Eat God’s Word

The Bible talks about eating God’s word. Kinda strange. What’s that mean, and where do we see that in the Bible?

We see the concept of eating God’s word in various places. Jeremiah 15:16 says, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts” (see also Revelation 10:10-11, Ezekiel 3:1-3). 

What does it mean to eat God’s word? To answer that question, consider what it means to eat food. 

When you eat food, it becomes part of you through a biological process that breaks down everything you eat into microscopic building blocks. Food, once broken down, enters the bloodstream and your cells take the absorbed amino acids and rearrange them to build new muscle tissue, organs, and enzymes.

Essentially, what you eat becomes you. It changes you. Food helps you grow, energizes you, and keeps you alive. We can’t live without it.

In the same way, when we eat God’s word, it becomes part of us. We, more and more, not only know about God but reflect Him. 

Also, we can’t live without God’s word. Being nourished by God’s word is as important as physical food. Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4). And Job 23:12 says, “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread.”

The Bible says to eat God’s word, and that it is at least as important as physical food. Why? What impact does eating God’s word have on us? Eating God’s word nourishes and changes us. It transforms us. That’s what Paul meant when he said “be transformed by the renewal of your mind” (Rom. 12:2). 

That’s the goal. Getting God’s word into us in such a way that it becomes us, it transforms us from the inside out. It should be understood that the outside world is not always excited about this transformation. When we are transformed more into the image of Jesus, we are likely to be rejected like Jesus. 

That happened with the prophets too. They ate the scroll, and it became bitter. They and their message were often not received. Thankfully, as we eat God’s word, it sustains us and is sweet, even as the world rejects us. 

The concept of eating God’s word is also helpful because, as there are various ways to consume food, there are various ways to get God’s word inside of us. I sometimes take lots of time and enjoy a feast. At other times, I grab a protein bar and banana. The big thing is regularly eating good food. There are various ways to eat.

In the same way, we have and need to consume God’s word in various ways. We are told to let God’s word dwell in us richly, singing songs and hymns and spiritual songs. God uses singing to get God’s word into us richly. God also uses reading, listening, and preaching. Regular intake and variety are important. Again, the big thing is taking in God’s word in various ways so that it will transform us from the inside out. 

More than just reading or even memorizing God’s word, ideally we get a taste for it and delight in it (Ps. 34:8; 1 Pet. 2:2–3; Heb. 6:4–5). The Apostle Paul not only knew things about God and His word, but he delighted in God and His word (Rom. 7:22). He said, “I delight in the law of God, in my inner being.” 

In Deuteronomy 6, where we’re told to teach and discuss God’s words diligently at all times and places, we are first told we must love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our might. The delight, the enjoyment of the food of God’s word, is vital. The regurgitation of words and facts is not mainly what it is about. 

Notice it is the person who delights “in the law of the LORD” who also meditates on it day and night (Ps. 1:2-3). That person is then like a healthy tree that bears good fruit. God’s word is to us what water is to a tree; it makes us healthy and strong. 

Photo by Tim Mossholder