THE WORDS … MORE THAN MY NECESSARY FOOD

Job was puzzled by the strange treatment that he was receiving from God. He had diligently followed the Lord’s word and had not violated His commandments. He displayed positive and negative obedience: he had not ‘gone back from the commandment’, and he ‘esteemed the words of His mouth more than’ his daily food, Job 23. 12. Why, then, had the Almighty allowed so many difficulties to come into his life? At the end of the chapter, he concludes that God is sovereign and that he fears Him, vv. 13-16. Later in the book, he learns of the Lord’s immense wisdom and power, and thus rests in the knowledge that His control of life’s affairs is benevolent, not needing to be questioned, chs. 38-41.

Job’s attitude toward God’s word is commendable and worthy of imitation. He paints a strong word picture, affirm­ing that he valued it more than the necessary nourishment that kept him functioning physically. He describes the scrip­tures in language that conjures up something of great value, saying ‘I have treasured up the words of his mouth’, v. 12 ASV. Literally, he says, ‘I have hidden the words’, using the same Hebrew word that appears in the blessed statement of Psalm 119 verse 11, ‘Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee’. In other words, Job put a premium on the word of the Lord, considering it more precious than the basic material provision for life. Accordingly, he guards it in his heart like his most valued possession.

Christians ought to hunger for the written word because it reveals the Living Word, John 1. 1; 5. 39, the Lord Jesus, who is the believer’s food, John 6. 33, 35, 51-58. Similarly, in exhorting elders to give the saints the necessary spiritual food of sound Bible teaching, both Paul and Peter use the evocative imagery of feeding like a shepherd, Acts 20. 28; 1 Pet. 5. 2. Truly, the scrip­tures are the nourishment of the inner man. They encourage the downcast, comfort the mourning, correct the erring, rebuke the indifferent, and instruct the unlearned. The Bible develops the new life within the saint, and continually challenges, edifies, and fosters growth within him.