Taste and Speak
Opening Prayer
Powerful Lord, You shape the stars, yet comfort my broken heart. I want to be nourished today by Your Word.
Read REVELATION 10:1-11
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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Meditate
“Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord; Unnumbered blessings give my spirit voice” (Timothy Dudley-Smith).
Think Further
Here, as in ch. 7, we have an interlude. Part of what is revealed to John in the seven thunders he is forbidden to share with us. It is hard to know why he tells us this, though it was a convention in ancient revelatory literature not to share all that was revealed. According to Jewish tradition, God’s thunderous voice at Sinai was revealed in seven “sounds,” a theme reflected in seven references to “the voice of the Lord” in Psalm 29:1-9.
If we cannot hear the thunders we can look into the open scroll, so the focus turns to a little scroll brought by someone who appears to be Jesus himself. The waiting is over. What was once secret is now revealed and needs to be proclaimed. The eating of a scroll is often the prerequisite to proclaiming its message. So it was for Ezekiel (Ezek. 3:1-3). John is told that the first sensation on eating the scroll will be pleasant, as indeed it is. Often when you receive the gospel and discover Christ to be your Savior, the experience is a joyful one. However, the sweetness turns sour as new Christians find that their pleasure is not shared by others and they may even be mocked or opposed. More than that, the message itself finds them out as it warns in stark terms of the consequences of rejecting Christ and of the need for practical holiness.
Against the backdrop of the rejection of faith and a commitment to lawless living, John has to proclaim the gospel as widely as he can, geographically, culturally and across all social groupings. That mandate is still in force today. We have still many “people groups” who have not heard this message in a way they can understand. While this continues, our work is not yet done.
Apply
Any form of Christian work brings joy and tears. Pray for those you know in Christian leadership, be aware of the cost of their service, and offer any support you can.
Closing prayer
Lord, I pray today for those who have faced opposition, hardship, confusion or sadness because of their faith. Encourage and guide them, direct their thoughts to You.
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