God's People in Prosperity

Did you notice?! God does not oppose prosperity. In today's lesson we not only see God leading His people into a productive, prosperous land, but we also see Him blessing His people with abundance. Furthermore, God expected them to enjoy what He had given them, and He expected them to be well satisfied. They would lack nothing.

We like the sound of that because most of us reading this in a quarterly are similarly blessed. We don't want to feel guilty in our abundant prosperity. This lesson helps, right? I think so; at least to a certain point. Read on.

In the midst of all that prosperity, God would expect something of Israel. In our day, God still expects much of us as His people. A study of the New Testament may well reveal that He expects even more of us. For now, though, let us do some harvesting from today's lesson text.

"Thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee." In the midst of all the abundance they were to see the Provider . . . and bless Him for the abundance. This exercise would remind them of their abiding dependence on the Giver and would keep them from total reliance on the gift. Looking at this computer should be a continual stimulus to bless God. Oh that God would give me a fresh look at all the stuff I have so that I might have a fresh view of Him!

"Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God." Having and enjoying all that stuff would naturally tend to dull their spiritual sensitivity. And that dulling would inevitably produce disobedience and disloyalty. So they were advised ahead of time: "Be on your guard!" It seems abundance will sneak haughtiness into the human heart every time, unless watchful vigilance is maintained. Failure to do this ultimately results in judgment in place of blessing from the very same Hand, by then forgotten amidst plenty.

"Thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth." As the Israelites increased their holdings and expanded their wealth beyond what they received through conquest, they were to remember the Enabler. Otherwise they would forget Him and pursue after the gods about them . . . and suffer the same fate as those whom they displaced from the land. As you consider all you have, remember the Enabler. When you think you did it all, remember the Enabler. Otherwise you set yourself up in place of the Most High and He will surely judge you for that. The Israelites didn't get away with it and you won't either. So remember!

God commanded His people repeatedly to keep His commandments, and His judgments, and His statutes. Only then would they be thoroughly blessed. Do you believe that? Do you believe it still holds true today? Do you believe these things enough to live them?

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