Deuteronomy 8 · The Lantern

Remember the LORD Your God

All the commandments which I command you this day shall you observe to do, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore to your fathers.

And you shall remember all the way which the LORD your God led you these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you, and to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or no.

And he humbled you, and suffered you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you knew not, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD does man live.

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 hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

One who possesses the Word, who is almighty God, needs nothing and never lacks any of the things he desires, for the Word is an infinite possession and the source of all our wealth. However, someone may object and insist that he has often seen the just in need of food. This is rare and happens only where no one else is just.

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word which goeth forth from the mouth of God." Now He said "shall live," and not, "shall be sound," nor, "shall be strong," nor, "shall be filled its lust's need;" and although this word is of little importance in its utterance, yet a great distinction is apparent therein.

Your apparel grew not old upon you, neither did your foot swell, these forty years.

Nourish your soul with the fear of God, and God will nourish [your] body. Do these things, so that what you yourself are unable [to procure] may be given you by God. Take note of this, if God does not give the rain and the wind, it avails you naught, even if you are anxious. Obey God, therefore, and creation will obey your needs.

Is he not good, who in the wilderness fed with bread from heaven such countless thousands of the people, lest any famine should assail them, without need of toil, in the enjoyment of rest? For the space of twenty years, their raiment grew not old, nor were their shoes worn, a figure, which, to the faithful, points to the resurrection that is to come.

God granted to the garments of the Israelites their proper state without any damage for forty years. If so, how much more does he grant a very happy temperament of certain state to the bodies of those who obey his command until they may be turned into something better?

You shall also consider in your heart, that, as a man chastens his son, so the LORD your God chastens you.

Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

For the LORD your God brings you 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;

A land in which you shall eat bread without scarceness, you shall not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you may dig bronze.

When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which he has given you.

Beware that you forget not the LORD your God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command you this day:

Lest when you have eaten and are full, and have built fine houses, and dwelt in it;

And when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied;

Then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God, who brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage;

Who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought you forth water out of the rock of flint;

Who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers knew not, that he might humble you, and that he might prove you, to do you good at your latter end;

And you say in your heart, My power and the might of my hand has gotten me this wealth.

But you shall remember the LORD your God: for it is he that gives you power to get wealth, so that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

And it shall be, if you do at all forget the LORD your God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish.

As the nations which the LORD destroys before your face, so shall you perish; because you would not be obedient to the voice of the LORD your God.

Deuteronomy8

Remember the LORD Your God