The Power of the Metabolized Word

"And he said to me, "Son of man, eat what is before your, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the house of Israel."  So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat.  Then he said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it."  So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.  Ezekiel 3:1-3


God told the prophet that he must "eat" of His word.  There was no argument here.  Ezekiel must not fill his heart with pious platitudes or religious formulas.  Ezekiel must do as God instructed him.  He must feed on the only source of encouragement to the child of God.  Ezekiel must so control and master his time so that he could study the word of God.

Ezekiel must not merely read the Bible.  Bible reading is good, but Bible study is better.  For Ezekiel, to know the mind and heart of God - he must know the Word of God.  God said to Ezekiel, "...eat that I give to thee."

This is God's word for us this morning: " ...eat that I give to thee."  This is Heaven's diet.  All of Heaven must eat that which God gives.

Ezekiel states that God prepared a banquet for him.  Ezekiel said that the message that God gave him was filled with lamentations, mourning, and woe.  It was a message of judgement.  God said, "eat that thou findest."  Ezekiel had to eat or metabolize a 'hard' message.  God wanted him ready.  Therefore, God had to prepare the prophet by allowing him time to eat or metabolize a message of judgement and doom.  Ezekiel had to have the mind of Christ if he was to be fruitful to God.

God could not let Ezekiel merely go before the people and read to them a message that he did not understand or believe.  Ezekiel had to know with accurate certainty that he knew his message and would  and fearlessly proclaim it.

Even though Ezekiel was a priest already he had to return to Bible School for further training.

How we need to study and learn what God has to teach us from studying the call of Ezekiel.  How we need to rethink our calling from God.

For more information about Dr. Rich's teaching ministry, please visit his website.