Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, “Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth.” So I went to the angel and said to him, “Give me the little book.” And he said to me, “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. And he said to me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.”
Revelation 10:8-11
In his vision John saw an angel with a scroll and now he is being told to eat the scroll. The angel warns him that it will be delicious but it will also be hard to digest. John ate the scroll and found that it was sweet. Afterward it did become bitter in his stomach, then he found out he was charged with delivering the word in many situations.
It seems to me that the scroll is the word of God that brings a spirit of revelation/prophecy on those who take it in. John finds the initial experience to be delightful. He relishes the position the understanding God’s word has given him. Then he finds that digesting the word in a way that gives clear understanding to the burden of living right and expressing what you have found to others is uncomfortable. James 1:22-25 says that if we only hear the word and don’t put it into effect in our lives we are only teasing ourselves into thinking we are OK. We are required to live out God’s word not just be happy we heard it. Neither John nor James complains about the discomfort of serving instead of hearing only they are just frank about the cost of obeying God’s word.
Jesus, Your word is sweet to me. Help me live it out in real life ways even when it is uncomfortable. Forgive me for the times I have complained about the responsibilities that come with it. Like Jeremiah, I sometimes feel like You deceived me (Jeremiah 20:7-9) and my position is too tough to handle but I cry with Jeremiah for You to heal me so I can move on and shepherd the people you have given to my care. With Jeremiah I won’t hurry away from being a shepherd who follows You. (Jeremiah 17:14-17) I know You are with me to protect me so I stay where you have called me.
Digesting The Word,
Pastor Jason
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