Lord’s Day, Vol. 8 No. 11

Man Doth Not Live By Bread Only

¹ 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. ²And 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 whatwas in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. ³And 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. ⁴Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. ⁵Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, sothe LORD thy God chasteneth thee. ⁶Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him. ⁷For 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;⁸A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; ⁹A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.¹⁰When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. (Deut. 8:1-10 KJV)

Man lives by the sustenance of God. It is easy to forget. When Israel came out of Egypt, they were faced with the most basic of human needs – survival. There was no food and no water. God provided for them. Israel was humbled to acknowledge that sustenance came from God. They were taught a most pertinent lesson in the wilderness. 

But God was teaching them a more pertinent lesson. Obedience toward God is in itself “food” for life – man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. There in the wilderness, Israel was taught the walk in the fear of God, according to His Word. Israel is commanded to obey all the commands of God.

God’s plan was to bring Israel to the Promised Land where there would be bread without scarceness, a good land where they would have no lack.

¹¹Beware 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: ¹²Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; ¹³And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; ¹⁴Then 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; (Deut. 8:11-14 KJV)

The Lord reminded Israel that they were created as God’s very own people, to be a witness to all the nations of the world of the living and true God. In prosperity, it is easy to be complacent, to let their guards down, and become slack in following the Lord their God by obeying all His commandments. 

Spurgeon said well, “Temptations grow out of prosperity. Has the Lord been very good to this household? Let us not be lifted up to despise his poor people, or forsake his lowly worship, but the rather let us love our Lord the more.”

The tempter came out of nowhere in the Genesis account to tempt Adam and Eve. Dressed most innocently in the garb of the fork-tongued serpent, he deceived Adam and Eve into disobeying God’s clear instruction not to eat of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The paradise God created for Adam and Eve was most comfortable before their hearts were lifted up to embrace a life outside their Lord.

1 John 2:16 For all that isin the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

Let God’s people not underestimate the strength of the enemy. By subtlety, Adam and Eve were deceived. 

Calvin calls this the “baseness of human ingratitude”. He further exhorts, let God’s people be “reminded both of supreme authority of God and singular goodness of God.” 

¹⁵Who 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; ¹⁶Who 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; ¹⁷And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. (Deut. 8:15-17 KJV)

God warned His people to be watchful and sober lest they are tempted to depart from the clear commands of God in His Word.

1 John 2:17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. 

By faith in the Word of God according to the everlasting gospel, is the gift of eternal life. May God’s people be given an eternal perspective of this life. Amen.

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee