Remember the Wilderness Years
Study note
Moses told Israel to remember how God led them through the wilderness for forty years. God tested them to see what was in their hearts. He let them go hungry and then fed them with manna to teach them that people need God's word as much as food. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.
1 "Follow every command I am giving you today. Then you will stay alive, grow in number, and go take the land the Lord promised your ancestors. All the commandments which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers.
2 Think back on how the Lord your God guided you through the wilderness for those forty years. He let you struggle and tested you to reveal what was truly in your heart -- whether you would keep his commands or not. And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
3 He let you go hungry, and then he fed you manna -- something no one had ever seen before, not you or your ancestors. He did this to prove that people do not survive on bread alone but on every word that comes from the Lord. And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; 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 the LORD doth man live.
4 During those forty years, your clothing never fell apart and your feet never swelled up. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years.
5 Think about it this way: the Lord your God trains you the same way a father trains his child. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.
6 So live according to what the Lord your God says. Walk the path he wants and give him the respect he deserves. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.
A Good Land Ahead
Study note
Moses described the beautiful land they were about to enter -- a land of streams, wheat, barley, vines, figs, pomegranates, olive oil, and honey. They would have plenty of everything, including iron and copper from the hills. When they ate and were satisfied, they were to thank God.
7 The Lord your God is bringing you into a wonderful land. It is full of flowing streams, underground springs, and water bubbling up in the valleys and hills. For the LORD thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills;
8 It is a land rich with wheat and barley, grapes, figs, and pomegranates, olive trees and honey. A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey;
9 You will always have plenty of food and never lack a thing. Even the rocks contain iron, and you can dig copper out of the hillsides. A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.
10 After you eat your fill, thank the Lord your God for the wonderful land he gave you. When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
The Danger of Forgetting God
Study note
Moses gave a stern warning about the danger of prosperity. When they had fine houses, growing herds, and plenty of silver and gold, their hearts might become proud. They might forget the God who rescued them from Egypt, led them through the dangerous wilderness, and gave them water from rock. If they ever forgot God and followed other gods, they would be destroyed.
11 "Be on guard so you do not forget the Lord your God by ignoring his commands, rules, and laws that I am giving you today. Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:
12 When you have eaten plenty and are full, when you have built nice houses and are comfortable, Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein;
13 once your herds and flocks have multiplied, your silver and gold have piled up, and everything you own has increased, And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied;
14 your heart will swell with pride. You will forget the Lord your God -- the one who pulled you out of Egypt, out of that place of slavery. Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;
15 He led you through that huge, scary desert. It was full of deadly snakes and scorpions. It had no water. But he made water pour from solid rock for you. Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
16 He is the one who fed you manna in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never tasted. He humbled you and tested you so that in the long run, everything would turn out well for you. Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
17 "You might start thinking, 'I earned all this wealth through my own talent and effort.' And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.
18 Instead, remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you the power to build wealth. He does this because of the promise he made to your ancestors, which still stands today. But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
19 "I warn you today. You might forget the Lord your God. You might start chasing other gods. You might bow down to them and worship them. Then you will surely be destroyed. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
20 You will end up just like the nations the Lord wiped out before you. You will meet the same fate. Why? Because you would not listen to the Lord your God." As the nations which the LORD destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God.