Deuteronomy 8:3-6 And he humbled you, and suffered you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you knew not, neither did your fathers know… Time and again Israel was called to remember that God's goodness to them was designed to lead to more faithful service. They were to beware lest forgetfulness of this and a life of self-indulgence should lead to their undoing. In chap. 28, the terrible results of ingratitude and disobedience were set before them. See, especially in vers. Deuteronomy 28:63, 64 of that chapter, a graphic picture in general outline of the state of the Jewish race for the past eighteen hundred years. For those who have no time or inclination to study the history of the race, the graphic description of their position in Scott's Ivanhoe and the historical notes appended to that work, will give a clear conception of their miserable condition. The passage teaches us that when men have received blessing from God it is fitting for them to render Him a willing service, and that ingratitude here means destruction. I. THE REASONABLENESS OF RENDERING A GRATEFUL SERVICE TO GOD. 1. This was clearly evident in the case of Israel. God rightly demands as the Creator obedience and service from all men. Surely, then, from a people so highly favoured as Israel! Delivered from slavery; given a noble system of laws; brought under the direct rule of Jehovah in the theocracy; and given in promise "a land flowing with milk and honey." They were highly favoured, and in gratitude should have consecrated themselves to the Divine service. 2. If they had reasons for thankfulness, etc., we have greater reasons. Contrast the state of our native land since the time when Columba, Cuthbert, Austin of Canterbury, etc., began their apostolic labours among its tribes with our present preeminence among the nations. 3. As individual subjects of this empire we have great reason to offer to God a grateful service. How blessed our lot compared with that of many peoples whose manner of life and customs have been portrayed by a Livingstone, Stanley, J.G. Paten, and others! Contrast the state of less highly favoured peoples with our own individual lives," under righteous government, religious liberty, even-handed justice, etc. There are many reasons why we should render to God gratitude, praise, and willing, joyful service. II. THE FOLLY OF THE SIN OF INGRATITUDE TOWARD GOD. 1. What we are to beware of is the danger that whilst we enjoy the gifts, the gracious Giver should be forgotten — of spending all our time and energy on the acquisition of God's gifts to be used for our own pleasure rather than in seeking the Divine glory. 2. Into this sin the Israelites fell once and again in the course of their history. Even after the stern lesson of the Babylonian exile they fell into this sin (Haggai 1, etc.). In our Lord's time this sin was aggravated by hypocrisy. The formal religionists drew near to God with outward devotion, but their hearts were far from Him. The self-pleasing, worldly agriculturist of the parable was, it may be surmised, a typical figure (Luke 12:15-21). 3. There is too much of this spirit in our own time. Among all classes there is a feverish grasping after riches and pleasure; there is a striving after wealth, not that those who strive may become better men and women, and be better enabled to serve God, but that they may have more of ease, of passing pleasures. Possessions gained and received without thankful gratitude to God and more earnest effort in His service turn to dust and ashes in the using. 4. This results from the failure of men to desire first and receive God's best gifts in Jesus Christ. III. THE EFFECT OF EITHER SPIRIT ON NATIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL LIFE. 1. When a nation rests on God in its government and institutions, and shows grateful loyalty to Him, that nation will grow in righteousness and strengths, and become a power for good in the world. 2. To the individual who serves Him in grateful love He will give His richest blessings. Material gifts may sometimes be withheld as not for their good; but joyful assurance of His presence will be given to them, and of the certainty of His promises. 3. Far otherwise will it be with those who forget God. Israel's history tells how the curse has fallen (Isaiah 1:8). God-forgetfulness led to hardness of heart, spiritual pride, and the invocation on themselves of the awful sentence, "His blood be on us and on our children." 4. Are there not many among us who fall into the same error — who reap luxuriant fields, who amass enormous gains without any thought of gratitude to God, or any effort in His service? Such love of money — of the possessions of this life — "is a root of all evil," leading to the hardening of the heart and the materialising of the life. 5. The Divine rule is the only safe one: "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, etc. "Through Israel's failure to render God a grateful service they failed to carry out the Divine commission confided to them as a nation, i.e. to make God's name, etc., known (Psalm 67.). Does our thankful gratitude to God lead us to do so? (Wm. Frank Scott.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
    |