Connect Revelation 10:9 with Ezekiel's scroll experience in Ezekiel 3:1-3. The text in hand “ So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. ‘Take it and eat it,’ he said. ‘It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’ ” (Revelation 10:9) “And He said to me, ‘Son of man, eat what you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.’ So I opened my mouth, and He fed me the scroll. ‘Son of man,’ He said to me, ‘eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.’ So I ate, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.” (Ezekiel 3:1-3) Shared pattern: two prophets, one commission • Divine messenger hands over a written revelation. • The prophet must “eat” (internalize) the scroll. • Sweet taste in the mouth—God’s words are delightful (Psalm 119:103; Jeremiah 15:16). • Bitter after-effect—proclaiming judgment is painful (Revelation 10:10; Ezekiel 3:14). • Eating precedes speaking; inner appropriation fuels outward proclamation. Taste explains task Sweetness • God’s Word reflects His character—pure, trustworthy, life-giving (Psalm 19:9-10). • The prophet enjoys intimacy with God while receiving the message. Bitterness • The same Word exposes sin and announces judgment (Hebrews 4:12). • Bearing unwelcome truth brings anguish both for the messenger and for those who hear (Ezekiel 2:7-10; Revelation 11:3-10). Internalizing before proclaiming 1. Receive—John and Ezekiel accept the scroll without hesitation. 2. Digest—Scripture moves from page to heart, shaping motives and outlook (Colossians 3:16). 3. Declare—Only after the scroll is inside them are they told, “You must prophesy” (Revelation 10:11) or “Go, speak” (Ezekiel 3:1). Why the scroll is literal • Both visions specify physical actions (take, eat, swallow) that symbolize actual prophetic ministries soon to unfold. • The detail that the stomach turns sour underscores a genuine physical sensation, matching later hardships the prophets face. • Revelation repeatedly treats symbols as pointers to literal events (e.g., 1:20; 17:9-12); the scroll’s message likewise points to real forthcoming judgments. Living it out today • Feed daily on Scripture; let it shape affections before attempting to speak for God. • Expect a blend of joy and burden: delight in truth, sorrow for a fallen world. • Trust that every word—pleasant or piercing—accomplishes God’s purpose (Isaiah 55:10-11). Other supporting passages • Jeremiah 15:16 — eating God’s words brought joy yet led to opposition. • Psalm 119:11 — hiding the word in the heart guards from sin. • Luke 2:19 — Mary “treasured up” God’s words before sharing them. In both Revelation 10:9 and Ezekiel 3:1-3, the prophet’s literal eating of the scroll anchors the principle that God’s messenger must first internalize the sweet-yet-sobering Word, then speak it faithfully, no matter how bitter the consequences may feel. |
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