“man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (ESV)

“man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (NIV)

Moses didn’t trust his own voice. When God called him to lead, he begged to be passed by. In Exodus 3 and 4, Moses told the Lord all his reasons for not speaking up. “Who am I?...They won’t listen to me…I’m slow of speech…” He saw the challenge of leading hundreds of thousands of God’s people looming before him, and didn’t think his voice was sufficient.

He pleaded with God to find someone else to speak for Him.

Decades later, Moses reminded the Israelites of God’s commands, and he delivered his final words in the book of Deuteronomy. This grace-filled farewell captured the heart of God's Word and marked the passing of the torch to Joshua. Forty years in the wilderness had taught the people that God alone - not bread - sustains mankind. It makes sense, then, that when Jesus faced His own wilderness trial, He used the words of Moses to rebuke Satan.

Led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Jesus fasted for 40 days before beginning His ministry. When He was most likely ravenous and exhausted, Satan taunted Jesus by saying ”if you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” It was then Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3. He told Satan exactly what nourished and sustained Him.

God knew all of His people (including us) would be filled with doubt. He knew we’d be tempted to believe His Word isn’t enough and to rely on our own provisions. But His Word was and is sufficient. Jesus knew the words He chose had been proven. God’s Word would silence the Tempter then, and it still silences him now. 

In the end, God heard Moses’ out, but He didn’t let his doubt have the final word. The God of the universe had plans for Moses’ voice that stretched far beyond just one speech. He used Moses to record His very law and Word. Even Jesus had these words stored in His heart and quoted Deuteronomy all three times in his rebuke to the devil in the wilderness. May we too fight temptation with the Sword of the Spirit. 

If Jesus had this verse memorized, I think we should too.

Written by LeeAnn Randall