A Little Scroll

Power in Words

One of the most famous baseball umpires of all time, Bill Klem, earned his reputation by insisting that the umpire’s word was not only final, but in a sense creative. On one celebrated occasion, he waited a long time to call a particular pitch. Some umpires would say that the ball thrown was, in its own right, either a “ball” or a “strike,” either inside the strike zone or out. The umpire’s ruling would merely be acknowledging the facts of the case. Klem was made of sterner stuff. “Well,” asked the player, “is it a ball or a strike?”

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“Sonny,” replied Klem, “it aint nothing ‘til I call it.”

Klem’s belief in the power of his words may have annoyed both batters and pitches in his time, but the idea of speaking words which create a new reality is an ancient one, finding classic expression in the great prophets. They are not only given visions or revelations of things that are to come. They are to speak words which somehow generate that new situation.

The words, like God’s own words, do things. “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of his mouth… He spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm” (Psalm 33:6, 9). And when God puts words into the mouth of prophets, the same thing happens. This now puts John in the hot seat. There are new things yet to happen as part of God’s purpose, and John’s words will bring them to pass.

How has the power of somebody’s words affected your life or opened up possibilities that didn’t seem to exist before?

Read Revelation 10:1-11

Revelation 10:1–11 ESV

1 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, 3 and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. 4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” 5 And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 6 and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, 7 but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets. 8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11 And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”

How is the mighty angel described in verses 1-3?

We’ve already seen, earlier in the book, several of the symbols mentioned in Revelation 10:1-3. We saw a cloud in 1:7, the sun in 1:16, a rainbow in Revelation 4:3 and a lion in 5:5. Look back at these passages.

What clues do they give us to the significance of the angel described in 10:1?

The angel also stands with one foot on the land and one on the sea. Taken together, what do they signify?

John is now given a little scroll and called to turn its words into prophecy which will bring God’s purpose into reality. All this takes place as we are waiting with bated breath for the seventh trumpet to sound. Yes, says the angel, it is coming soon, and when it comes it will complete “God’s mystery” (v. 7).

What is “God’s mystery that will be fulfilled in the days when the seventh trumpet is sounded?

The Lamb has removed the seals; now the scroll can be read. And John is to be the one to do it. This, it seems, is the reason why he was invited into the heavenly throne room.

How is John invited to participate in this (vv. 8-9)?

“Eating the scroll” is a vivid metaphor for the way in which the prophet, then or indeed today, can only speak God’s word insofar as it has become part of the prophet’s own life. It may be nourishing; it may be bitter; it may be both. This is part of what it means to say that God desires to act in the world through obedient human beings. Prophecy—speaking words which bring God’s fresh order to the world—is one special aspect of the larger human vocation, and here John shoulders that responsibility.

Why is it important for us also to “eat” God’s word before we speak it to others?

How does God’s word sometimes seem sweet to us and sometimes sour?

What happens to the sweet-tasting scroll once it reaches John’s stomach, and what might this symbolize (v. 10)?

What in particular is John told that he must prophesy about (v. 11)?

How might John have felt after receiving this commission?

How, specifically, is God calling you to “eat” and speak his message today?

Prayer

Heavenly Father we thank you for inviting us to participate in your creative work by giving us words to speak your message. PAUSE

Take time to pray internally to God about any fears or reservations you have about the handling of His word in your life. 1 MINUTE

God please give us the courage and strength to embrace this calling from you, in Jesus name Amen.