Praise the Lord

Deuteronomy 8:1-20 Thanksgiving 2005

Key Verse 8:10 (Lesson I)

1. Read verse 1. What do the following words indicate about the Lord's purpose in bringing the Israelites out of the land of Egypt (where they once lived as a 'slave' nation) to the Promised Land: 1) live; 2) increase [in number]; 3) enter; and 4) possess [the Promised Land]? How is this purpose different from the purpose(s) that other [unbelieving] people and nations might have? On what condition is the Lord going to fulfill this purpose for the Israelites? 

** God wants the Israelites to live as a source of blessing for all peoples on earth. Gen 12:2-3

** God's purpose for his people is different in that he desires them to live as a people belonging to God, so they would let all peoples on earth know God through their services, and thereby ensure that God's kingdom would be established among all peoples on earth. 

Worldly people who do not know the Lord just want to succeed physically and give others some leftover for their own self-seeking purposes such as tax saving, etc. and that is about it. 

** To obey the Lord's commands. [Remember the point of the commands is reducible to one point: love – to love God and to love one's neighbor.]

2. Verses 2-6 describe the Lord's training program for the Israelites. What is the [one] point of this training? The fact that the Lord God put the Israelites through training for forty long years indicates that the point of this training is NOT a matter of small importance. Why not?   

** Man does not live on bread 'alone', but on 'every' word that comes from the mouth of God.

** It is because without this training we will end up losing the Lord God who is the source of blessing. It is as important as a father is more important than a father's wallet. 

3. Compare the "good" land described in verses 7-9 with the "dreary" land depicted in verses 14-15. In what respect is life in the "good" land going to be different from life in the desert land?

** The life in the good land is going to be without the supervision of the Lord, whereas the life in the desert was under the Lord's supervision and direct provision. So the good land can be called a 'proving' ground where they can prove themselves as children of God, living by faith in the Lord who is going to be in hiding so to speak. But the desert land is a testing and therefore training ground for them, so that they would get trained to know that the Lord is the provider and protector, and not forget it later when they get into the good land. 

4. Read verses 10-20. What does this passage tell us about the Lord's ultimate purpose in commanding his people to give thanks and praise to the Lord God (instead of forgetting Him) in time of success and prosperity?  

** The Lord's ultimate purpose is to help them to be well 'in the end' (knowing how to manage their God-given success and prosperity), so they would love God more and above the blessings from God. 

** Write a Bible testimony on the "fruit" of thanksgiving.