God’s Word and Food

Without food, humans cannot function properly, think clearly, or carry out their goals and plans. This also applies to our spiritual life. Without spiritual food, we cannot achieve gracious results for the gospel.

The Bible teaches us that God’s word is the food of life for us and it has the power to revive our souls. Jesus said, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life” (Jn 6:27). Jesus warned against neglecting God’s word [spiritual food] to pursue worldly desires [food that spoils]. Now, let us take some time to realize the value of God’s word, which is the food of life for our souls.

The Difference Between a Worker Bee and a Queen Bee

Bees are hard-working insects that fulfill a critical role in maintaining the ecosystem by helping plants produce fruit. In a colony, worker bees work hard their whole lives while a queen bee leads the entire colony. The only difference between a worker bee and a queen bee is the type of food they eat.

When bees are in their initial stage of life as larvae, they all eat the same food—royal jelly. However, worker bees eat royal jelly for only the first three or four days of their lives, while the queen bee continues to eat royal jelly throughout her entire life. As a result, the queen bee is much bigger and lives far longer than the worker bees; she lives for seven years, but the worker bees live for only seven weeks. This drastic difference stems from the food they eat.

In the world of insects, we can discover the providence of God through royal jelly. God wants us to reign as crown princes and princesses in His eternal kingdom. He has reserved the position of the royal priesthood for us and is now spiritually training us on the earth (1 Pe 2:9; Pr 17:3). Nevertheless, if we despise the word of God or allow the anxieties of life to hinder us from studying the word of God, we will fail to reach the glorious position that is waiting for us.

While living in this world, we spend a considerable amount of time working for our daily food, worldly matters, entertainment, and hobbies. However, we need to reflect on our lives and ask ourselves, “How many hours have I spent studying the word of God?” In the world of bees, the one who eats royal jelly for only three or four days becomes a worker bee that can only live for about seven weeks. On the other hand, the bee that continues eating royal jelly gradually changes to become a queen bee which is much bigger and lives far longer than other bees. Likewise, those who continue eating the food of God’s word will be in a glorious position to reign forever.

Since God has given this spiritual food to everyone, we should all eat it without hesitation. When we eat and live by God’s word every day, our souls are refined so that we can become royal priests who faithfully honor God and obey His word.

The Word of God Is Food for Our Souls

By living according to God’s word, we should overcome all our present sufferings and have hope for Heaven. In the Bible, God’s word is described as spiritual food.

“The days are coming,” declares the Sovereign LORD, “when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.” Am 8:11

God’s word is food for our souls. When we first received the truth, we felt much grace and were deeply moved by the word of God. However, as time passes, we may neglect studying God’s word, thinking that we already understand everything. Although God’s word once tasted as sweet as honey, we may neglect studying the word of God and gradually lose our taste for it due to our busy lives. When the Israelites ran out of food in the desert, God rained down manna for them to eat every day. At first, they enjoyed the manna because it tasted delicious to them, like wafers made with honey. Later, however, they detested the manna and regarded it as miserable food (Ex 16:31; Nu 21:5). Through this history of the Israelites, we should reflect upon ourselves to check if we are repeating their mistakes.

If we stop studying God’s word—eating spiritual food, it is just like the worker bees stop eating royal jelly after three or four days. From the moment we drift away from God’s word, we will also be far away from being the royal priesthood of Heaven. This is why we should continue feeding our souls with the word of God. In doing so, if we review the same subject although we studied it yesterday, we will be able to receive many new realizations which apply to us today.

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you. 1 Pe 1:23–25

Jesus said, “No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (Jn 3:3). God’s word contains essential elements which enable us to be born again as the people of God.

We should not stay far away from the word of God. Instead, we should draw nearer to God’s word day by day. When God’s word is engraved on our hearts, we will naturally apply it to our everyday lives. However, if we are constantly exposed to seeing and hearing worldly things, we cannot help but judge all matters by the standards of the world.

Without eating three meals a day, we cannot carry out our daily activities. In the same way, without eating the word of God, we cannot carry out our spiritual activities. God’s word is precious food which nourishes our souls. Therefore, we should carefully consider whether we will eat this food for only a few days or eat it continuously to become the royal priesthood in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Live by God’s Word

After Jesus finished fasting and praying for forty days, Satan first tempted Him with food. Satan attempted the same strategy on Jesus that he employs on all mankind, making them set their goals and aspirations on this world.

