But remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers even to this day. But rememberThe Hebrew word for "remember" is "זָכַר" (zakar), which implies more than just recalling information; it involves a conscious act of keeping something in mind with the intent to act upon it. In the context of Deuteronomy, this is a call to the Israelites to actively keep God's commandments and His role in their lives at the forefront of their thoughts. This remembrance is not passive but an active, ongoing acknowledgment of God's sovereignty and provision. that it is the LORD your God
The phrase emphasizes the personal relationship between the Israelites and Yahweh, their covenant God. "LORD" is translated from "יהוה" (YHWH), the sacred name of God, which signifies His eternal presence and unchanging nature. "Your God" personalizes this relationship, reminding the Israelites that their identity and existence are rooted in their connection to Yahweh, who is not a distant deity but their personal God who has chosen them. who gives you the power
The Hebrew word for "power" is "כֹּחַ" (koach), which can mean strength, ability, or capacity. This phrase underscores that any ability or strength the Israelites possess to achieve success or prosperity is a direct gift from God. It is a reminder that human effort alone is insufficient without divine empowerment. This acknowledgment of God as the source of their abilities is crucial for maintaining humility and dependence on Him. to gain wealth
"Wealth" in Hebrew is "חַיִל" (chayil), which can also mean resources, strength, or efficiency. The context here is not merely financial prosperity but encompasses all forms of success and provision necessary for the well-being of the community. This wealth is not an end in itself but a means to fulfill God's purposes and to live in accordance with His will. in order to confirm His covenant
The word "confirm" comes from the Hebrew "קוּם" (qum), meaning to establish or uphold. This phrase indicates that the wealth and prosperity given by God serve a greater purpose: to fulfill and uphold the covenant He made with the patriarchs. The covenant is a binding agreement, a promise from God to His people, which includes blessings contingent upon their faithfulness and obedience. that He swore to your fathers
This refers to the Abrahamic covenant, which God swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The use of "swore" (שָׁבַע, shaba) highlights the solemnity and unbreakable nature of God's promises. It is a reminder of the historical and spiritual heritage of the Israelites, rooted in God's faithfulness across generations. as it is this day
This phrase serves as a present affirmation of God's ongoing faithfulness. It reassures the Israelites that the promises made to their ancestors are still valid and being fulfilled in their current experience. It is a call to recognize the continuity of God's work and to trust in His unchanging nature. Persons / Places / Events 1. MosesThe author of Deuteronomy, delivering God's message to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. 2. IsraelitesThe chosen people of God, who are being reminded of their dependence on God for their prosperity and success. 3. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant-keeping God who provides for His people and fulfills His promises. 4. The Promised LandThe land of Canaan, which the Israelites are about to enter, a place of abundance and blessing. 5. Covenant with the PatriarchsThe promises made by God to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which include blessings and the inheritance of the land. Teaching Points Divine Source of WealthRecognize that all abilities and opportunities to gain wealth come from God. This acknowledgment fosters humility and gratitude. Covenant FaithfulnessUnderstand that God's provision is tied to His covenant promises. Our response should be faithfulness and obedience to His commands. Stewardship and ResponsibilityWealth is a tool for confirming God's covenant and should be used responsibly to further His kingdom purposes. Avoiding Pride and Self-SufficiencyGuard against the temptation to attribute success solely to personal effort, which can lead to pride and forgetting God. Generosity and Blessing OthersUse the resources God provides to bless others, reflecting His generosity and love. Bible Study Questions 1. How does recognizing God as the source of our wealth change our perspective on material possessions? 2. In what ways can we actively remember and honor God's covenant in our daily lives? 3. How can we ensure that our pursuit of wealth aligns with God's kingdom purposes? 4. What practical steps can we take to avoid the pitfalls of pride and self-sufficiency in our financial endeavors? 5. How can we use our resources to bless others and confirm God's covenant in our communities? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 12:1-3God's covenant with Abraham, promising blessings and making him a great nation, which is foundational to understanding the covenant mentioned in Deuteronomy 8:18. Proverbs 10:22Highlights that the blessing of the LORD brings wealth, emphasizing the divine source of prosperity. Matthew 6:33Jesus teaches about seeking first the kingdom of God, which aligns with the principle of relying on God for provision. Philippians 4:19Paul assures that God will supply all needs, reinforcing the idea of God as the provider. James 1:17Every good and perfect gift is from above, underscoring the divine origin of all blessings. People MosesPlaces Beth-baal-peor, EgyptTopics Ability, Agreement, Confirm, Confirms, Covenant, Effect, Establish, Fathers, Forefathers, Gives, Giveth, Giving, Hast, Mind, Oath, Order, Power, Produce, Remember, Remembered, Sware, Swore, Sworn, WealthDictionary of Bible Themes Deuteronomy 8:18 4019 life, believers' experience
5267 control
5413 money, attitudes
5465 profit
5476 property
5630 work, divine and human
5698 guardian
7915 confirmation
8435 giving, of oneself
8437 giving, of talents
8780 materialism, and sin Deuteronomy 8:10-18 5776 achievement
8670 remembering Deuteronomy 8:17-18 5289 debt Library God's Training
DEUTERONOMY viii. 2-5. And 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 what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or no. And 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 …
Charles Kingsley—Discipline and Other SermonsThe Lesson of Memory
'Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these lofty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no.'--DEUT. viii.2. The strand of our lives usually slips away smoothly enough, but days such as this, the last Sunday in a year, are like the knots on a sailor's log, which, as they pass through his fingers, tell him how fast it is being paid out from the reel, and how far it has …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture National Wealth
(Fifth Sunday after Easter.) Deut. viii. 11-18. Beware 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: 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, which brought thee forth …
Charles Kingsley—The Gospel of the Pentateuch Subterraneous Places. Mines. Caves.
