Deuteronomy 8: Remembering God in Prosperity
All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers.
And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.
Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.
Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;
A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;
A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.
When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.
Deuteronomy 8 is a crucial chapter reminding us to remember God's faithfulness, especially when we are tempted to forget Him amidst blessings. Moses, a great historian and teacher, understood the past struggles of God’s people and passionately desired their future success in the Promised Land. He emphasizes that obedience to God is paramount for experiencing continued blessings in the land God was giving them (Deuteronomy 8:1).
The Wilderness: God's Classroom
Deuteronomy 8:2-4 highlights the wilderness experience as God's classroom, a period of testing designed to cultivate humble dependence and obedience in the Israelites. This resonates with a significant spiritual principle: often, believers must navigate through trials before reaching their destiny. While God, in His omniscience, didn't need to test them, the Israelites needed to discover the strength of their faith in a place where they relied solely on Him for sustenance, protection, and provision.
The essential lesson learned in the wilderness was that "man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD" (Deuteronomy 8:3). The miraculous manna, a gift sustained by God’s Word, exemplified this truth. By keeping God's Word and remembering His past provisions during times of hardship, we gain spiritual victory. This is the same principle we can apply to our lives today.
Discipline as Divine Love
Just as wise parents discipline their children for their well-being, God disciplines us, His children, out of love and for our ultimate good (Deuteronomy 8:5). As Hebrews 12:11 reminds us, “No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” God's discipline, though challenging, shapes us into mature and responsible individuals.
The Promise and Peril of Prosperity
The Promised Land offered a stark contrast to the wilderness, promising abundant water, crops, and minerals (Deuteronomy 8:6-11). It was a land so rich that its inhabitants would naturally bless the Lord for its goodness. However, prosperity carries the subtle danger of forgetting the Lord and neglecting His commands. Moses warns them about the temptation that comes with abundance.
Pride: The Root of Forgetfulness
Deuteronomy 8:12-17 exposes the human heart's tendency to shift from gratitude to pride. The temptation to become self-sufficient and boastful, thinking, "My power and my own ability have gained this wealth for me" (Deuteronomy 8:17), is a dangerous illusion. Paul’s words to the Romans echo this sentiment: “I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should” (Romans 12:3). Pride is self-deception. 1 Peter 5:5 reminds us that "God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble."
God: The Source of Wealth and Purpose
To combat arrogance, Moses proclaims a profound truth about kingdom economics: "Remember that the LORD your God gives you the power to gain wealth" (Deuteronomy 8:18). God grants the ability and opportunity to acquire wealth, not for selfish indulgence, but to fulfill His kingdom purposes and be a blessing to others. Separating wealth from God's purpose is a distortion because prosperity is intrinsically linked to His agenda for His people.
A Sobering Warning
The chapter concludes with a stark warning: if the Israelites emulate the wicked practices of the Canaanites, God will treat them accordingly. "Like the nations the LORD is about to destroy before you, you will perish if you do not obey the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 8:20). God shows no favoritism; He expects obedience from His people. This serves as a timeless reminder that genuine faith is demonstrated through obedience and a humble recognition of God's provision in every aspect of our lives. Deuteronomy 8 is a powerful call to remember God, remain humble, and live in obedience, both in times of scarcity and abundance.
All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers.
And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.
Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee.
Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;
A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;
A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.
When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.
Deuteronomy 8 is a crucial chapter reminding us to remember God's faithfulness, especially when we are tempted to forget Him amidst blessings. Moses, a great historian and teacher, understood the past struggles of God’s people and passionately desired their future success in the Promised Land. He emphasizes that obedience to God is paramount for experiencing continued blessings in the land God was giving them (Deuteronomy 8:1).
The Wilderness: God's Classroom
Deuteronomy 8:2-4 highlights the wilderness experience as God's classroom, a period of testing designed to cultivate humble dependence and obedience in the Israelites. This resonates with a significant spiritual principle: often, believers must navigate through trials before reaching their destiny. While God, in His omniscience, didn't need to test them, the Israelites needed to discover the strength of their faith in a place where they relied solely on Him for sustenance, protection, and provision.
The essential lesson learned in the wilderness was that "man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD" (Deuteronomy 8:3). The miraculous manna, a gift sustained by God’s Word, exemplified this truth. By keeping God's Word and remembering His past provisions during times of hardship, we gain spiritual victory. This is the same principle we can apply to our lives today.
Discipline as Divine Love
Just as wise parents discipline their children for their well-being, God disciplines us, His children, out of love and for our ultimate good (Deuteronomy 8:5). As Hebrews 12:11 reminds us, “No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” God's discipline, though challenging, shapes us into mature and responsible individuals.
The Promise and Peril of Prosperity
The Promised Land offered a stark contrast to the wilderness, promising abundant water, crops, and minerals (Deuteronomy 8:6-11). It was a land so rich that its inhabitants would naturally bless the Lord for its goodness. However, prosperity carries the subtle danger of forgetting the Lord and neglecting His commands. Moses warns them about the temptation that comes with abundance.
Pride: The Root of Forgetfulness
Deuteronomy 8:12-17 exposes the human heart's tendency to shift from gratitude to pride. The temptation to become self-sufficient and boastful, thinking, "My power and my own ability have gained this wealth for me" (Deuteronomy 8:17), is a dangerous illusion. Paul’s words to the Romans echo this sentiment: “I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should” (Romans 12:3). Pride is self-deception. 1 Peter 5:5 reminds us that "God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble."
God: The Source of Wealth and Purpose
To combat arrogance, Moses proclaims a profound truth about kingdom economics: "Remember that the LORD your God gives you the power to gain wealth" (Deuteronomy 8:18). God grants the ability and opportunity to acquire wealth, not for selfish indulgence, but to fulfill His kingdom purposes and be a blessing to others. Separating wealth from God's purpose is a distortion because prosperity is intrinsically linked to His agenda for His people.
A Sobering Warning
The chapter concludes with a stark warning: if the Israelites emulate the wicked practices of the Canaanites, God will treat them accordingly. "Like the nations the LORD is about to destroy before you, you will perish if you do not obey the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 8:20). God shows no favoritism; He expects obedience from His people. This serves as a timeless reminder that genuine faith is demonstrated through obedience and a humble recognition of God's provision in every aspect of our lives. Deuteronomy 8 is a powerful call to remember God, remain humble, and live in obedience, both in times of scarcity and abundance.