Thinking in 3’s - Deuteronomy 8:2,3,16 - Humbled

The rock and roll of life in this world apart from God is one of “doing well for oneself” or “climbing to the top.” Certainly there are many others who are “just trying to get by.” But much of the pursuit of success and comfort is based on one’s best efforts, which depends on self-esteem, and often results in pride.

The path for the Christian is much different, as illustrated in the experience of the children of Israel in “the great and terrible wilderness.” One would think that their self-esteem would need to have been pumped up in order to face the daily and approaching enemies. But no, God’s design was to humble them, that they might rely upon God, and God alone. He often does the same with us.

In the first of three instances of “humble” in Deuteronomy 8, the long experience of the wilderness is the setting. The text in v. 2 says this: “that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart.” Now, to be sure, God already knows what is in our hearts. This humbling carries with it the benefit allowing us to know our own hearts, to know how dependent upon God that we actually are. We don’t seem to learn that lesson easily. And the learning takes a lifetime (or, in this illustration, a 40-year lesson).

Right away, we come to the second instance of “humble” in v. 3: “He humbled you by letting you hunger.” God actually brought the children of Israel to the point of their need. He did not supply before they were aware of their predicament. He brought them to the edge, even just beyond the edge, to show that He could provide, and perhaps so that He would do so in the midst of their calling out to Him (or, as it turned out often, in the midst of their grumbling and complaining). Part of being humbled is being driven to our knees.

The third instance of “humble” follows after the admonition, “do not exalt yourself,” found in v. 14. Then “humble” follows in v. 16: “to humble you and to test you, and in the end to do you good.” Throughout this time, we had discovered our neediness; God had proven His faithfulness; we had come to learn the folly of self-sufficiency; God established a clear record of provision and deliverance. And beyond all this, we could now, by faith, in the hope of the promise, look forward to a “good” that we could never have constructed ourselves. “It is the gift of God, lest any man should boast.”