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THE RESPONSE OF ISRAEL TO GOD’S BLESSING
THURSDAY, AUGUST 26
Deuteronomy 8:11-20

Psalm 23:1-6

 

“The LORD is my shepherd;

I shall not want.”

 

THE RESPONSE OF ISRAEL TO GOD’S BLESSING
 
When David said that the Lord was his shepherd and that he would lack nothing, he knew how the Lord cared for his nation through the generations, and more so during the Exodus. Jesus says that His sheep hears His voice and they will follow Him and find pasture (John 10:27). Keeping the commandments of the Lord is hearing His voice. This is God’s imperative to Israel and they are to walk in His ways.
 
The Promised Land had all the good qualities that Israel desired. The Lord told them that He would bring them to a land endowed with the resources that they required. It is a land of seven fruits that were listed. Moses conveyed this message from the Lord: “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” (Deut 8:7-8). Israel could desire no better land than this. It is described as a land of plenty with no shortage of bread and there was nothing lacking in it. There were also iron and brass mines in its hills. It was a land rich in natural resources and the food crops did well in it. All these were blessings from the Lord who is the Shepherd of Israel. He is truly the Good Shepherd.
 
Moses asked them to give thanks to God for the provision and to obey Him in all things. This is a logical reaction to the goodness of the Lord from the people who had seen first-hand the wonders of the Lord. Moses also knew that when the Lord had blessed Israel and they were full, they would be tempted to attribute their prosperity to themselves; and they would forget the Lord. Moses warned them: “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…” (Deut 8:12-14).
 
THOUGHT: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…” (Ps 23:6)

PRAYER: Father, help me to cherish my position before Thee.

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