In Matt. 4:4 everything is replaced by every word, referring to the law, the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances as the words that proceed out of the mouth of God. All the words in this book are God’s breathing (2 Tim. 3:16), and all refer to Christ, who is the totality of God’s word (John 1:1; Rev. 19:13) to be the life and life supply of God’s people. Therefore, to live by every word that proceeds out through the mouth of God is to live by Christ, the embodiment of the divine breath (John 6:57, 63). God was leading His people into the good land, a type of Christ, by Christ, and He was sustaining them on their way to the good land also by Christ, who is everything that proceeds out through the mouth of God. See note Deut. 6:1¹ and note Deut. 30:12^1a.

God wants us to fulfill His righteous requirements for the accomplishing of His divine economy; however, He does not want us to do this in ourselves. Rather, He wants us to live, work, and have our being in Christ, by Christ, with Christ, through Christ, and in oneness with Christ (Gal. 2:20). God’s desire is that we put ourselves aside, forget ourselves, and fulfill His economy by the Spirit, i.e., by the realization of the Son, who is the embodiment of the Father (10, John 14:17-18). The Scriptures as the breathing, the exhaling, of God are the embodiment of Christ as the life-giving Spirit (John 6:63; Eph. 6:17). By inhaling the word of the Scriptures, we receive the Spirit (Eph. 6:17-18a; Gal. 3:5) and enjoy the riches of Christ and thus are enabled to fulfill God’s requirements.

The good land, the land of Canaan, is a full, complete, and consummate type of the all-inclusive Christ, who is the embodiment of the Triune God (Col. 2:9) realized as the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45; 2 Cor. 3:17), as the inheritance allotted to God’s people for their enjoyment (Col. 1:12 and note Col. 1:12²; Col. 2:6-7 and note Col. 2:6^2b; Gal. 3:14 and note Gal. 3:14^3e). The riches of the good land in vv. 7-9 typify the unsearchable riches of Christ in different aspects (Eph. 3:8) as the bountiful supply to His believers in His Spirit (Phil. 1:19). The waterbrooks, springs, and fountains signify Christ as the flowing Spirit (John 4:14; 7:37-39; Rev. 22:1), and the valleys and mountains signify the different kinds of environments in which we may experience Christ as the flowing Spirit (cf. 2 Cor. 6:8-10). Wheat typifies the incarnated Christ, who was crucified and buried to multiply Himself (John 12:24), and barley, being the first-ripe grain (2 Sam. 21:9), points to the resurrected Christ as the firstfruits (1 Cor. 15:20). Vines typify the Christ who sacrificed Himself to produce wine to cheer God and man (Judg. 9:13; Matt. 9:17). The fig tree speaks of the sweetness and satisfaction of Christ as the life supply (Judg. 9:11); the pomegranates signify the fullness, the abundance and beauty, and the expression of the riches of Christ as life (Exo. 28:33-34; 1 Kings 7:18-20; S.S. 4:3, 13); the bread signifies Christ as the bread of life (John 6:35, 48); the olive tree typifies Christ (Rom. 11:17) as the One who was filled with the Spirit and anointed with the Spirit (Luke 4:1, 18; Heb. 1:9); olive oil typifies the Holy Spirit, by whom we walk to honor God and whom we minister to honor man (Gal. 5:16, 25; 2 Cor. 3:6, 8; Judg. 9:9); and milk and honey (Deut. 6:3) speak forth the goodness and sweetness of Christ (see note Exo. 3:8^2e). Stones signify Christ as material for building God’s dwelling place (Isa. 28:16; Zech. 4:7; 1 Pet. 2:4). The iron and copper are for making weapons (Gen. 4:22; 1 Sam. 17:5-7) and typify our spiritual warfare by which we fight the enemy (2 Cor. 10:4; Eph. 6:10-20). Iron also signifies Christ’s ruling authority (Matt. 28:18; Rev. 19:15), and copper, Christ’s judging power (Rev. 1:15 and note Rev. 1:15^1a). The mountains from which copper is mined signify Christ’s resurrection and ascension (Eph. 4:8 and note Eph. 4:8¹).

God’s goal in His economy is not merely to redeem His people and save them from the world, typified by Egypt, but to bring them into Christ, typified by the good land, that they may possess Him and enjoy His unsearchable riches. By enjoying the riches of the land, the children of Israel were able to build up the temple to be God’s habitation on earth and the city of Jerusalem to establish God’s kingdom on earth. Likewise, by enjoying the unsearchable riches of Christ, the believers in Christ are built up to be Christ’s Body, the church, which is Christ’s fullness, His expression (Eph. 1:22-23), and which is also the habitation of God (Eph. 2:21-22; 1 Tim. 3:15) and the kingdom of God (Matt. 16:18-19; Rom. 14:17). Ultimately, God’s habitation and God’s kingdom will consummate in the New Jerusalem in eternity for the fulfillment of God’s eternal economy (Rev. 21:1-3, 22; 22:1, 3).

Or, deep waters. Concerning the water in the good land, the fountains are the source, and the springs and waterbrooks are the outflow. See note Isa. 12:3², par. 1.

Today we should be careful lest we forget God by not keeping His Christ (cf. Gal. 5:2, 4).