Eating the Word

Scripture is spiritual food. Ezekiel and Revelation both mention the eating of scrolls.

The Bible is often called the good book, but parts of it are really boring.

The old testament is a hard read. Some of it is especially boring. Reading the tallies of the census of Israel or the measurements for the temple are prime examples of what seems like boring reading. The laws in Leviticus and the various sacrifices and cleansing rites too. When reading those bits, I wonder what the point of it is. Unless I am building a replica of the temple or want to re-create the 12 tribes of Israel down to the exact number of each of them, am I really getting anything out of reading such things?

In the flesh, it is boring. Perhaps this is the point! I want to skip to something more interesting. Would that be giving in to the flesh? Although boring, there may be things going on in the spirit that I’m not aware of (boring the flesh to death). Discipline in reading some of the monotony, may actually be nourishing my spirit.

1 Peter 2:2
As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow.

Here is a thought on why night-time, just before going to bed, is a great time for reading scripture. In the flesh, we get up in the MORNING. If you read Genesis, it says there was EVENING (first) and then there was MORNING (last) – the first day. So, to the almighty God, a day begins at EVENING. Yet we, as created human beings, usually say our day begins at MORNING.

This is just another example of how we in the world deviate from God, as we do everything contrary to Him. Even down to defining what a day is. This is why Sabbath observation always starts and ends at sunset – because that is the start and end of the day based on scripture, and not our own human traditions. This is how God defines a day.

Now in the flesh, when we get up in the morning, we are hungry. We need nourishment to prepare us for the day ahead. We call this breakfast. Many studies show that missing breakfast has negative consequences on our health and our mood. So, it is wise to eat breakfast so that we can be ready for the busy day ahead!

Likewise, we need spiritual nourishment. Breakfast time for the flesh is morning. Could evening be breakfast time for the spirit? If so, then feed your spirit a good and hearty breakfast, one that will enable it to grow and become stronger. And that good and hearty breakfast is the word of God!

When I became truly awakened, I came to realise that I was spiritually starving. Do you remember back when you first became truly awakened? How hungry were we for the word of God? The Bible was read with such enthusiasm, and such speed, some of us go cover to cover in less than a month.

We binge on the bible. We eat large chunks, often not even understanding what we’ve just read as we’re reading it that fast. We’re starvos. We aren’t even chewing, we’re that hungry we plough on to the next chapter, just stuffing our faces with the word of God like we just can’t get enough of it. It is because when we become spiritually awakened, we realise we are famished. We are like little babies sucking on our ma’s teat.

Then we become full. In the flesh, we grow into adults. Many of us skip breakfast when we get older. Do you think we may do that in the spirit also? We mature in our faith and may not read as much of the bible anymore.

If you want to be close to God, then feed your spirit. We all have busy lives, some more busy than others, but if you make the time to go to bed a little earlier, and use that time to feed your spirit, then your spirit will grow and it will grow in the right way because you are feeding it good food. The best food.

Psalm 119:103
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

There are 1189 chapters in the Bible. If you read 2 chapters a night, you’d get through it in less than 2 years. If you read 3 a night you will get through it in a year + 1 month.

Christ said He was the word, and the bible is called the word of God. Jesus Christ said we would eat Him; do you remember that?

John 6:56-60
Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent Me and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your forefathers, who ate the manna and died, the one who eats this bread will live forever. Jesus said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. On hearing it, many of His disciples said, “This is a difficult teaching. Who can accept it?”

John called Jesus “the word” of God. And back in Genesis, we have In the beginning was God, and the WORD was with God.

And so, if the bible is the word of God, and Jesus Christ is also the word, then when Jesus said we would eat His flesh, this may also refer to reading the bible, as we digest the words within it in our spirit.

Jeremiah 15:16
When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty.