Assembly Testimony Bible Class

by J. Riddle (Cheshunt)

DEUTERONOMY

9) "The Lord Thy God Led Thee... And Fed Thee"

Read Chapter 8

Deut.ch.8-10 review events during the journey from Horeb to Beth-peor. Ch.8 recalls God’s preservation and protection in the wilderness; see v2 and v15-16. Ch.9 recalls God’s pardoning mercy in the wilderness; see v7. Notice His mercy at Horeb and at Kadesh-barnea, etc. Ch.10 recalls God’s provision in the wilderness. He gave them the law, priesthood and leadership.

Deut.ch.8 divides into two clear sections.

(1) “Remember,” v1-10: “Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee,” v2.

(2) “Forget not,” v11-20: “Beware that thou forget the Lord thy God,” v11.

In both sections, God “led” them, v2,15, and God “fed” them, v3,16.

The first section commences with an exhortation: “observe to do,” v1. The second section commences with a warning: “beware,” v11.

The chapter begins with possession, and ends with perishing, v19-20.

1) “REMEMBER,” v1-10

As we have noticed, the section commences with an exhortation, v1. “All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do.” Israel’s possession and enjoyment of their inheritance depended on their obedience to God’s Word. We are in exactly the same position. We began our Christian life on the principle of obedience, Rom.6.17, and we are to continue on the same principle, 1Pet.1.14. We must never forget that the Word of God is binding upon us. We are required to obey commandments. See, for example, Jn.13.34, 1Cor.14.37, 1Thess.4.2. There are no optional extras in the Bible! “If ye love Me, keep My commandments,” Jn.14.15.

Notice the three results.

(a)  “That ye may live.” This was quite literal. See, for example, 4.4, “But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day.” Obedience is equally the key to enjoyment of spiritual life. See Heb.12.9, “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?” Eternal life is not just living for ever, it is a quality of life, see Jn.17.3.

(b) “that ye may multiply.” This too was quite literal. See, for example, 6.3 and 7.14. Sadly, division is more commonplace today! Oh for the conditions described in Acts 9.31!

(c) “That ye may go in and possess the land.” Like the Levites, 10.9, the Lord is our inheritance. We can only enjoy Him when we obey His Word. We can say that even now, let alone in heaven, He is “an inheritance, incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away!”

But Israel was not required to obey a tyrannical God. He had displayed faithfulness and mercy towards them in:

(A) Preserving them in the past, v2-6, and

(B) Providing for them in the future, v7-10.

A) Past preservation, v2-6

“And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness.” God led them, v2, and God fed them, v3, in the wilderness.

i) God led them, v2

They were to remember “all the way” in which He had led them. This included (a) God’s grace and (b) God’s government. Both are described in 1Cor.10.1-10.

a) God’s grace. See 1Cor.10.1-4. “Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant …” Five things follow.

Firstly, “all our fathers were under the cloud.” This emphasises the protection they enjoyed. See Ex.14.19-20.

Secondly, “all passed through the sea.” This meant deliverance for Israel, and defeat for Egypt. They all passed beyond the sphere of bondage.

Thirdly, “all were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” They were baptized unto the authority of Moses. Israel was not an undisciplined rabble. The Lord Jesus instructed the apostles to ‘make disciples of all the nations,’ Matt.28.19, JND.

Fourthly, “all (did) eat the same spiritual meat.” The love that delivered them was the love that provided for them. The manna is described as “spiritual meat” with reference to its origin. It is called “The corn of heaven” in Ps.78.24.

Fifthly, “all (did) drink of the same spiritual drink.” Like the manna, it is described as “spiritual drink” with reference to its origin. It was divinely provided. The words, “and that Rock was Christ,” imply that the water was provided by His ‘personal presence’ (W. E. Vine). Then they were to remember:

b) God’s government. See 1Cor.10.5-10. “But with many (most) of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.” Notice, again, five things:

Firstly, that “we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.” This evidently refers to Num.11.4. They lusted after the food provided by Egypt. We must be careful that we don’t do the same.

Secondly, “Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play,” see Ex.32.1-6. Notice Aaron’s attempt to make idolatry respectable: “And Aaron made a proclamation, and said tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.” As a result, “there fell of the people that day about three thousand men,” Ex.32.28.

Thirdly, “Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.” This resulted from the “counsel of Balaam,” see Num.25.1-9, 31.16.

Fourthly, “Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents,” see Num.21.4-6. Israel’s discouragement engendered total dissatisfaction with God, and with Moses.

Fifthly, “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer,” see Num.16.14-40. “But on the morrow (after the death of Korah, Dathan and Abiram) all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of the Lord.” Israel resented divine discipline.

