Deuteronomy 8

Deuteronomy 8:1

D. Lessons from the Past (8:111:7)Concerning chapters 8 and 9, J. A. Thompson succinctly points out: Two important lessons from the past are now referred to. First, the experience of God’s care in the wilderness period, when the people of Israel were unable to help themselves, taught them the lesson of humility through the Lord’s providential discipline. The memory of that experience should keep them from pride in their own achievements amid the security and prosperity of the new land (8:1-20). Secondly, any success they might enjoy in the coming conquest was not to be interpreted as a mark of divine approval for their own righteousness (Deu_9:1-6). In fact, both in the incident of the golden calf (Deu_9:7-21) and a number of other incidents (Deu_9:22-29), Israel had proved herself stubborn and rebellious. 8:1-5 Again Moses urged the people to obey God, using the loving, preserving care of God as a motive. The Lord had allowed trials to come into their lives to humble them, prove them, and test their obedience. But He also fed them with manna from heaven, and provided clothes that did not wear out and shoes which kept their feet from swelling during the forty years of wilderness wanderings. God knew what was in the hearts of the people. He was not trying to learn something by testing Israel in the wilderness (v. 2), but He was manifesting to the people themselves their own rebellious nature so that they might more fully appreciate His mercy and grace. Another lesson they were to learn through their wanderings was to fear the Lord. 8:6-20 Moses pled his case not only on the basis of what God had done but on what He was about to do (vv. 6, 7). The blessings of the good land of Canaan are described in detail (vv. 7-9). Prosperity might lead to forgetfulness and forgetfulness to disobedience, so the people were to watch against these perils (vv. 10-20). Faithfulness on God’s part was to be met by a corresponding faithfulness on the part of Israel. God was keeping His covenant with the patriarchs (v. 18); the people needed to keep their word to God in return (Exo_19:8). If the people forgot God’s mighty acts on their behalf and attributed their wealth to their own power, Jehovah would destroy them as He destroyed the Gentile nations in Canaan.