Go Beyond

• Remembering God’s Past Dealings | Deuteronomy 8:1-10 (cont.)

8:2b-10 | Moses urged the Israelites to remember several valuable lessons from their wilderness experience that would serve them well in the Promised Land.

First, Moses reminded the people that God had a purpose for allowing them to be touched by difficulties (8:2b). God was interested in the development of their characters and in knowing what the Israelites were made of. Difficulties reveal character. God developed His people through the challenges of the wilderness journey during which they faced choices between trusting in God or themselves, obeying or disobeying God, praising God or murmuring against Him, going on or returning to Egypt. The struggles and obstacles of the wilderness experience were designed to prepare and strengthen the Israelites for the challenges of the Promised Land. Someone noted that the path that has no obstacles leads to nowhere.

We don’t grow in a vacuum. | The things the Israelites were exposed to in the wilderness were designed to help them mature and understand that they needed God. Helen Keller said, “I thank God for my handicaps, for through them, I have found myself, my work and my God.” Every trial and affliction was designed to mold the Israelites into a distinctive people. God used affliction to shape his people just as a blacksmith uses a hammer to shape iron. Henry Ward Beecher said, “Affliction comes to us, not to make us sad but sober; not to make us sorry but wise.” W.E. Channing said, “Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.”

Second, Moses reminded the Israelites that part of God’s purpose in allowing them to be touched by difficulties was to teach them humility and the value of trusting God and depending on His word (8:3). God taught the people this lesson when they found themselves in situations where it was necessary for them to trust Him instead of themselves. When they had exhausted their food supply God miraculously supplied them with “manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know.” The purpose of this was to help them understand they needed to depend on God. Note: Read Matthew 4:4 and Luke 4:4 regarding Jesus’ use of this verse when He was tempted in the wilderness.

Third, Moses reminded the people that God had made provision for them in the midst of difficulties (8:4). The wilderness experience was difficult and physically challenging. Yet, in all their wanderings their clothing did not wear out and their feet did not swell (8:4).

Fourth, Moses reminded the people that all the things they had experienced in the wilderness were designed for their good, just like the discipline of a father for his son (8:5). That was reason enough to “keep the commandments … walk in His ways … fear Him” (8:6). Psalm 119:75 states, “I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me.” Psalm 119:71 states, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Thy statutes.”

In contrast to the hardships the Israelites experienced in the wilderness, the Promised Land held the prospect of great blessings. The Israelites would be sustained by abundant resources in the new land that were no less a gift from God than the supernatural provision of manna in the wilderness (8:7-10). Moses exhorted the people to respond to God’s goodness in the new land with gratitude.