Today’s Devotion
Topic: The Word As Food
(Self Assessment)
Background: The word of God has been described in many ways and likened to many things, to help us comprehend its full nature and absolute importance to every believer.
The author of Hebrews teaches that, “The word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12). John the Apostle lays the truth so bare when he writes in John 1:1 that the word of God is God Himself. He will from here, go on and prove this absolute truth in the subsequent verses that followed.
Searching through scriptures, one would immediately realize the word of God is expressed as Food too. Why is that so? How can words be food? To what benefit will a word as food be to its eater? For answers to these and more, let us delve deep into our bible study for the day.
Text: Ezekiel 3: 1-4
1 And He said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth and He gave me the scroll to eat.
3 Then He said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. 4 He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them. Amen
Questions
i) According to Matthew 4:4,
The Lord Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out through the mouth of God”. Apostle Peter also wrote that, “like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation” (1 Peter 2:2). Why is the word of God being depicted as food? And what kind of food is it?
ii) Kindly read verse 1 of our text again. Why is Prophet Ezekiel being told to eat the scroll (which is the word of God)?
iii) “So I opened my mouth and He gave me the scroll to eat.” (verse 2). Prophet Jeremiah also said, “Your words were found and I ate them, and Your word became to me the gladness and joy of my heart” (Jeremiah 15:16). How do we eat the word then? Is it as literal as metaphorically expressed by these two prophets of old?
iv) When the Lord says to Prophet Ezekiel in verse 3, “fill your stomach with it”, what is He implying?
v) Ezekiel said in that same verse, “I ate it and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth”. The psalmist also wrote saying, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.” (Psalm 19: 7,10). Why are both authors saying the word of God is sweeter than honey when they tasted of it?
vi) In Verse 4, we see God commissioning Ezekiel to go and speak the word he just ate to the people. What does this mean in your opinion? What is the great significance in this for all believers today?
vii) When the Lord Jesus says in Matthew 24:35 that, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away”, what does He mean please and of what relevance is that to us?
viii) The Lord says in Isaiah 55: 2, “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me and eat what is good, And delight yourself in abundance. What does this mean please?
ix) What have you learnt from today’s discussion?
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