How can we apply Ezekiel's experience to our personal Bible study practices? Eating the Scroll: Ezekiel 3:3 “Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.’ So I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.” (Ezekiel 3:3) The Invitation Behind the Image • God’s command is literal for Ezekiel, yet universally instructive: take the Word in deeply until it becomes part of you. • Notice the order—eat first, speak later (3:4). Internalizing precedes ministry. Savoring Scripture: Building an Appetite • Psalm 119:103: “How sweet are Your words to my taste—sweeter than honey in my mouth!” • Jeremiah 15:16 shows the same delight: “Your words were found, and I ate them.” • Practical parallel: approach each reading expecting sweetness, not duty. Fill Your Stomach, Not Just Your Mind • Ezekiel isn’t sampling; he’s filling up. • Move from mere information gathering to meditation—linger, reread, personalize. • Hebrews 4:12 reminds us the Word is “living and active,” capable of reaching the innermost parts. Let the Word Work Before You Speak • Ezekiel 3:4–11: Only after eating does God send Ezekiel to speak. • 2 Timothy 3:16-17 affirms Scripture’s role in equipping us. Internalization qualifies us for effective, accurate communication. • Application: allow Scripture to challenge, correct, and comfort you before sharing insights with others. From Sweetness to Strength • Revelation 10:9-10 echoes Ezekiel—sweet in the mouth, sour in the stomach. The Word both delights and disciplines. • Expect conviction as well as comfort. Let both shape daily obedience. Practical Steps for Today 1. Read aloud—engage eyes, ears, and mouth; “eat” with all senses. 2. Paraphrase each passage in your own words to test comprehension. 3. Memorize key verses; stored truth becomes instant nourishment. 4. Journal immediate applications—how will today’s “meal” change thoughts, words, decisions? 5. Share only after reflection; guard against speaking beyond what you’ve digested. 6. Return for second helpings; like physical food, yesterday’s intake won’t sustain tomorrow. Living the Feast • Approach every study time as a table God sets for you. • Take generous bites, let the Word settle, and watch it produce the boldness and clarity Ezekiel experienced. |
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