ROOTED - Saturday, May 16, 2026

Ezekiel 3:1-3

And he said to me, “Son of man, eat whatever you find
here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.” 2 So
I opened my mouth, and he gave me this scroll to eat. 3 And
he said to me, “Son of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you
and fill your stomach with it.” Then I ate it, and it was in my
mouth as sweet as honey.

Reflection: Eat This Scroll

Written By:
Pastor Jesse Caro

Ezekiel the Prophet, I think, is unique as a prophet. The book of
Ezekiel is, in my mind, far and away the most difficult major prophetic book to
understand. He writes in images, trying to describe strange things he sees. As
I read it straight through (not stopping to look in a commentary for
explanation), I confess to not really understand much of what is being written.
Admittedly, “end times prophecy” is not my specialty or my interest. So, I
approach the prophetic books with a heart to get hit by God’s holiness, and his
judgment, and not really to “learn.” Once again, Ezekiel, being difficult to
understand, is a book that I just get a sense of the terror that awaits the
world in God’s final judgment.

Ezekiel, early in the book, is asked to eat the scroll of God,
which he does. It is reminiscent of Jeremiah’s words, “Your words were found,
and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart,
for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.” Ezekiel describes the
Word’s of God as “sweet as honey.” Now, that is an image I can understand
(unlike most of the book). God’s words are sweet to us. Psalm 19:10 says of the
Word of God,

“More to be desired are they than gold,

    even much fine gold;

sweeter also than honey

    and drippings of the honeycomb.”

Admittedly, there are parts of the Old Testament that don’t seem
sweet to me. Not surprisingly, Revelation 10 says: “Take and eat it; it
will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” I
actually totally understand that. Part of the Word is sweet, but it often calls
us to repent and often makes us uncomfortable. The Word of God is hard to
accept at times, and we want to reject it. But don’t! Receive it. Take it all
in and allow it to change you.

Prayer

Lord, thank you that the Word is sweet, even while it calls us to
repent. May we take your words seriously and earnestly.