He will bless your bread and your water
Exodus 23:25 - This verse serves as a reminder that God always keeps His promises to the faithful.
“But you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water; and I will remove sickness from your midst.”
Exodus 23:25 NASB1995
No sooner had we visited the New Testament with verses from Romans, Mark, and Matthew, than God sends us all the way back to Exodus. Chapter 23 begins with laws directed at the judges of the people of Israel, and at this point, God is promising His blessings when the people keep His laws. God wants the people to reject the false gods of the Canaanites and remain faithful to Him, and He will then bring blessings to them for life.
By promising to “bless your bread and your water”, God is saying that all food — whether bread, meat, or drink — will be healthful and blessed to His faithful people. I found this commentary on BibleHub.com from British theologian Charles Ellicott to be short and sweet: “It is God’s blessing which makes food healthful to us.
What about this “remove sickness from your midst” promise in the verse? Ellicott went on to say:
Half the sicknesses from which men suffer are directly caused by sin, and would disappear if men led godly, righteous, and sober lives. Others, as plague and pestilence, are scourges sent by God to punish those who have offended Him. If Israel had walked in God’s ways, He would have preserved them from sicknesses of all kinds by a miraculous interposition.
Matthew Henry (via the same Exodus commentary page on BibleHub) said this about verse 25:
How rich are the particulars of this promise! The comfort of their food, the continuance of their health, the increase of their wealth, the prolonging their lives to old age. Thus hath godliness the promise of the life that now is. It is promised that they should subdue their enemies.
Matthew Poole, 17-century English theologian, had this interesting take on the verse:
Thy bread and thy water, i.e. thy meat and thy drink, that they shall be able to nourish thee, and give thee comfort, which without my blessing they will never be able to do.
Still, this verse refers to a promise made by God to the nation of Israel, not to the Christian church. The New Testament gives us a guarantee of sufferings, not blessings. In John 16:33b, Jesus tells us “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” We are free from Judaic law and the first covenant made with Israel, now living in faith and waiting for the day when Jesus will rule and reign forever.
How is this verse useful to us today when it doesn’t pertain to Christians? It serves as a reminder that God always keeps His promises to the faithful.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Lord in Heaven, We come before You in prayer with hearts full of gratitude for Your unwavering love and faithfulness. As we reflect on Your promise in Exodus 23:25, we are reminded of Your assurance to bless our bread and water and to take sickness away from us. We understand that under the new covenant, Your blessings are not just physical but also spiritual. Through Jesus Christ, we have received the ultimate blessing of eternal life and a relationship with You. Help us to serve You with all our hearts, knowing that You are our provider and healer. May we trust in Your provision and protection, and live in the fullness of Your grace. AMEN.