He Has Brought Us Through

It seems like a good thing to look back over the previous year when we come to that last Sunday in the year. When the people of Israel were at a place of transition, the Jordan River, they also looked back over the wilderness experience. This Sunday I preached on Deuteronomy 8:1-10:

Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land that the LORD promised on oath to your forefathers. Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.

Observe the commands of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and revering him. For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills; a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.

The book of Deuteronomy is really a series of sermons that Moses gave to the Israelites as they were poised on the brink of entering the Promised Land. In this passage he tells them to remember the Lord and how he has brought them through the wilderness experience. He starts by telling them to follow the commands of the Lord. Why? He gives four basic reasons. First, so that they can live. Long life follows a life lived for the Lord in obedience to His commands. Second, so that they can increase. They were a fruitful people, but the population had remained static during the wilderness trek. When they entered the land they wanted to fill the land. Third, Moses tells them that they should follow God's commands so that they can enter the Promised Land. The land was promised to the people of Israel so that God's people would have a place to dwell. God wanted an obedient people. Fourth, obey God's commands so that you can possess the land. Earlier, in disobedience, the people had tried to possess the land and were defeated. Now they could enter in and possess the land if they would just obey the Lord.

Then Moses says that they should remember what God has done for them. The people were not just wandering around the Sinai peninsula aimlessly, God had been leading them. He led them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night. God also fed the people. The desert was unkind; there was little water and little food. God provided water from the rocks and manna from heaven. Since there were no Walmarts nearby, the people couldn't get clothes; they didn't need to for the clothes didn't wear out. Their feet didn't swell. When you are traveling for 40 years on foot, this is a real benefit. Finally, Moses reminded them that God had treated them as his children. He didn't treat them as a tyrant would. Even the punishments were aimed at disciplining His children.


Finally, Moses reminded the people that God was bringing them into a good land. It was a land with natural water. Whenever the people complained along the way, they would remember their days in Egypt. But Egypt didn't have natural water; it was a desert that had to be irrigated. The Promised Land would also have natural crops with no shortage of food. It also had natural resources; rocks of iron and easy to get copper. The only warning was that they need to remember these things after they entered the land. They must not get self-satisfied and think that they had all of these things through their own effort. As a church, we also looked back on what God has done for us. Personally, I know that even though I am far from perfect, I am also not the same person that I was 40 years ago. God has brought me a long way. As a church, God has added people. We have more on average than we had last year. We had a baptism -- of a young person. We have music in the service. God is doing something with us. Have we entered the Promised Land? Probably not, but we may be poised at the brink. Perhaps the Jordan River lays ahead. Now we must cross the River. Next week we will take a look at the Promised Land.