Eat it up

Bible Reading: Revelation 10

Revelation 10:9-11 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.
10 And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. 11 And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.

The little book that was in the angel's hand was something John was to eat. It would taste like honey on his lips but be bitter in his stomach. This is truly a reference to the Word of God. It does a person this way. It gives you Heart Burn!

That is what happened to the two men on the road to Emmaus who walked and heard the Word of the Lord from Jesus.

Luke 24:32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

When you eat up God's book it tastes good! There are "Great and precious promises " (2 Peter 1:4). Jeremiah discovered this bitter-sweet nature of the Word of God:

Jeremiah 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.

Later when he did not want to preach anymore he experienced the heart burn!

Jeremiah 20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

Once we take in the wonderful word of God, we discover the heart-burn. We cannot keep it to ourselves, but we must preach the gospel! The heart burn comes when we read of the sin of man and the judgment outside of faith in Jesus Christ. Then like John we are commissioned to go and preach to people's, nations, tongues and kings.

Have you experienced the bitter-sweetness of the Bible? Do you know the wonderful comfort and patience that comes from feeding on the Word of God?

Job 23:12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

Have you felt the heart-burn that comes when you realize that not everyone has the same promises?

What will you do about it?

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

In Christ,
Rody