He said to me: “Son of man, eat what you find here. Eat this scroll, then go and 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 and fill your stomach with this scroll I am giving you.” So I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.   Ezekiel 3:1-3 HCSB

As we read the first three verses of Chapter three in Ezekiel, God is presenting a scroll to Ezekiel and telling him to eat it before he speaks to the house of Israel. Ezekiel is going to speak to the captives in Babylon. These are the Israelites that rebelled against God and were taken into captivity for a period of 70 years. Even in captivity, they continue to rebel against God and God is sending Ezekiel to speak to them. This won’t be a fun job.

Ezekiel is going to need to ingest God’s Holy Word to strengthen him for the daunting task before him.

God must strengthen Ezekiel for this. We use different foods that are high in protein when we want to gain strength and build muscles. Runners use foods high in carbs to give them endurance. The food that is going to strengthen Ezekiel for this task is God’s Holy Word. Now it’s important to understand here that Ezekiel doesn’t actually eat this scroll, but it symbolizes his spiritual digestion of God’s word.

This scroll is as sweet as honey, because God’s word is good. If you eat sugary treats, you will become addicted to sugar. I know this from experience. I struggle with trying to keep my sugar intake down because in all honesty I love sweets. I have found, however, that God’s word is just as addictive. When you begin to study God’s Holy Word, you want to learn more and more. It’s sweet to the taste.

In the book of Ezekiel, God’s word is sweet to Ezekiel, but the message is bitter. It’s a message of judgment against Israel for their continued rebellion. God’s word also causes us to confront our own sinful behavior, and this is when it can become bitter. But the good news is it can be made sweet again by our confessing our sins. When we repent, God is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us (1 John 1:9).

In Deuteronomy 8:3 the Israelites were reminded of the time God gave them manna so they could learn that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Jesus quoted this to the devil when he tempted Him in the wilderness in Matthew 4:4.

If we don’t eat, eventually we will die physically. If we don’t ingest God’s word, we will eventually die spiritually. Study God’s word, it gives us life. Obey His commands so that you can live peacefully. Trust in Him to give you strength and protection in difficult times.

The more you study God’s word, the more you will hunger and thirst for it. Find a good Bible study and find a good Bible teaching church to learn more and more about His great love for you. His Word is sweeter than honey. And it’s really good for you. So, have yourself a big heaping daily helping of God’s Holy Word. And it’s okay to go back for seconds and thirds. Eat all you want. It’s good for you and it won’t make you gain weight.

Have a great day!