DEUTERONOMY 8
“The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers. 2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you. 6 So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him. – Deuteronomy 8:1-6
DEUTERONOMY 8 HUMBLED IN THE WILDERNESS
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When you belong to the Lord, he will strengthen you
He will test you so you can be resilient and strong
It is his way of humbling you so you can rely on Him
You will be like his child who needs nurturing and caring
He will allow you to go through life’s wilderness
So, you can stay meek and be led to righteousness
Remember that he will always provide for your needs
He never forsakes his children and never forgets them.
The writer of this book reminds the Israelites what God has done for them while they were in the wilderness for forty years. Most of all, he reminded them to keep the commandments and follow them so they can multiply and possess the land that God promised them. Moses reminded them of the covenant that they made with their Lord and that agreement had expectations from their end to fulfill. That part of their covenant entails that they go through all the tests and obstacles that will lead them to take the promised land so that the promise will be fulfilled.
In this account, Moses explains to them the purpose of the forty years in the wilderness. It was to keep them humble and dependent on God. Many of them were grumbling about why they had to give up all the things they loved in Egypt. They couldn’t recognize the benefit of being free from slavery because they were attached to the things that they were used to even though they were in bondage. It is like Stockholm syndrome where the victim begins to love the victimizer and the things done to her because it became so normal and part of her life. They cannot see that they are being abused. The abuser tries to bring some pleasurable things so they forget that they are being used and enslaved.
Moses tried to remind them of all the provisions that God brought them as they went through the wilderness for forty years so they can remember the covenant promise they made to God.
REFLECTION
· Share how you have been humbled in some of your wilderness journeys?