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Mt 4:1–4

Every word that comes from the mouth of God is spiritual food that saves us. Jesus spoke these words not to escape the current situation but rather to show us the way that our souls can live. Jesus taught that physical food is food that spoils, so we should work for food that endures to eternal life. Satan’s plot completely failed when Jesus spoke the words, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

We can enjoy eternal life and happiness as the royal priesthood in the Kingdom of Heaven when we diligently feed ourselves every day with the word of God which has power to save our souls. Of course, we need to eat physical food. However, are we any different from animals if we eat only to live and survive? Humans are different from animals because they are able to have faith in God and yearn for eternity in their hearts. If our hope is to live forever, we should continually eat the food given by God.

If we have not studied the word of God diligently, let us begin in earnest today. From now on, let us review the parts of the Bible which we have not read carefully before, study the Truth Books, listen to audio sermons, and watch video sermons. Doing this, let us have more conviction in the words of Father and ruminate on the Teachings of Mother. In this way, our souls should constantly eat spiritual food—the words of God. Then we can live according to the teachings of the Bible.

The Glory of Those Who Live According to the Word of God

If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God: … You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven. The LORD will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The LORD your God will bless you in the land he is giving you. The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the LORD your God and walk in his ways. Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you. Dt 28:1–10

God has promised to set the people who obey Him and live according to His word high above all the nations on earth. Some people dream of becoming a diplomat, a president, or the UN Secretary General and prepare for that kind of future life. To achieve a higher position than others, they expend significant resources and time on gaining more experience and increasing their abilities. However, the people who will be set high above the nations are those who live according to the words of God, getting truly well prepared for their future.

When gospel workers go on mission trips to overseas countries, don’t the people in those countries come to learn the word of God from our members? As Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations,” all those who are led to the truth—whether professors, scientists, royalty, or presidents—become our disciples and we their teachers. Although they hold high positions in this world, they all humble themselves before the name of God in obedience to His word when they come to Zion. Though they are respected and honored by the people of the world, they truly respect and honor the gospel workers who study the word of God and preach the truth.

Since we have the most precious treasure in the world—the word of God, we should polish it and make it shine more brilliantly instead of just hiding it. God’s word should always be on our lips so that we can be ready to preach at any moment. When we preach, not only is Satan driven away, but God grants us wisdom and revives our souls so that we can lead all mankind to salvation.

God Fulfills Everything According to His Word

God created all things by His word. When He said, “Let there be light,” there was light. When He said, “Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water,” it was so. Everything was fulfilled according to the word of God. Whatever God says will surely be done; God’s word has power to create and fulfill all things.

For the word of God is living 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. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Heb 4:12–13

God’s word is living and active and every word of God is fulfilled without fail. When God says He will make us into a royal priesthood, it will surely be done. The problem is our unwillingness to draw near to God’s word [spiritual food].

God said, “I clothe the lilies of the field and feed the birds of the air. Are you not much more valuable than they? So, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink” (Mt 6:25–34). Didn’t God feed the Israelites manna from Heaven when they were in the desert? During the forty years in the desert, none of them died of hunger; rather they died due to their grumbling and unbelief.

The word that comes from the mouth of God cannot be revoked; God’s plan and purpose are surely fulfilled (Isa 45:23; 46:10–11). We should keep this in mind and always eat spiritual food, thinking over how to live according to God’s word and how to please and glorify Father and Mother.

We should never stop eating God’s word. We will become the royal priesthood in the eternal Kingdom of Heaven if we continue eating the word of God. For example, the worker bees and the queen bee are differentiated by the length of time during which they eat royal jelly. Likewise, the future of those who stop studying the word of God after a short time is completely different from the future of those who study it with a sincere heart every day.

Preaching the gospel every day is the best way to continuously eat God’s word. Those who preach the word of truth always consider, “What should I teach this soul today? What kind of food should I feed that soul today?” Their motivation for studying the word of God is their concern for others. The eternal glory of Heaven has been prepared for those people.

No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. Rev 22:3–5

If you want to reign forever and ever in the Kingdom of Heaven and be high above all the nations on earth, please do not neglect studying the word of God. You should also listen attentively to the sermons and diligently study the Truth Books and the Bible. All these are spiritual royal jelly that we, the heavenly royal priesthood, should eat continuously.

God’s word is the food for our souls, which transforms into a sharp sword to defeat the devil. As the rest of the woman’s offspring in the last days, we must always keep God’s word close to our hearts to be victorious against Satan.

I give thanks to Heavenly Father and Mother for giving us the words of life to set us high above all the nations on earth and make us the royal priesthood in the eternal Kingdom of Heaven. I earnestly ask all of you, our heavenly family members in Zion, to always live according to God’s word and praise Father and Mother forever and ever.