So they were not to forget the lessons of the journey, and we shouldn’t forget them either, see 1Cor.10.11. Notice the expressions “to humble thee, and to prove thee, and to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no.” It has been suggested that the object of these lessons was to prove to Israel what was in their own hearts, and make them understand their own weakness, teach them self-distrust, and deliver them from pride and self-sufficiency. But it seems more likely that God, Who read their hearts in any case, looked for tangible evidence of their obedience. Compare Deut.13.3 and 2Cor.2.9.

ii) God fed them, v3-4

All we can do is to draw attention to the manna, and recommend the subject for detailed personal study. We must notice here:

a) The divine provision. “He … suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna.” (Notice their complaint in Ex.16.3: “Ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger”). God withdrew one thing, and provided something better! Compare Elijah’s failing brook, and the unfailing barrel of meal and cruise of oil.

b) The divine purpose. “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 God.” This is the first of the Lord’s three quotations from the book of Deuteronomy, see Matt.4.4,7,10. The Lord Jesus was the true Israel in the wilderness. The Word of God was His sole sufficiency. He did not say, ‘I know … think … feel,’ “It is written.” He said, “I live by the Father,” Jn.6.57. Compare Isa. 50.4-5.

There are lessons of great importance for us here, and we must notice the following:

(a) Our dependence on the Word of God. But this involves more than public teaching and exhortation.

So (b) Our dependence on the Word of God for life itself. The Word of God is essential for every aspect of life. Not just for sermons. Not just for the assembly. But for life: “man shall not live by bread only.” Compare 32.46-47 and 30.20.

(c) Our dependence on ALL the Word of God. It is all essential: “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Notice too the authority of the Word of God. It “proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” We cannot differentiate between the Word of God, and God Himself. See Gal.1.6, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him (not just the gospel) that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.”

God not only fed them, v3: He clothed them, and provided health care, v4. The section ends with an exhortation, v5-6. Love provided: but that same love chastened, see Heb.12.5-13. It has been well said that chastening is educative, preventive, and corrective. If we cannot trace God’s disciplining hand in our life, we might well heed the advice, “examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.” So, they were to remember the past, and consider the present. Now, after past preservation:

B) Future provision, v7-10

Notice the character of the land. “For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land.” It was “a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it,” v9. We too have “a good land,” with no scarceness” and no “lack.” We have been “blessed … with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” Eph.1.3. But, sadly, like Israel, we can lose the good of it through disobedience.

We should notice the seven things provided in the land. “Wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates … a land of oil olive, and honey.” There were six things in Egypt: “the fish … the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick,” Num.11.5. We should give some thought to “seven” and “six!” Because of Israel’s sin, the land did not yield its bounty, but it will do so in the Millennium.

This section also ends with an exhortation, “When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God for the good land which He hath given thee,” v10. It concludes on a positive note: “bless.” “Praise is comely,” Ps.147.1. We must remember the injunction in Heb.13.15.

2) “FORGET NOT,” v11-20

As we have noticed in our introduction, this section commences and concludes with a warning. The substantial reiteration of the previous section reminds us that, like Israel, we are prone to forget. Notice the exact wording here: “Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God.” We so often enjoy His blessings, but forget Him! The order in the previous section is now reversed:

A) Future prosperity, v12-14

Once again, Moses refers to the land. While in v7-10, the provision of the land is emphasised, here it is prosperity in the land. Notice the reference to building houses, increasing herds, and amassing wealth. This could be dangerous, hence the warning, “Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God,” v14. Prosperity could invade the heart and evict the Word of God. Compare 6.6. The New Testament sounds similar warnings, see, for example, 1Tim.5.17. Remember Laodicea!

B) Past protection, v14-17

Once again, Moses refers to the wilderness. “And thou forget the Lord thy God … who led thee through the great and terrible wilderness … Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna.” Notice, again, the repetition. We do need to be reminded of things we already know! See 2Pet.1.12-15. Notice, however, that whilst these verses refer to past provision in the wilderness (as in v2-4), they add protection from harm, see v15. Notice, too, that the purpose of the lessons in the wilderness is expanded. “That He might humble thee, and that He might prove thee (compare v2), to do thee good at thy latter end.” See, again, Heb.12.11.

The chapter ends with a warning against self-sufficiency, v17-18. We too must beware of this as well. “Let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord.” The warning intensifies in v19-20. Forgetfulness and disobedience would result in destruction. People ‘perished’ literally because of disobedience, and it will result in terrible damage to our spiritual lives as well.

—to be continued (D.V.)