EZEKIEL EATS A SCROLL

Ezekiel 2:1-3:3 / Keywords 2:8

But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”

Ezekiel’s Call to Be a Prophet

2:1 He said to me, “Son of man,[a] stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” 2 As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

3 He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. 4 The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ 5 And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”

9 Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, 10 which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe.

3:1 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.

3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.

Footnotes

a. Ezekiel 2:1 The Hebrew phrase ben adam means human being. The phrase son of man is retained as a form of address here and throughout Ezekiel because of its possible association with “Son of Man” in the New Testament.

1. Ezekiel was overwhelmed by the vision of God and the four living creatures with wheels. But God humbled Ezekiel that he might raise him up and give him an important mission (3): to speak God’s words to his own people. However, they would probably not listen (4). That meant Ezekiel needed to grow in courage.

 

2. God began training Ezekiel for this mission by having him eat a scroll! It symbolizes how God’s words are our spiritual food, and that to preach God’s words to others, the first step is to chew up and digest the word for ourselves. Ezekiel found that the scroll tasted sweet, showing that God’s words were highly nourishing to his inner self. 3. By the discipline of persistent Bible study, we can be equipped with God’s words to do his will. But most important is to have an open heart to “eat”—that is, to deeply accept what God tells us— to take God’s words in, and to let it change us on the inside. Then we also can speak God’s words without fearing people by leaving the results to God.

 

Prayer Father, thank you for the mission you gave me, even though it may bring opposition. Thank you for your delicious words. Help me not neglect them as my spiritual food.

One Word Eat the words God gives