the ship aground if they could”. Paul’s companions deliberately “drive” the vessel toward safety, showing the word’s flexible range—still forceful, but now in a context of urgent deliverance from imminent danger.

Theological Themes

1. Divine Sovereignty in Judgment and Salvation

In Acts 7:45 the verb highlights God as the primary agent who removes nations in order to plant His people. His rule is neither passive nor abstract; He actively orchestrates history for redemptive purposes.

2. Human Agency under Providence

Acts 27:39 demonstrates legitimate human initiative. Sailors employ skill and determination, yet the broader narrative attributes Paul’s ultimate preservation to God’s promise (Acts 27:24–25). Human “driving” is real but subordinate to divine oversight.

3. Covenant Fulfillment and Mission

Stephen’s use of the term reminds the church that God’s mission advances through decisive acts that may unsettle existing structures. The dispossession of Canaanite nations prefigures the gospel’s advance, displacing spiritual darkness and establishing the kingdom of Christ.

Practical Ministry Implications

• Confidence in God’s Active Guidance

Pastors and congregations facing entrenched opposition can take heart from Acts 7:45: the Lord still “drives out” barriers to the spread of His Word.

• Discernment in Crisis Leadership

Like the sailors of Acts 27:39, church leaders must be ready to make firm, timely decisions. Bold action, undertaken in dependence on God, often becomes the means He uses to secure deliverance.

• Holiness and Occupation of Promise

Just as Israel was called to inhabit a land cleared by God, believers are called to walk in works “prepared in advance” (Ephesians 2:10). Sin and compromise must be expelled so that the life of Christ may flourish.

Historical Observations

Early Christian commentators saw in Acts 7:45 a typological link between Joshua’s conquest and Christ’s ultimate victory over evil powers. Patristic sermons employed the imagery of driving out the nations to exhort believers to expel passions from their hearts. Medieval homilies on Acts 27 drew moral lessons on steering the soul toward the safe harbor of Christ, even if it required a deliberate “running aground” of worldly ambitions.

Summary

Whether depicting God expelling nations before Israel or sailors thrusting a ship toward safety, the verb portrays purposeful, forceful action accomplished to fulfill divine intent. Scripture uses it to reveal both God’s mighty acts in salvation history and the resolute human responses that align with His sovereign plan.