From the ministry archive
Greatest Sermons - Deuteronomy 8
Today I would like to take a look at a powerful chapter of Moses’ final sermon to Israel before they went in to the land of Canaan. That sermon was the entire book of Deuteronomy, which was a summary of the law and of Israel’s experiences with God from their deliverance out of Egypt, through the forty years of wandering in the wilderness on their way to Canaan’s land. “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. 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. 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. Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. 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; A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; 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. When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. 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: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; 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; 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; 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; And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. 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. 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. 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” (Deut. 8:1-20).
Now we should note the relevant words of the apostle Paul before examining this great sermon and chapter in the Bible: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for OUR learning” (Rom. 15:4). Yes friend, this sermon of Moses is absolutely for our learning, and there is some serious learning for God’s people to attain to in this sermon, that is certainly contrary to what is universally taught in the name of the Lord today. First of all God makes it crystal clear right up front that his people are required to keep and do all of his commandments if they expect to be saved. That sure doesn’t line up with the many forms of the ‘eternal securtiy’ mindset that the body of Christ is so given over to in this day. And then he reminds Israel that he humbled and chastened them in the wilderness, not letting them have things their own way, so that they would be prepared, as Jesus said, to “endure until the end [and] be saved” (Mat. 24:12,13). And why was it so important for them to have that training in the wilderness? Well, as he said, so they would learn to keep his commandments and fear him; which the scripture states is “the whole duty of man” (Eccl. 12:13). So tell me, where is that fear of God in today’s lovey-dovey, so called ‘Christian’ Gospel? Not only so, but the body of Christ today has largely been taught and influenced to actually “despise the chastening of the Lord,” and to call that chastening “attacks of the devil.” I’m afraid a lot of folks are missing the point, and the needed training to finish this journey without sin; which omission is in fact a recipe for disaster (Heb. 3:6,14; Heb. 4:1,11; Heb. 12:14). And then he lets them know of the great goodness that he had already done for them, as well as those that he had prepared for them in Canaan’s land. And the declaration of the magnitude of his goodness toward them is followed by the stern and emphatic warning about getting puffed up and complacent over that goodness at some later point, as though they had done something to earn it themselves; and thereby slack away from keeping the commandments of God. And this warning finishes the chapter with God very clearly saying that he will destroy his own people if they at all forget him, even as he would destroy the inhabitants of the land [the world] before them. And that sure doesn’t rhyme with the self righteous gospel being preached today, where everyone is in effect taught to feel real good about their own supposed standing with God, as long as they can look out there at all the vile sinners and see themselves as being so much more righteous than they. And so many today are happy to preach and to hear the indulgent ‘prosperity’ Gospel, but oddly enough there are no warnings sounded about failing to forsake and to die to sin, nor do you hear the fear-worthy admonitions to walk in the true holiness of God. Oh yes my friend, this old testament sermon by Moses is as relevant as it gets for God’s people today. And why is that? Because as I love to say, Nothing ever changes. All I have left is what Jesus often said when he preached: “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Amen.
