Deuteronomy 8:16
Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end; Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end;
God fed Israel in the wilderness with manna, a food unknown to them and to their fathers, as part of His leading them out of bondage through hunger, danger and thirst to water from the rock. By hunger and provision He humbled them and proved what was in their hearts, whether they would keep His commandments and walk in His ways, teaching them as a father disciplines his son that life depends not on bread alone but on every word from God. This humbling and testing was done in order to do them good at their latter end. The teaching warns them not to forget the Lord when full, housed and increased in goods, by pridefully claiming wealth and blessing came from their own power and righteousness, but to remember that mercy and power to get wealth come from Him to establish His covenant, lest they perish like the nations before them. Its lessons are of the greatest importance for believers living at the end of the world, for God still leads His people through hardship and opposition they would not choose, to cure self-sufficiency and turn them to faith, trust and obedience.
Manna, Humbling and Testing
God fed Israel in the wilderness with manna, a food unknown to them and to their fathers and ancestors. That unfamiliar provision was the means by which He humbled them and proved them in order to do them good at their latter end.
The feeding belonged to a wider wilderness leading in which He let them hunger, brought them from bondage in Egypt, led them through the great and terrible wilderness of fiery serpents and scorpions and drought without water, and brought them water from flint rock. It included desert march and conflict with Amalek after triumph at the sea, with hardship, obstruction and conflict instead of a smooth way, while His restraining care protected them from dangers that would otherwise have harmed them. Through hunger and provision He humbled Israel and proved them in order to reveal what was in their hearts, whether they would keep His commandments and walk in His ways. That discipline was a father's care for his son, and the opposition blocking their way was a trial meant to teach faith, trust and obedience.
The humbling taught dependence on God, for hunger and manna showed that life depends not on bread alone but on every word from God, so that Israel would look to Him rather than pride itself on its own power, righteousness, or wealth. Their blessings came from His mercy, not from their own righteousness or power. The stated purpose of this humbling and testing was to do Israel good at its latter end and prepare them for their later good.
Warning and Present Application
The verse stands as part of a warning against forgetting the Lord by neglecting His commandments, judgments and statutes when satisfied, housed, and multiplied in flocks, silver, gold and every possession with a lifted heart. In that time of fullness Israel was to remember the Lord who brought them from bondage in Egypt, led them through the great and terrible wilderness of fiery serpents, scorpions and waterless drought, brought them water from flint rock, and gives power to get wealth to establish His covenant sworn to the fathers. To forget Him and follow and worship other gods would bring certain perishing like the nations destroyed before them.
Blessings therefore come from God's mercy, not from Israel's own righteousness or power, so prosperity depends on obedience. The wilderness provision taught dependence on God rather than pride in personal power or wealth, and prosperity must not lead to forgetting the Lord or claiming wealth came from self. They were not to become proud, forget Him, or credit their blessings to themselves.
The word spoken to Israel was verified, for the people disobeyed and only two of the adults who left Egypt entered Canaan while the rest died in the wilderness. God will vindicate His word in the same way today if the leaders of His people depart from His commandments. Its lessons are of the greatest importance and are given to present believers as verily as to the Israelites. They are written for the instruction of people living at the end of the world.
God still leads His people by a way they would not choose for themselves and by ways they do not know, through hardship, obstruction, opposition and conflict instead of making the way smooth. This is because self is mingled with everything they do and easy success would lead them to take the glory and become self-sufficient, as with Israel after triumph at the sea when the desert march and the conflict with Amalek sorely tried them. He faithfully applies tests and brings them into difficult situations where their need allows Him to display His power and restrain harm that would otherwise injure them. The opposition blocking the way and the trials faced are part of His plan to teach faith, trust and obedience and to turn them to look to Him. Through them He works out His will, and He can relieve difficulties and heal when obeyed, with the experiences to remain in memory and lead to glorifying Him.