Deuteronomy 8:18 (NKJV)

And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Eisegesis: 

You are poor because you are not exercising power within yourself to become rich. Every single believer should be wealthy.  

Exegesis:   

This Scripture was not written to the New Testament Christians (you & I). It was written to and about the children of Israel while in the wilderness. It was written mainly so that the people of Israel would not get prideful as they entered the promised land and was a reminder that God was their provider. 

This verse is often taken out of context to state that God has given every believer the “power” to get wealthy. Unfortunately, this false teaching has spread because it feeds into the basic need that most humans struggle with: money.

Context:

In Deuteronomy chapter 8, Moses instructs the nation of Israel on how to conduct themselves when they would eventually enter into the promised land (after being slaves in Egypt).

He also warns them of the severe consequences if they would forget the Lord and go after other gods.

Since the Jewish people would inherit material blessings (living in fine houses, increase in flock, gathering of gold and silver), Moses gave them a warning message to not get prideful and forget God in the process.

Moses also encouraged the people to remain humble by remembering the test that God had taken them through in the wilderness.

Proper Interpretation;

We should remember that God is the source of every spiritual blessing that we enjoy; if we forget God, then success has a way of making us proud.

It can be easy to forget God or even seek Him with the urgency we once had in times of abundance. We should be mindful of this and not allow the prosperity of life to overtake our emotions. 

It is possible to get entrapped into thinking highly of our hard work and brilliance and forget that God gives us the body, brain, and talent, and so all glory goes to Him.

The NIV translates the word “power” to “ability”, which accurately flows with the context of the verse. 

~ “it is the Lord who gives you the ability to produce wealth,”

Deuteronomy 8:18 is a powerful reminder that all blessings, whether material or spiritual, come from God. It was written to the Israelites as they prepared to enter the Promised Land, emphasizing that their prosperity was not a result of their own efforts but a gift from God to fulfill His covenant promises. This same principle applies to us today: all that we have, including our talents and abilities, is given by God, and He deserves all the glory.

Misusing this verse to teach that all believers are guaranteed wealth distorts its original meaning and feeds into human greed. Instead, the true lesson is one of humility and dependence. Just as Moses warned the Israelites not to forget God in their abundance, we too must remain vigilant. Times of success and prosperity can easily lead to pride and self-reliance, causing us to drift away from the One who is the ultimate provider.