Thus having taken some notice of the superficies of the land, let us a little search into its bowels. You may divide the subterraneous country into three parts: the metal mines, the caves, and the places of burial. This land was eminently noted for metal mines, so that "its stones," in very many places, "were iron, and out of its hills was digged brass," Deuteronomy 8:9. From these gain accrued to the Jews: but to the Christians, not seldom slavery and misery; being frequently condemned hither by …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica Emmanuel's Land
P. G. Deut. viii. 7-10 The land! the glory of all lands, Beyond the Jordan's wave; Beyond the weary desert sands-- The land beyond the grave! Now safe witin that glorious land, We prove His faithful Word; 'Midst Canaan's golden fields we stand, The ransomed of the Lord. Amidst the burning desert drought We learnt His watchful love; Streams from the flinty rocks He brought, Sent bread from Heaven above. Our God in weariness and need, His love was measured there By hunger which His hand would feed, …
Frances Bevan—Hymns of Ter Steegen, Suso, and Others Palestine Eighteen Centuries Ago
Eighteen and a half centuries ago, and the land which now lies desolate--its bare, grey hills looking into ill-tilled or neglected valleys, its timber cut down, its olive- and vine-clad terraces crumbled into dust, its villages stricken with poverty and squalor, its thoroughfares insecure and deserted, its native population well-nigh gone, and with them its industry, wealth, and strength--presented a scene of beauty, richness, and busy life almost unsurpassed in the then known world. The Rabbis never …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life The Temptation of Christ
Matthew 4:1-11 -- "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a …
George Whitefield—Selected Sermons of George Whitefield Why all Things Work for Good
1. The grand reason why all things work for good, is the near and dear interest which God has in His people. The Lord has made a covenant with them. "They shall be my people, and I will be their God" (Jer. xxxii. 38). By virtue of this compact, all things do, and must work, for good to them. "I am God, even thy God" (Psalm l. 7). This word, Thy God,' is the sweetest word in the Bible, it implies the best relations; and it is impossible there should be these relations between God and His people, and …
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN; WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HIS SIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HE DESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRIST DID DELIVER HIM FROM ALL THE GUILT AND TERROR THAT LAY UPON HIM. Whereunto is added a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 In Death and after Death
A sadder picture could scarcely be drawn than that of the dying Rabbi Jochanan ben Saccai, that "light of Israel" immediately before and after the destruction of the Temple, and for two years the president of the Sanhedrim. We read in the Talmud (Ber. 28 b) that, when his disciples came to see him on his death-bed, he burst into tears. To their astonished inquiry why he, "the light of Israel, the right pillar of the Temple, and its mighty hammer," betrayed such signs of fear, he replied: "If I were …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Meditations Before Dinner and Supper.
Meditate that hunger is like the sickness called a wolf; which, if thou dost not feed, will devour thee, and eat thee up; and that meat and drink are but as physic, or means which God hath ordained, to relieve and cure this natural infirmity and necessity of man. Use, therefore, to eat and to drink, rather to sustain and refresh the weakness of nature, than to satisfy the sensuality and delights of the flesh. Eat, therefore, to live, but live not to eat. There is no service so base, as for a man …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Third Sunday Before Lent
Text: First Corinthians 9, 24-27; 10, 1-5. 24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain. 25 And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air: 27 but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II Deuteronomy
Owing to the comparatively loose nature of the connection between consecutive passages in the legislative section, it is difficult to present an adequate summary of the book of Deuteronomy. In the first section, i.-iv. 40, Moses, after reviewing the recent history of the people, and showing how it reveals Jehovah's love for Israel, earnestly urges upon them the duty of keeping His laws, reminding them of His spirituality and absoluteness. Then follows the appointment, iv. 41-43--here irrelevant (cf. …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Deuteronomy 8:18 NIVDeuteronomy 8:18 NLTDeuteronomy 8:18 ESVDeuteronomy 8:18 NASBDeuteronomy 8:18 KJV
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