John Receives the Little Book From the AngelBible World
3:2Ezekiel 3:2
So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.
Ezekiel opened his mouth and ate the roll God gave him, taking God's words into his heart before going to speak them. To eat the roll is to eat the word of God as food for the soul, receiving it inwardly and making it part of life and character rather than only having it brought to the throat from the outside. It is done by studying Scripture daily as the body needs daily food, grasping it fast, applying it to individual life and letting it govern practice, and then sharing it with others as the word of life. Making the Word part of oneself in this way gives spiritual strength, lasting joy, health of soul, and growth, while failing to eat it leaves dearth. He was then sent with those words to a rebellious and stiffhearted people, to speak whether they would hear or forbear, and that same commission rests now upon those sent to any who have set themselves decidedly against the Lord's messages.
Ezekiel's Obedient Commission
Ezekiel obeyed the divine command to open his mouth and eat the roll placed before him, inwardly receiving God's words into his heart and taking in the scroll before going forth to speak them. This eating belonged to the instruction given in Ezekiel 2 and 3 to receive what God spoke and then go deliver it to the house of Israel. He was sent to a rebellious, impudent and stiffhearted people, charged to speak God's words to them whether they would hear or whether they would forbear. He was not to fear their words or their looks, nor to become rebellious himself, so that whether his message was heard or refused they would know that a prophet had been among them.
That same commission reaches those at the present time who have set themselves decidedly against the messages of the Lord, for the Lord will deal with His people now as He dealt with them in the past. The chapter shows that God's workmen are to place entire dependence upon God while acting faithfully in the place God has given them, because God has need of every agency that holds the truth in righteousness. Every man is to stand to his post of duty for this time with God as his instructor, working in perfect harmony under infinite wisdom, giving God alone the glory and taking no credit to self. Yet they are to speak with human voices, and in view of the cross of Calvary proclaim Christ as the Lamb of God and the third angel's message with power and glory.
Eating God's Word
Eating the roll means eating the word of God as food for the soul, receiving it inwardly and assimilating and digesting it and making it a part of oneself and of one's life and character, rather than only having it brought to the throat from the outside. Eating is done by becoming thoroughly acquainted with the teachings of Scripture, both women and men, studying it daily as the body needs daily food, receiving its simple declarations with respect and deference, grasping and holding it fast, applying it to individual life, letting it govern practical life, practicing it, and then sharing it with others as the word of life. Eating the word is also feeding on Christ.
All the precious things God has provided at infinite cost do no good unless they are appropriated, and they cannot give strength and produce spiritual growth unless they are appropriated. Living a true Christian life requires the conscience to be quickened by constant contact with the word, and as the disciples took in Christ's words their understanding was quickened and they saw the value of His teachings more clearly. Making the Word part of oneself gives spiritual strength and lasting joy and health of soul and spiritual growth. Those who take the Word in find no pleasure in telling falsehoods, and eating and receiving and believing the Word brings about the greatest reformation, while its living principles when eaten are for the healing of the nations.
Allowing the mind to be drawn away from the word and failing to eat it causes dearth in the church and makes many repeated testimonies necessary. The Sabbath is part of that Word and must be received and kept and eaten inwardly, not merely have it pressed upon a person from the outside.
Ezekiel opened his mouth and ate the roll God gave him, taking God's words into his heart before going to speak them. To eat the roll is to eat the word of God as food for the soul, receiving it inwardly and making it part of life and character rather than only having it brought to the throat from the outside. It is done by studying Scripture daily as the body needs daily food, grasping it fast, applying it to individual life and letting it govern practice, and then sharing it with others as the word of life. Making the Word part of oneself in this way gives spiritual strength, lasting joy, health of soul, and growth, while failing to eat it leaves dearth. He was then sent with those words to a rebellious and stiffhearted people, to speak whether they would hear or forbear, and that same commission rests now upon those sent to any who have set themselves decidedly against the Lord's messages.
Ezekiel's Obedient Commission
Ezekiel obeyed the divine command to open his mouth and eat the roll placed before him, inwardly receiving God's words into his heart and taking in the scroll before going forth to speak them. This eating belonged to the instruction given in Ezekiel 2 and 3 to receive what God spoke and then go deliver it to the house of Israel. He was sent to a rebellious, impudent and stiffhearted people, charged to speak God's words to them whether they would hear or whether they would forbear. He was not to fear their words or their looks, nor to become rebellious himself, so that whether his message was heard or refused they would know that a prophet had been among them.
That same commission reaches those at the present time who have set themselves decidedly against the messages of the Lord, for the Lord will deal with His people now as He dealt with them in the past. The chapter shows that God's workmen are to place entire dependence upon God while acting faithfully in the place God has given them, because God has need of every agency that holds the truth in righteousness. Every man is to stand to his post of duty for this time with God as his instructor, working in perfect harmony under infinite wisdom, giving God alone the glory and taking no credit to self. Yet they are to speak with human voices, and in view of the cross of Calvary proclaim Christ as the Lamb of God and the third angel's message with power and glory.
Eating God's Word
Eating the roll means eating the word of God as food for the soul, receiving it inwardly and assimilating and digesting it and making it a part of oneself and of one's life and character, rather than only having it brought to the throat from the outside. Eating is done by becoming thoroughly acquainted with the teachings of Scripture, both women and men, studying it daily as the body needs daily food, receiving its simple declarations with respect and deference, grasping and holding it fast, applying it to individual life, letting it govern practical life, practicing it, and then sharing it with others as the word of life. Eating the word is also feeding on Christ.
All the precious things God has provided at infinite cost do no good unless they are appropriated, and they cannot give strength and produce spiritual growth unless they are appropriated. Living a true Christian life requires the conscience to be quickened by constant contact with the word, and as the disciples took in Christ's words their understanding was quickened and they saw the value of His teachings more clearly. Making the Word part of oneself gives spiritual strength and lasting joy and health of soul and spiritual growth. Those who take the Word in find no pleasure in telling falsehoods, and eating and receiving and believing the Word brings about the greatest reformation, while its living principles when eaten are for the healing of the nations.
Allowing the mind to be drawn away from the word and failing to eat it causes dearth in the church and makes many repeated testimonies necessary. The Sabbath is part of that Word and must be received and kept and eaten inwardly, not merely have it pressed upon a person from the outside.