Dependence on God in the Wilderness

Background: Written Jan/Feb of 1405 BC 3413 years ago!

Setting: East side of Jordan on the plain of Moab - just about to enter The Land after 40 years of living in the desert. Moses is giving his second speech to the children of Israel - those children who 19 and younger 40 years ago, those children who had been born in the wilderness since that time - those children who were going to conquer the land unlike their fathers. In Moses’ first speech he reviews the history of Israel and how God has taken care of her and encourages her to obey God. Here in the second speech Moses is giving the stipulations of the Sinaitic Covenant.

1. The Ten Commandmenst (5:1-33)

2. The total commiment to the Lord (6:1-25)

3. Separation from the gods of other nations (7:1-26)

4. A warning against forgetting the Lord (8:1-20)

I. Remember what God did. Deut 8:2,15

A. Led you in the wilderness for 40 years.

1. Great and terrible wilderness

2. Fiery serpants Num 21:6

3. Scorpions

4. No water

II. Remember Why God did it.

A. To humble you 2&16

B. To Test you 2&16

C. To know what was in your heart (obedience? Or Disobedience?) 2

1. To know whether or not you would keep His commandments. Side not on Anthropomorphism - God knew - He was revealing it them - just like He does to us today - twinkie

D. To do you good in the end 16b

III. Remember How God did it.

A. Allowed you to hunger and thirst. V. 3&15

B. Fed you with manna

C. Garments and shoes did not wear out

They had to depend on Him for the essentials of life! This is humbling and testing!

IV. Remember the lessons you have learned

A. Man does not live by bread alone.

1. Lesson of Christ in the temptation: God can keep me alive by whatever means He chooses. Illus: Elijah, Fiery Furnance

B. Discipline from God shows ownership/relationship and love. V 5

Conclusion: 40 years to get one point across - you must depend on Me! cf. Vs. 11-17 Lest you forget and think you have provided.