Good Chaos

The passage begins with the exhortation to keep the entire Law of God. The Israelites are to be diligent in their covenant with God. This seems to be accomplished by Israel not forgetting their prior experiences in the wilderness, namely how God had miraculously delivered and sustained them time and time again. 8:3a & 8:3f-g seem to be the phrases/propositions that are the main theme of the entire text. As Moses recounts the brief highlights from the wilderness wanderings he zeros in on one thing: Israel's humbling through God's testing . The purpose, Moses tells them, was that God would teach them through the physical that the spiritual (i.e., their covenant with the eternal God) was the key to living. Moses connects the two portions of the passage together in 3a, declaring that not only did God intend to humble Israel, He accomplished this humbling by through one key aspect: • Hunger–The wilderness was scarce of food and water. Israel was in constant anxiety about what they would eat and drink. Hunger is a sincere physical need but when it snuffs out the spiritual it becomes an idol. Consider the parable of the soils and the seed that was sown on thorny ground (Mt 13:22). It was the cares (daily living) that proved the Word to be unfruitful. Israel was in the same condition and God needed to humble them in order for them to learn to fully rely on His provision. And provision is what God did as Moses recalls the manna (literally, "what is it?") for them to eat. After hungering and eating God-provided food it should have been the zenith of their humbling. It is interesting that Moses reminds them that their clothes and shoes never wore out during those forty years that God led them. In other words, even though material things were scarce God's provision never faltered. The closing verses is a reminder to the Israelites, as well as us, that when God's discipline comes it is for the benefit of teaching us that we live by the very word of God, not by mere physical means.

Wisdom, Works, and Worship

Being caught up in this physical realm produces an idol that is nearly impossible to topple. Most times we focus on that which are clear idols: lust, bitterness, our speech, etc. But we allow the mundane weariness of of day-to-day living to sap our trust of the Living God; bills need to be paid, children need to be cared for, bosses require our attention. It's easy to fall into the same trap that Israel did, by complaining to God about your situation rather than praying to God that you might become dependent on His strength for provision. When chaos seems to be the new "norm" in our lives it's time to stop, drop, and pray! For God Himself may be trying to humble us by "letting us hunger" so that we will stop focusing on the physical need by neglecting the spiritual need. It is His discipline that causes us to remember how He has led us thus far. When we enter into God's chaos we often find it to be good chaos, for we find our very sustenance to be the very God-breathed words from His loving care.

About the 'Mine' Translation

I've tried to keep the meaning of the text as close to the original as possible. I've strived to translate it in 'big picture' meaning as much as possible.

Main point summary

God causes chaos in our lives in order that we might become TOTALLY dependent upon Him rather than our own working. As we are humbled in our situations and recall to remembrance God's goodness, we will soon discover that He has been providing for us all along by the very word of His mouth.

Arc

editing

Deuteronomy 8:1-5

esv

mine

“The whole commandment that I command you today

Every word of the LORD that you have heard today

v you shall be careful to do,

you shall keep with all diligence

alternative

that you may live

in order that you may live

and multiply,

and increase in number

and go in and possess the land

and enter in and subdue the land, the inheritance,

progression

that the Lord swore to give to your fathers.

which the LORD promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

ideaexplanation

actionpurpose

And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you w these forty years in the wilderness,

Therefore, you shall NEVER forget how the LORD your covenant God cared for you these forty years in the wilderness,

that he might humble you ,

so that He might humble you

x testing you

by testing you

actionmanner

y to know what was in your heart,

to be acquainted with all that was in your heart

z whether you would keep his commandments or not.

whether you would obey and guard His commandments or not.

situationresponse

ground

And he humbled you

For He humbled you

and a let you hunger

by letting you go hungry

and b fed you with manna,

and then feeding you by His provision

which you did not know,

which you had never seen

nor did your fathers know,

nor did your fathers see

series

that he might make you know that c man does not live by bread alone,

in order that He might cause you to understand that man cannot live by physical sustenance only

but man lives by every word 1 that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

but man must live by the eternal Word of the Living God that comes straight from His mouth.

negativepositive

d Your clothing did not wear out on you

Here is the proof: your clothes never wore out

and your foot did not swell these forty years.

and your feet did not get sore these forty years.

actionresult

Know then in your heart

Understand this fully:

that, e as a man disciplines his son,

Just like a father disciplines his own son

the Lord your God disciplines you .

the LORD God disciplines you for your own good.

comparison

concessive

inference

discourse

Phrase

Deuteronomy 8:1-5

you shall be careful to do, “The whole commandment

that I command you today

Explanation

that you may live

Purpose

and multiply,

and go in

and possess the land

that the Lord swore to give

Explantion

to your fathers.

Destination

And you shall remember the whole way

Ground

that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness,

that he might humble you,

testing you to know what was in your heart,

Manner

whether you would keep his commandments or not.

Alternative

And he humbled you

and let you hunger

Series

and fed you with manna,

which you did not know,

nor did your fathers know,

that he might make you know

that man does not live by bread alone,

Negative

but man lives by every word

Positive

that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

Source

Your clothing did not wear out on you

Example

and your foot did not swell these forty years.

Know then in your heart

that, as a man disciplines his son,

Comparison

the Lord your God disciplines you.

πάσας τὰς ἐντολάς ἃς ἐγὼ ἐντέλλομαι ὑμῖν σήμερον φυλάξεσθε ποιεῖν ἵνα ζῆτε καὶ πολυπλασιασθῆτε καὶ εἰσέλθητε καὶ κληρονομήσητε τὴν γῆν ἣν κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν ὤμοσεν τοῖς πατράσιν ὑμῶν

πολυπλασιάζω

ὄμνυμι

καὶ μνησθήσῃ πᾶσαν τὴν ὁδόν ἣν ἤγαγέν σε κύριος ὁ θεός σου ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ὅπως ἂν κακώσῃ σε καὶ ἐκπειράσῃ σε καὶ διαγνωσθῇ τὰ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου εἰ φυλάξῃ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ἢ οὔ

καὶ ἐκάκωσέν σε καὶ ἐλιμαγχόνησέν σε καὶ ἐψώμισέν σε τὸ μαννα ὃ οὐκ εἴδησαν οἱ πατέρες σου ἵνα ἀναγγείλῃ σοι ὅτι οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι τῷ ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ ζήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος

λιμαγχονέω

τὰ ἱμάτιά σου οὐ κατετρίβη ἀπὸ σοῦ οἱ πόδες σου οὐκ ἐτυλώθησαν ἰδοὺ τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη

κατατρίβω

τυλόω

καὶ γνώσῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου ὅτι ὡς εἴ τις παιδεύσαι ἄνθρωπος τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ οὕτως κύριος ὁ θεός σου παιδεύσει σε

phrasing

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