Worth of the Wilderness

by Dennis Michelson
(Painesville, Ohio)

Deuteronomy 8

Introduction: Humility is when we willingly order our lives according to God's Word. How you do in adversity indicates how well you will do in prosperity. This is the lesson of Philippians chapter 2. Most of life is a pre-arranged test to teach humility until we come to the point where we confess "I come to do Thy will O God."

I. What is a Wilderness?

1. A place of wandering - not sure of where you are going



2. A place of waiting - not sure of how long it will take



3. A place of worry - not sure how it will unfold



4. A place of wanting - not sure you have what you need

II. What is the Work of the Wilderness?

It will test your present spiritual condition (8:1-10) The "manna" test is given so you can learn that God is the source of everything in your life.

1. Manna is provided by God (compare this with Exodus 16:1-15)
   
   1. You fail when you complain
   
   2. You fail when you claim you provided it (Deut. 8:11-18 cf. I Cor. 4:7)



2. Manna is regulated by God (See Exodus 16:16; Matt. 4:4)
   
   It will test your readiness for future blessing (8:11-20)

It all comes down to Deuteronomy 8:3 -

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 Lord doth man live.