Obedience is faith

Welcome to the Daily Bible Chapter. My name is James Leroy Wilson and I invite you to join me as I attempt to read the Bible with fresh eyes, as if I don’t know anything about it, and without consulting experts on what it “really” means.. Let’s see where this takes us!

Deuteronomy 8

I’m reading Young’s Literal Translation (YLT) and the New Revised Standard Version.

We must remember that the Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness so that the generation of adults that fled Egypt would die off. Now, if I’m getting this straight, only Moses, Joshua, Caleb, and two of Aaron’s priestly sons are left.

The previous generation had to die because they grew up in slavery and were habituated to the slave mentality of fear. They thought they couldn’t beat the “giants” in Canaan. They were embittered that the manna they received from the LORD wasn’t as good as the food in Egypt. They felt insecure, convinced that they’ll die of thirst or at the hands of a foreign army.

The younger generation, however, had grown accustomed to relying on the LORD and the LORD alone for their provision. They knew nothing else. They could enter the new land knowing that this would still be the case, that prosperity comes from faith in the LORD and not through their own reasoning and hard work.

My understanding of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy is that Israel is YOU and the LORD is your higher consciousness. While the slave, which Israel once was, judges by appearances and fears death, the higher consciousness knows we live in an eternal world and all good things come to those who have faith that good things will come.

The “old man,” your previous way of thinking, has to die if one is to live abundantly. Obeying God is to constantly listen to eternal consciousness.

That is faith.

James Leroy Wilson writes Daily Miracles, The Daily Bible Chapter, JL Cells, and The MVP Chase. Thanks for your subscriptions and support!

(Photo credit: TyshkunVictor)