The Sweet and Bitter Scroll
Read the Text: Revelation 10
Memorize the Text:
We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.
(Revelation 11:17, CSB)
Consider the Text: Revelation 10:10-11
The follower of Christ must feast upon the Word of God. When this feasting of the Word occurs, the believer seeks to grow in truth and gain a deeper knowledge of Christ and how to live under the authority of Christ. In Revelation 10, the apostle John receives the command to take the scroll presented by a heavenly being and consume it. The apostle received the command with the understanding that the scroll would be sweet to the taste and bitter in the stomach. These moments reflect a similar occurrence in the life of Ezekiel in Ezekiel 2-3, where the prophet received the command to feast upon the scroll. When we consider the declaration to the apostle John, we must understand the significance of feasting upon the Word of God and the dynamics accompanying that activity.
THE NEED TO FEAST
People need nourishment to live. The required physical nourishment comes through feasting upon physical food. The nutrient in the food provides the needed energy to navigate daily activities and remain healthy. At the same time, if someone feasts online on junk food that lacks nutrients, their health diminishes. The same truth exists in the spiritual realm. Believers must feast upon the truth, God’s Word, to receive the nourishment required for life. When we feast upon other forms of information and neglect the Word of God, we put spiritual junk food in our system as the nutrients for life. Thus, we must set a course to feast upon the Word of God.
THE SWEETNESS OF THE WORD
The apostle John received the news that the Word would taste sweet in his mouth. The sweetness of the Word occurs because of the goodness of the truth. The Psalmist reminds us in Psalm 34:8 that we must “taste and see that the Lord is good.” When we taste the Word of God, it becomes like sweet honey to our lips, and we desire more. The sweetness reflects the goodness and extraordinary nature of the Word. When we consider the consumption of God’s Word in our life, do we long for it because we have tasted the sweetness?
THE BITTERNESS OF THE WORD
The Word is sweet to the lips and leads us to desire more. Yet, simultaneously, the Word becomes bitter to the stomach. The idea does not reflect the negative nature of the Word but reveals the transformational nature of the Word. The bitterness occurs as the Word engages the flesh and reveals to us the places we must see forgiveness and change in our life. Often, this confrontation with truth causes uneasiness and bitterness because of the cause of change that occurs in life. Thus, we must understand that the bitterness of the Word exists for our spiritual maturity and growth.
THE ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE
When we feast upon the Word, we make an eternal significance. First, an eternal significance occurs as the life of each believer becomes more like Christ. The nutrients of God’s Word promote spiritual health and growth in the believer's life and work to prepare them for eternity. Second, eternal significance occurs because we gain the ability to share the truth. After all, it becomes part of us. Thus, when we feast upon the Word, it is sweet and bitter because it prepares us for eternity and uses us to invite others into God’s kingdom.
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
