Introduction
‘Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the LORD promised on oath to your ancestors. Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you. Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills. When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.’ Deuteronomy 8:1-10
Moses begins by reminding Israel of some valuable lessons they must learn from the time they wandered in the wilderness for forty years.
God commanded Israel to enter Canaan but they disobeyed His command, Numbers 13-14, and as a result of their disobedience, God punished His people, those who were twenty years old and older would die in the wilderness, Numbers 14:26-35.
Those who did survive also had some lessons to learn, they had to learn that God was humbling them through their trials of difficulty. God gave them manna when they were hungry, God caused their clothes and shoes not to wear out.
During Israel’s forty years of wilderness wandering, they had to become totally dependent on God, they were humbled by having to live on the same diet every day, Exodus 16:1-18.
They were taught that man does not live on bread alone, that is, they learned that life wasn’t for the purpose of living for that which sustains life, but for being spiritually sustained by the worship of God, Matthew 4:4 / Luke 4:4.
Their clothes and sandals never wore out, which implies this was a continuous miracle, which again taught them to rely on God for everything in life, Deuteronomy 29:5 / Exodus 12:34-35 / Matthew 6:25-34.
Because Israel complained about the food, they obviously showed that they weren’t appreciative of God’s care, they need to learn that difficult times, testing times, can actually help them to grow in their faith, James 1:2-3.
As Christians, we should always be thankful for God’s care for us because this demonstrates our trust in Him to take care of all our needs, Acts 22:16 / Hebrews 2:17-18. Israel had to learn obedience is important to God, especially when they were, Hebrews 5:8 / Hebrews 12:5-11.
We know that Jesus suffered greatly and His suffering came from wicked men, even though He didn’t do anything wrong. He suffered because these wicked men had hard hearts. God’s people suffered in the wilderness under the same principle as that of Jesus.
Israel were disciplined by God through their hunger and difficult times and they learned that God would give them help and that He would see them through difficult days. As Christians, when God disciplines us, we too must learn the lesson that He will help us through those difficult times.
God disciplined Israel with forty years of testing to also humble them, Hebrews 2:10. God’s discipline in reference to our failure to keep His commandments is an opportunity to grow in humility, therefore we shouldn’t resist the discipline which comes from the Lord, Hebrews 12:6-11.
Being humbled by God helps us set our minds on spiritual things, Colossians 3:1-2, and we too should learn the lesson from Israel, 1 Corinthians 10:11.
Israel are reminded that they should ‘observe God’s commands and walk in obedience to God and revere Him’. This again tells us that fearing the Lord requires obedience to His will for us, Deuteronomy 5:29 / Deuteronomy 6:1-3. The same principle is taught in the New Testament, Titus 3:8 / 1 Peter 1:17.
If they obeyed God’s commands then they will live, God will give them Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey, Matthew 6:33.
Do Not Forget The LORD
‘Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. If you ever forget the LORD your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. Like the nations the LORD destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the LORD your God.’ Deuteronomy 8:11-20
God will not only give Israel Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey but they will also multiply in children, flocks, and wealth. This, however, will only happen if they don’t forget His commandments during these days of plenty, Proverbs 30:9 / Luke 16:9.
God humbled Israel and they learned to trust Him when He miraculously brought them out of Egypt and survived the terrible wilderness, where there were venomous snakes, Numbers 21:6, and scorpions and when they had no water and no food, God tested them with these trials and provided their every need.
Moses warns Israel about becoming self-efficient during these days of wealth and they are to remember their past and how God was responsible for their present as well as their future blessings.
It was God who made it possible for the land to produce for the people but in their diligence to work the land, they would forget that it was God who made all things grow for their wealth.
When we are blessed, all glory must be given to God who gave us the gifts to produce, but He also gives the increase to the work of our hands, Daniel 4:28. Our recognition of the fruits of our hands should be an opportunity to be grateful to God for working in our lives.
The day that Israel forgets God, will be the day that they were to perish. Sadly, this is exactly what Israel would do in the future, and God would punish them by sending them into Babylonian captivity, Jeremiah 2:32 / Hosea 4:6.
