Eating the Word By Brother Hillbilly
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.
Everyone probably can relate to the joy of sitting down to a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal with family all gathered around. Feasting, joy, mirth, remembrance and thanksgiving to the God who supplied and made it all possible. This is the feeling that Jeremiah had and is trying to convey to us. He had found God’s Words and was feasting on them. They were a joy and elation to him. Oh that we could find that same joy in God’s Holy Word to us.
Now I want to carry the analogy a step further than just sitting down at the table. How many of us remember a little while after the huge meal and dessert we were reaching for the Alka-Seltzer? How about Rolaids, Tums or Pepto-Bizmol? Oh, I see some of you do remember. I can almost see the slight smile as it now comes to mind.
Did you know that God’s Word sometimes has a similar effect on you? It never has? Well it has me. I will explain.
Ezekiel 2:8-3:7,14 But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: OPEN THY MOUTH, AND EAT THAT I GIVE THEE. 9 And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; 10 And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe. 3:1 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, EAT THAT THOU FINDEST; EAT THIS ROLL, AND GO SPEAK UNTO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL. 2 So I OPENED MY MOUTH, and HE CAUSED ME TO EAT THAT ROLL. 3 And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. THEN DID I EAT IT; and IT WAS IN MY MOUTH SWEET AS HONEY for sweetness. 4 And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. 5 For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel; 6 Not to many people of a strange speech and of an hard language, whose words thou canst not understand. Surely, had I sent thee to them, they would have hearkened unto thee. 7 But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me: for all the house of Israel are impudent and hardhearted. 14 So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, AND I WENT IN BITTERNESS, IN THE HEAT OF MY SPIRIT; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.
The Apostle John had the same experience. He was cast on the Isle of Patmos as a prisoner for the witness he held for Jesus Christ. During his time there he was caught up to heaven to be in the presence of the very God he served. Among the many visions he saw was a very significant one that is recorded in Revelation 10. Notice what it says:
Revelation 10:1-11 And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire: 2 And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, 3 And cried with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their voices. 4 And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. 5 And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, 6 And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer: 7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets. 8 And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. 9 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.
John was compelled to return to earth and preach the warnings in that book. Oh what a bitter pill to swallow. The Word may have been as sweet as honey but the necessity laid on him to preach that word made it very bitter indeed. Just as Ezekiel was compelled to preach to those who did not want to hear it John was to do the same.
The Word of God is like that. We eagerly read and devour and then it starts working on us. We feel the necessity to share that word. We feel the necessity to warn others of pending judgment and the necessity of salvation. We may feel the need to bring to a wayward Christian the chastisement of the Word. We know when we do it that we are going to be rebuffed and it leaves us with discomfort in our gut.
I can remember times when I had to stand and teach things I would rather have not had to teach. I knew that the truth would make some people mad at me. I did not want to do it but the Lord wanted me to. I felt a great burden to teach the truth regardless of the consequences. I was ostracized by some because of it.
The same thing applies when you are compelled to share the word of God with a resistant and lost family member. God says speak but you balk because you know the resentment that it will cause. You are speaking God’s truth and you love God’s truth but you know that what you are going to say will raise the “hackles” on the one you are witnessing to.
Ezekiel enjoyed God’s word. He devoured it gladly. It was SOOOO SWEET to the taste but gradually that same word began to sour on his stomach as the thought welled up in him. James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. The Word of God compelled him to action and it was going to bring strife.
The only way that relief will come is when you let the Word of God work in you as God intends it to. Do you love feasting on God’s Word? Then go and tell somebody “what great things He hath done” (1 Sam. 12:24) even if it does give you a belly-ache.
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More About The Bread We Need And How Important It Is To Share With Others...
By Julie Pisacane
Share the Bread
Based on Mark Chapter 6: 30-43
Mark 6:34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
Share the Bread
Seeking and hungry...
Souls were in need-
Jesus gave them their fill.
They sat at His command.
Obedient hearts,
Would soon understand.
Five thousand in one place
Sat with our Saviour
In the presence of grace.
All would be fed
Words of Life
Spiritual Bread.
Not one was sent away…
Compassion heard the call.
Five thousand fed that day.
A desert transformed… made green
By sharing with many, The Bread.
Redemption, clearly seen.
His flock of sheep
Needed words of truth,
To stay in His keep.
Join me this day; help feed
For it is our turn
To share The Bread,
With those in need.
Julie Pisacane © 2006
Psalm 37:3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;
so shalt thou dwell in the land,
and verily thou shalt be fed.
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