Compare Ezekiel 3:3 with Psalm 119:103. What similarities do you find? Tasting the Word: Ezekiel 3:3 & Psalm 119:103 “Then He said to me, ‘Son of man, feed your belly and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you.’ So I ate, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.” (Ezekiel 3:3) “How sweet are Your words to my taste—sweeter than honey in my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103) Both writers describe God’s Word as honey-sweet on the tongue. One experiences it through a prophetic vision, the other through heartfelt meditation—yet the result is identical delight. The Setting of Each Passage • Ezekiel stands in exile, newly commissioned as God’s prophet. Before he can speak to Judah, he must first “eat” the scroll—internalize the message. • The psalmist (often identified with Ezra or David) meditates on Torah amid life’s trials, discovering its sweetness through continual study. • Different circumstances, same foundation: God reveals Himself through His Word; His servants receive it personally before they can live it publicly. Shared Imagery of Honey Sweetness • Honey was the choicest natural sweetener in the ancient Near East—rare, precious, and nourishing. • Both verses use honey to picture the immediate, pleasant impact of divine truth on the human spirit. • The comparison stresses not only delight but sustenance: honey provided quick energy; God’s Word provides enduring strength (cf. Proverbs 16:24; Deuteronomy 8:3). Why Sweetness Matters • God never intends His commands to feel burdensome (1 John 5:3). He designs them to gladden the heart (Psalm 19:8–10). • The taste of sweetness fuels obedience. When the Word delights us, we long for more, just as natural cravings follow a satisfying meal. Inward Consumption Equals Transformation • Ezekiel eats the scroll before preaching it—obedience precedes proclamation (James 1:22). • The psalmist savors the law, then walks in its light (Psalm 119:105). • Jeremiah experienced the same dynamic: “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your words became a joy” (Jeremiah 15:16). • Revelation 10:9–10 echoes Ezekiel: John eats a little scroll, sweet in his mouth yet bitter in his stomach—sweet because it is God’s Word, bitter because of coming judgment. The pattern endures: consume, digest, declare. From Tasting to Speaking • Ezekiel’s sweet taste empowers him to deliver hard truths to a rebellious nation (Ezekiel 3:4–9). • The psalmist turns delight into testimony: “With my lips I recount all the judgments You have spoken” (Psalm 119:13). • When Scripture satisfies our souls, it naturally overflows to our speech (Matthew 12:34). Nourishment for Obedience • Honey-sweet beginnings lead to steadfast endurance. Ezekiel faces rejection; the psalmist faces affliction. Both remain anchored by the Word they have tasted. • Sweetness is not escapism; it is provision for mission and perseverance (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2-3). Further Scriptural Echoes • Exodus 3:8 describes Canaan as “a land flowing with milk and honey,” foreshadowing the spiritual richness of God’s promises. • Psalm 34:8 invites, “Taste and see that the LORD is good,” linking sensory metaphor with faith experience. • Hebrews 6:5 speaks of believers who have “tasted the goodness of the word of God,” affirming continuity from Old to New Testament. Takeaway Truths • God wants His Word enjoyed, not merely understood. • Sweetness in study fuels faithfulness in service. • Personal ingestion precedes public declaration; we must taste before we testify. • The same Word that delighted Ezekiel and the psalmist still satisfies every believer willing to “eat” today. |
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