Deuteronomy 8:1-10,11-20

Deuteronomy 8:1-10

[1] You shall observe to do all the commandments which I command you this day, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers. [2] You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not. [3] He humbled you, and allowed you to be hungry, and fed you with manna, which you didn’t know, neither did your fathers know; that he might teach you that man does not live by bread only, but man lives by every word that proceeds out of Yahweh’s mouth. [4] Your clothing didn’t grow old on you, neither did your foot swell, these forty years. [5] You shall consider in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so Yahweh your God disciplines you. [6] You shall keep the commandments of Yahweh your God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. [7] For Yahweh your God brings you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of springs, and underground water flowing into valleys and hills; [8] a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig trees and pomegranates; a land of olive trees and honey; [9] a land in which you shall eat bread without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you may dig copper. [10] You shall eat and be full, and you shall bless Yahweh your God for the good land which he has given you.

Testing / Proving / He humbled you

1 Peter 1:6-7 [6] Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been put to grief in various trials, [7] that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ—

James 1:2-4 [2] Count it all joy, my brothers, [] when you fall into various temptations, [3] knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. [4] Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

He humbled you

Three times in this chapter (8:2,3,16), Moses reminds God's people that he humbled them. God humbled them to prove them or test them (v2), to teach them something (v3), and to do them good at their latter end (v16). For the children of Israel, this humbling meant following God through the wilderness, being hungry, feeding on unknown foods, and being trained / disciplined by God. Who would bring this humbling upon themselves. And yet, for God's people who have been humbled, many have found that such times are a great treasure. Much is learned in character, and God is near. James, having experienced such from God's hand, encouraged us in his epistle: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4).

The Good land & keeping the commandments of the Lord

John 15:9-11 [9] Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. [10] If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and remain in his love. [11] I have spoken these things to you, that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be made full.

Gaining and Retaining the Good Land

Observing and doing all the commandments of God is both the means or path of entering the good land (Deuteronomy 8:1), and the means or path of remaining in the good land (Deuteronomy 8:19-20). This is true for both God's people in the Old Testament, and for God's people in the New Testament.

God's commandments to us and the good land in its spiritual reality are not two separate things. God does not ask us to keep certain commands or laws, and then if we do, he rewards us with some totally unrelated good land. Whatever a man sows, that he will reap. Do we flee youthful lusts and pursue righteousness? Do we clothe ourselves with humility? Do we pursue peace with all men? Do we love God and love our neighbor as God defines love? When we live such lives (working our our salvation in both the fear and power of God), this seed is blessed with an abundant crop both in this life and eternal life in the next.

God uses means. He does not create peace in the church out of thin air. As a church, we are called to pursue peace with all men (Hebrews 12:14), to clothe ourselves with humility toward one another (1 Peter 5:5), to count the other better than ourselves (Philippians 2:3). Is not this the means God created to gain the great blessing of heavenly blessed peace and joy in the church?

Psalm 128 speaks of the blessedness of the man who fears the Lord and walks in his ways. He will find happiness and well-being in his home, with his wife and with his children. Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord. Again, this blessedness does not just happen on its own. The means God has given as the path to such blessing is the fear of the Lord and walking in his ways. His ways include living a holy and godly life that is pleasing to the Lord and an example to your family. His ways also include the purposeful teaching of your own children the fear of God and the ways of God. His ways include loving your wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Would not the seeds of such a life grow into the blessings spoken of by the Psalmist in Psalm 128?

While the fear of God and a life that walks in his ways is the path to gaining promised blessings, it is also the means of retaining these blessings (Deuteronomy 8:19-20). King Saul was little in his own sight (1 Samuel 15:17) when he was made king. As time went by, Saul laid aside him humility for the garment of pride (1 Samuel 15:12). Through his latter disobedience, he was rejected from being king (1 Samuel 15:23). He lost the blessing he had gained. Rather, it might be said, even the kingdom that he thought he had was taken away from him (Luke 8:18).

Luke 8:17-18 [17] For nothing is hidden, that will not be revealed; nor anything secret, that will not be known and come to light. [18] Be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will be given; and whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he thinks he has.”

Deuteronomy 8:11-20

[11] Beware lest you forget Yahweh your God, in not keeping his commandments, and his ordinances, and his statutes, which I command you this day; [12] lest, when you have eaten and are full, and have built fine houses, and lived in them; [13] and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; [14] then your heart might be lifted up, and you forget Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage; [15] who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with fiery serpents and scorpions, and thirsty ground where there was no water; who poured water for you out of the rock of flint; [16] who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers didn’t know; that he might humble you, and that he might prove you, to do you good at your latter end: [17] and lest you say in your heart, “My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth.” [18] But you shall remember Yahweh your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth; that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as at this day. [19] It shall be, if you shall forget Yahweh your God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. [20] As the nations that Yahweh makes to perish before you, so you shall perish; because you wouldn’t listen to Yahweh your God’s voice.