Spiritual Digestion!
Revelation 10
10 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down. Then when I saw the Angel standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! 7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.” 8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’[a]” 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”
Today we see another might angel coming down from heaven carrying a second scroll. The second scroll likely contains the final judgments yet to come. The fact that he has a foot on land and a foot on sea shows his power and authority. Even though John is given some of what the message is, we will see the specific judgments in chapter 11. In verse 7, we see that in the days when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished. This is the culmination of what the Old Testament prophets frequently spoke about when they used the term, "the day of the Lord.
Then something interesting happens. The voice from heaven tells John to eat the little scroll that was in the hand of the angel. It would be sweet going down, but taste sour in his stomach. This is remarkably similar to what happened to the prophet of Ezekiel, when in Ezekiel 3 he is told to eat the scroll, which would go down sweet and turn sour in his stomach. The prophecy he would be told to give would be regarding the judgment of the people of Israel.
Psalm 119 says something similar, "How sweet are your words to my taste. Yes sweeter than honey in my mouth. From your precepts I gain understanding, therefore I hate every false way." Vv.103-104
When we read God's do we chew on it and digest it? Does it go beyond our mouths to the depth of our being? God's Word coming through us can be encouraging and sweet, but sometimes it can be the hard word that people don't want to hear. It might seem sour. And sometimes this is true for us. Reading and digesting God's Word might lead us to do something that takes us out of our comfort zone. But one thing we know for sure, as we hide God's Word in our hearts we will not turn from His path. His Word will be a lamp for our feet and light for our way. What is God's Word calling you to do or be? Are you taking time to read, chew on and digest God's Word? Don't go for fast food, but go to the banquet table has prepared for us!
10 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs were like fiery pillars. 2 He was holding a little scroll, which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion. When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down. Then when I saw the Angel standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6 And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, “There will be no more delay! 7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.” 8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’[a]” 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”
Today we see another might angel coming down from heaven carrying a second scroll. The second scroll likely contains the final judgments yet to come. The fact that he has a foot on land and a foot on sea shows his power and authority. Even though John is given some of what the message is, we will see the specific judgments in chapter 11. In verse 7, we see that in the days when the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished. This is the culmination of what the Old Testament prophets frequently spoke about when they used the term, "the day of the Lord.
Then something interesting happens. The voice from heaven tells John to eat the little scroll that was in the hand of the angel. It would be sweet going down, but taste sour in his stomach. This is remarkably similar to what happened to the prophet of Ezekiel, when in Ezekiel 3 he is told to eat the scroll, which would go down sweet and turn sour in his stomach. The prophecy he would be told to give would be regarding the judgment of the people of Israel.
Psalm 119 says something similar, "How sweet are your words to my taste. Yes sweeter than honey in my mouth. From your precepts I gain understanding, therefore I hate every false way." Vv.103-104
When we read God's do we chew on it and digest it? Does it go beyond our mouths to the depth of our being? God's Word coming through us can be encouraging and sweet, but sometimes it can be the hard word that people don't want to hear. It might seem sour. And sometimes this is true for us. Reading and digesting God's Word might lead us to do something that takes us out of our comfort zone. But one thing we know for sure, as we hide God's Word in our hearts we will not turn from His path. His Word will be a lamp for our feet and light for our way. What is God's Word calling you to do or be? Are you taking time to read, chew on and digest God's Word? Don't go for fast food, but go to the banquet table has prepared for us!
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