Week 25, Day 5: Sweet as Honey

Today’s Reading:  Revelation 11:1-12:17

Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…

In Revelation 10:8-11, John was told to take a little book and to eat it.  This is quite similar to images portrayed by other prophets, depicting the consumption of the will or word of God.  John relates to us that the book was sweet as honey in his mouth, but was bitter in his stomach.  This depicts for us the nature of the word of God, at least in many instances.  The word is sweet, simply because it is the will of God.  However, it can be a “bitter pill to swallow” because of its consequences.  The word of God demands that we make changes in order to be faithful to God.  There are many who simply have no desire to make those changes.  But, in John’s case, the word was bitter because of the judgement that it foretold.  The same thing can be true today.  The word of God is sweet, but when we stop to think about the consequences it can be very bitter for us.  How can we think about the many people around us who will be lost due to their disobedience, and not be driven to go out and teach them so that they can have the same hope that we have?  We should do everything we can to cause people to make the changes that are necessary so that they do not suffer the wrath of God.  If we are successful, maybe a bit of that “bitterness” can be taken away!