Recall that chapter eight of Deuteronomy is structured chiastically. We will now consider the second half of this chiasm. “Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day” (Deuteronomy 8:11-20).
Remember the central point of this chapter is emphasized at the point of the chiasm. Recall also this point is then reiterated in the last two verses of the chapter.
A Land was sworn to forefathers; the command is given today (v. 1).
B Wilderness was a place of humbling, testing and provision (vv. 2-6)
C The land before you is good (vv. 7-9)
D You will eat and be full; bless the Lord (v. 10)
E Do not forget the Lord (v. 11)
D’ You will eat and be full (v. 12a)
C’ The land before you is good (vv. 12b-14)
B’ Wilderness was a place of humbling, testing and provision (vv. 15-16)
A’ Wealth, covenant with forefathers, as today (vv. 17-18)
And then verses 19-20 go back to reinforce the central point—do not forget the Lord. So let’s work our way back out the chiasm. From v. 11 through v. 18, Moses is working his way back through the points made earlier. And yet he does more than simply repeat himself; we find fresh coloration throughout.
We have been told not to forget the Lord, but forgetfulness is then defined. Not keeping the commandments, judgments, and statutes is defined as forgetfulness (v. 11). Forgetting consists of what a man does or does not do. So God is forgotten when His Word is not done (Ps. 106: 19, 21; Jer. 2:32). God is remembered when His commands are performed (Psalm 103:18). Remembering and forgetting are not verbs that are contained within the head.
The actual temptation comes in vv. 14a & 17. The set-up for it comes in vv. 12-13. When you are fat and sassy (v. 12), Moses says, when you have fine houses, enjoyed over time (v. 12), when your herds multiply (v. 13), when your money multiplies (v. 13), when everything multiplies (v. 13), the sinful heart tends to exalt itself (v. 14). But self-exalting is God-forgetting. If riches create this temptation, then American Christian are in it up to our necks.
Not only are these people anticipated as fools, they are ungrateful fools. What had God done for them? He delivered them from slavery in Egypt (v. 14). He led them through the wilderness, and delivered them from serpents. Adam and Eve had fallen to the serpent in a Garden, and the Jews were delivered from seraphim in a wilderness (v. 15; Num. 21:8-9). God gave them water from Christ Himself (v. 15; 1 Cor. 10:4). God also fed them bread from heaven (John 6:32-33) to humble and test them, and bring them good (v. 16).
But when the heart is lifted up, it says all manner of foolish things. My hand and my might has gotten me where I am, and all I have. This attitude was the preliminary insanity of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:30), and the death of the rich fool (Luke 12:16-21). Nebuchadnezzar’s insanity had a preamble, and that preamble was his boasting.
In contrast, we are called to remember. But the command is not to remember this point, or to keep it rolling around in the head. Remembering is doing. God gives the power to get wealth through your working (v. 18). He establishes His covenant through making our work efficacious. He alone can prosper the work of our hands (Ps. 90:17). So here is the basic choice. If the people forget, and do not live His commandments, they shall die (v. 19). They shall be destroyed (v. 20). Life is simple. Obey or die.
The Word of God speaks to us in our condition. What do we need to remember? Remembering is doing—remembering is not intellectual regurgitation. Obey or die—we may want a gentler religion. Well, go find a false one then. The beauty of the Lord—when God blesses us, the blessing is as lovely as His law.