READ: Deut. 8
… that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD. – Deut. 8:3b
The fourth petition teaches us that we are dependent on God in everything. From sandwiches to glasses of milk, everything comes from God’s fatherly hand. The people of Israel had to learn this in 40 years of wandering through the desert after their liberation from Egypt (Deut. 8). They endured hardships–hunger, thirst, heat. Yet the Lord always provided for them in a wonderful way, with the manna, the quails, and water from a rock.
In this way they could not help but see that everything came from the hand of the Lord. It was precisely because of the extraordinary nature of the food that it became clear that God’s provision was not dependent on ordinary bread, meat, or water.
Thus the people were taught that man can only live on everything that comes out of the mouth of the Lord. It is His divine word that creates, maintains, provides, and rules everything. They had to think about that journey again when they would take possession of the promised land of Canaan and would live there. In front of the Lord, they had to continue feeling small, but also full of gratitude. They had to continue to expect even their basic needs from the hand of the Lord, even if they had it very well.
In all circumstances, the prayer was needed: Lord, give us this day our daily bread. Because even with prosperity, it was not automatic. The Lord made sure that His people got enough, and often abundance, if only they kept going in His ways. When the Lord Jesus resisted the devil’s temptation in the wilderness by not seeking it outside of God, despite His great hunger, He quoted Deut. 8:3. This text applies to us for all our lives: not by bread alone.
What dangers does prosperity have for us?
Singing: Ps. 146:4