EVERY WORD OF GOD MEANS EVERY WORD OF GOD

But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.' "
(Mat 4:4 WEB (R))

When Jesus said these words, I imagine that most of us would not really believe what he said. We, if we are honest, would rephrase him a little bit, so as to say something more like, 'It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every [good] word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.' "

Yes, we love it when we experience what God has spoken that is good, but did you know that when Jesus uttered these words, he also had in mind our living by the experiencing of the evil that God has spoken? I know that I sound like I am calling God evil. I most emphatically am not. I am speaking just as his people, the ones who wrote scripture, would have thought thousands of years ago.

Yet in our more sanitized culture, we have redefined such terms as 'good' and 'evil' so that God is only connected with our definition of 'good', and has nothing to do with anything 'evil.' Reading scripture in its original tongue has opened my eyes to see that he is very much involved in what is experienced as evil, (yet not being evil himself) and for good reason, one that involves our very life.

I am going to give some examples to show what I mean, starting with the very source of the quote that Jesus gave. And here it is, with the surrounding context:

He humbled you, and allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you didn't know, neither did your fathers know; that he might make you know that man does not live by bread only, but by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh does man live. Your clothing didn't grow old on you, neither did your foot swell, these forty years. You shall consider in your heart that as a man chastens his son, so Yahweh your God chastens you.
(Deu 8:3-5 WEB (R))

Notice here that God humbled his people in 2 ways:

1. On one occasion, he did not provide them food when they needed it, but let them go hungry for a time. Now, ask yourself, what would someone think of a parent who had the means to feed their child, yet allowed that child to go hungry? I am not talking about not allowing a child to eat junk before dinner, but a legitimate amount of time where they would truly be hungry and in need of food? I am quessing they might possibly, among other things, think of it as evil. They most likely would not think of it as good. Yet here is God, allowing this evil, (keeping in mind his definition of evil, which is something not working as intended. In other words, we are intended to eat when hungry) all for the purpose of them experiencing that they live by EVERY word that comes out of his mouth. I might also add that he also let them go thirsty, which is a much more pressing need than food, for the same reason.

2. He gave them manna to eat, which on the surface appears to be perfect. They only had to go out every morning and gather it, no sweat. It tasted like honey, and we like sweet things. However, unlike dogs and cats, and most other animals, man has a hard time eating the same thing day after day, even if it is completely nutritious and good tasting. And so this 'good' came to be yet another 'evil' experienced by them, to the point where they called that provision 'contemptible bread.' This too, was so that they would experience that man lives by EVERY word that comes out of his mouth.

How so? Well, in both instances we find that they only received what they needed when God actually spoke them into existence. Before then, when he was silent, they were on their way to starvation and dying of thirst. Both of these provisions were either experienced as evil at that moment (in the case of their hungering and thirsting), or over time (in the case of the continual manna day after day).

I know we have a hard time wrapping our minds around the idea of God doing anything evil in our lives, but always remember what evil actually is, and realize that, in the hands of a loving God, that evil will only be worked for our good. And I am going to submit to you that evil MUST be experienced in order to be worked toward the good purposes of our Creator. Every word means every word, good and evil.

Here is one of the clearest examples that can be seen to demonstrate this truth:

It shall happen, when all these things have come on you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you shall call them to heart among all the nations, where Yahweh your God has driven you,
(Deu 30:1 WEB (R))

According to Deuteronomy 28, who spoke the blessing, that which is experienced as good? God did. Now, who spoke the curse, that which is experienced as evil? God did. BOTH are words that come from his mouth. Regarding these, it is true that he gave them the choice to either do his torah and experience the good blessing that relates to life, or to break his torah and experience the evil curses that relates to death. However, God also intended that man live by his EVERY word, and so for that reason he said that WHEN the blessing AND the curse came upon them... it meant that they would have to experience BOTH for a reason.

That reason was so that they would 'call them to heart'. Another way to put it is found back in chapter 8:

You shall remember all the way which Yahweh your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, to prove you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments, or not.
(Deu 8:2 WEB (R))

He did it so that they would 'remember ALL the way which Yahweh' led them. This implies that they would forget as well, which we see happening more often than not. If they had only obeyed torah, they would never have experienced the curse, and thus never would have had the need to remember, or call to heart what he did. His intention was that they do that, which is why he worked his purpose in such a way that they would experience the curse, that they would break his torah, and be in need of redemption from it. All of this is spoken of in a way that every parent can relate to, as discipline:

So you know with your heart that just as a man disciplines his son, Yahweh your Elohim is disciplining you.
(Deu 8:5 CLV)

You see, not only was his intention that they break his torah and thus experience literally EVERY (I hope you are convinced right now of what 'every' means here) word he speaks, but that, as a result, they would call these things to their heart, remembering again, by which the following would occur:

and that you will return again to Yahweh your Elohim and hearken to His voice according to all that I am instructing you today, you and your sons, with all your heart and with all your soul. Then Yahweh your Elohim will turn back your captivity and show compassion to you; He will return and convene you from all the peoples where Yahweh your Elohim will have scattered you. If it comes to be that you should be expelled to the end of the heavens, from there Yahweh your Elohim shall convene you, and from there He shall take you. Then Yahweh your Elohim will bring you to the land that your fathers tenanted; you will tenant it, and He will bring you good and let you increase more than your fathers. Yahweh your Elohim will circumcise your heart and the heart of your seed so as to love Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may stay alive.
(Deu 30:2-6 CLV)

That was his goal for them, restoration and being even more blessed than before. And further, to love Yahweh totally.

These things happened for our instruction as well, as a foretaste of how God conforms us to the image of his son. The first century Hebrew believers experienced much evil amidst all the good that came with being a believer, a son of the living God. BOTH of these were the experience of EVERY word coming from his mouth. They were a means of discipline designed by a loving Father for the betterment of his children. Let Paul describe how:

And you have been oblivious of the entreaty which is arguing with you as with sons: My son, do not disdain the discipline of the Lord, Nor yet faint when being exposed by Him." For whom the Lord is loving He is disciplining, Yet He is scourging every son to whom He is assenting." For discipline are you enduring. As to sons is God bringing it to you, for what son is there whom the father is not disciplining? Now if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, consequently you are bastards and not sons." Thereafter, indeed, we had the fathers of our flesh as discipliners, and we respected them. Yet shall we not much rather be subjected to the Father of spirits and be living." For these, indeed, disciplined for a few days as it seemed best to them, yet that One for our expedience, for us to be partaking of His holiness." Now all discipline, indeed, for the present is not seeming to be a thing of joy, but of sorrow [an experience of evil, that which is not what we were created for], yet subsequently it is rendering the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those exercised through it."
(Heb 12:5-11 CLV)

Yes brothers and sister, we all must, and will live, by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. Evil, as a part of that, thankfully is in the hands of the one who has a greater good in mind, so we can be confident even in the midst of any sorrow we experience as evil, for these are meant to cause us to remember, and we will remember, just how he has led us in our own wilderness experience in this dimension of his Life in us.

Ron