How Jehovah Helps Us to Carry Out Our Ministry - EZEKIEL -NOURISHED BY GOD'S WORDS

 Ezekiel was not only empowered by God's spirit but also nourished by God's Words.  In vision, Ezekiel saw a hand holding a scroll.  (Read Ezekiel 2:9-3:3.)  Where did the scroll come from? What did it contain? How did it nourish Ezekiel?  Let us see. The scroll came from God's throne. Likely, Jehovah used one of the four angels Ezekiel saw earlier to hand the scroll to him.  (Ezekiel 1:8; 10:7, 20) The scroll contained God's Words-an extensive judgment message that Ezekiel was to convey to the rebellious exiles.  (Ezekiel 2:7)  That message was written on both the front and the back of the scroll Jehovah told his prophet to eat the scroll and  "fill [his] stomach with it."  Obediently, Ezekiel ate the scroll completely. What did this part of the vision mean?  Ezekiel needed to absorb fully the message  he was to deliver. It had to become a part of him, as it were, affecting his inmost feelings.  Then something surprising happened. Ezekiel discovered that the scroll "was as sweet as honey." (Ezekiel 3:3) Why? For Ezekiel, the honor of representing Jehovah was a sweet, or a pleasant, experience. (Psalm 19:8-11) He was grateful that Jehovah approved of him to serve as his prophet.

Later, Jehovah told Ezekiel" "Take to heart and listen to all my words that I speak to you." (Ezekiel 3:10) With those instructions, Jehovah told Ezekiel to store in his memory the words written in the scroll and to mediate on them. Doing so nourished Ezekiel personally.  It also provided him with a powerful message to deliver to the people.  (Ezekiel 3:11) With God's message in his heart and on his lips, Ezekiel was read to take on his assignment and fulfill it. -Compare PSALM 19:14.

Next time: How Jehovah Helps Us to Carry Out Our Ministry - NOURISHED BY GOD'S WORDS - TODAY

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