In Ezekiel chapter 2, we read of the gory details concerning the rebellion of the Jews. They “rebelled” against the Lord, “sinned” against His name, and “revolted” against His will (Ezek. 2:3, AMP). The Lord calls them “stubborn and obstinate children” who are apt to refuse His instruction over and over (vs. 4-5). The Bible then compares them to briars, thorns, and scorpions!

“And you, son of man, neither fear them nor fear their words; though briars and thorns are all around you and you sit among scorpions, neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, for they are a rebellious house” (Ezek. 2:6, KJV).

While I read this chapter, I was immediately reminded of the day in which we now live. Yes, the rebellion of the people of God was certainly in an awful state during Ezekiel’s day, but I fear not much has changed for us in 2022. Thankfully, Jesus always has a cure (Mk. 2:17).

Ezekiel was being sent to these rebellious Jews – He was given the task to prophesy and speak the Word of the Lord to them (Ezek. 2:7). This was probably seen as a nearly-impossible task – one that would surely be difficult and painful for him to accomplish well. We can certainly relate to Ezekiel’s dilemma. You and I, too, are often challenged with such feelings of impossibility! Today, however, I’d rather not focus on the many challenges that were to come for Ezekiel on his mission, but rather, let’s focus on the divine solution offered by our Lord. What ever can be done to help this “most rebellious” people? How can their stiff hearts change? And what can be done to help Ezekiel’s own heart remain pure?

“As for you, son of man, listen to what I say to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.” Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out toward me; and behold, a scroll of a book was in it” (Ezek. 2:8-9).

Notice the Lord’s solution for Ezekiel. He says, “As for you“, you must do something differently! You must not allow the rebellion of the house of Israel to pry it’s way into your own heart. And how? By simply opening your mouth and eating the “scroll” – by eating up the Word of God! This is both God’s prevention and cure for such a terrible, spiritual disease. This was His solution for Ezekiel and the rebellious Jews, and it’s still His solution for us today. If we’re ever to truly and effectively counteract the wickedness of the culture in which we live, we must do so by the transformative power of the Word of God. Eat it up every chance you get! Read it, listen to it, study it, ponder it, pray it, do it, speak it, dream it, and meditate upon it until it begins to come out of you and bear fruit (Col. 3:10-16). It won’t only bear fruit in your own life, but, like Ezekiel, it will also begin to have its work among those whom you spend time with and influence each day. They too will be made better because of your feast upon the “Word of life” (Phil. 2:14-16; Ps. 1:1-3; Prov. 11:30)!

Sweet In Your Mouth and Bitter In Your Belly

The Apostle John is given similar counsel in Revelation 10:9.. He is told to, “Eat the little book (scroll)”. John’s account gives us a bit more information about this scroll, including a common reason why so many Christians neglect it in their spiritual diets.

This scroll would be sweet in John’s mouth, but bitter in his belly. It would be both easy to ingest and difficult to walk out in truth. The Word of God is likened to a two-edged sword (Heb. 4:12), and like a two-edged sword, the Bible too has a dual-nature. It will be sweet to our taste as we initially receive it – our lives will begin to change, our sins will be forgiven, our spirits will soar – but then as we begin to seek the deepest of transformations, the Word of God begins to cut us where it truly hurts – in the hidden places of the heart (Ps. 51:6).

Paul’s letter to the Romans explains this dual-nature too:

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Rom. 5:1-5).

Notice here how Paul explains the benefits of our salvation (justification). Now that we’ve been washed in Jesus’ blood and justified, we have access, by faith, into grace, hope, and the glory of God! What sweetness to our taste buds! But Paul doesn’t stop there. He then wields the other side of Scripture’s blade. He shifts his attention to the tribulation that awaits all those who do genuinely hope for God’s glory. Paul made it clear that these tribulations were not to be an end in themselves, but a means to an end – an avenue into the promises of God – an avenue to actually possess the promises we’ve hoped for. Tribulation works patience, patience works experience, and experience works hope:

“…[with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance; and endurance, proven character (spiritual maturity); and proven character, hope and confident assurance [of eternal salvation]” (Rom. 5:3-4, AMP).

Let’s now examine this two-edged nature in a bit more detail:

Sweet In Your Mouth

All Christians will agree that to be saved is an exhilarating experience! The sense of truly passing from darkness unto light and from death unto life has to be felt for oneself to be well-understood. The new-found love for Jesus that’s born in one’s heart is truly sweet to the taste – our lives are absolutely transformed! Here are just a few things the Bible has to say about the sweetness of our initial salvation (justification) and our reception of God’s Word:

• We now have access into the glory of God, by faith (Rom. 5:1)
• The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts (Rom. 5:5)
• We are no longer living under the condemnation of the Law or our sinful flesh (Rom. 7-8)
• We are made into a new creation or “species” (2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15), with a new heart (Ezek. 11:19)
• We are made partakers of God’s own divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4)
• Being partakers of God’s nature, we are no longer slaves to our evil desires (Rom. 7)
• Instead, we have become God’s “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works…” (Eph. 2:10)
• We can now partake of the many “benefits” of our salvation:
  “Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed” (Ps. 103:2-6).
• Like the repentant, prodigal son in Luke 15, we are joyfully received into our Father’s house (vs. 11-32)! For the returning son, the father brought forth the best robe, put a ring on his hand, shoes on his feet, and threw a feast to celebrate. Similarly, we gain God’s own righteousness and authority. We find a newfound walk with the Lord – one full of joy and hope (Rom. 15:13)!

Bitter In Your Belly

Finally, let’s examine this idea of bitterness. To have a bitter or sour stomach signifies a chemical change that’s occurring within one’s digestive tract. Something you ate is now reacting with the contents already present in your stomach. Spiritually speaking, the Word and knowledge of God that you consume will react with the carnal knowledge already present within your soul, and it will change or renew it back into its proper place (Ps. 51:5; Ps. 119:9-11; Col. 3:10).

Like other chemical reactions, when this occurs, gas can be released. The release of gas is actually one of the few certain evidences that a chemical change has indeed occurred, as opposed to a mere physical change. The important thing for us to note about this distinction is that physical changes are always temporary, while chemical changes are always permanent. Physical changes, such as changing liquid water into ice, can be reversed, and are therefore temporary. Chemical changes, such as changing wood into ash via fire, are permanent. Ashes cannot be turned back into wood; it is final. Gas is being released (and bitterness is being felt) because a permanent change is taking place within us – a new creature is being fashioned day by day, from glory to glory, and we are changing into the very likeness of Jesus (Eph. 4:23-24; 2 Cor. 3:18)!

So, to experience the bitterness of the Word of God is to allow it to enter into your heart, speak its truth, and permanently change you from the inside out! Of course this can be a bitter, painful process, especially if we grow resistant to God’s chastening (Jon. 2). But this is why Scripture readily encourages us about the fruit to be grown in our lives as a result. For Jesus, His wildernesses were catalysts of fruitfulness (Lk. 4:1-14). The Bible declares the very same to be true for you and I:

• “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:16-18).
• “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified” (1 Pet. 4:12-13).
• Heb. 12:5-11: Allowing the Lord’s correction and discipline in my life is actually one of the signs that I belong to Him. Not only that, but He “chastises” us for our profit – that we might be made “partakers of His holiness” (vs. 10)!
• “The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; But to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet” (Prov. 27:7).

Friends, this is our answer to the rebellion that may be clinging to life within us. Like Ezekiel’s day, we too are dwelling in the midst of gross wickedness and staunch rebellion to God and to His ways. What ever can we do to keep ourselves pure from the onslaught of sin that seeks to ruin us? It’s simple, really. We must eat the scroll. We must make an absolute feast out of the Word of God! We must eat it for its sweetness and we must eat it for its bitter nature too. We must consume God’s Word for its honey, but we mustn’t neglect it when it turns bitter within our day-to-day lives. Oh to be a man so given to Jesus and His counsel! This man will bear much fruit. Amen.