The symbolic act of eating the scroll is a significant prophetic gesture found in the books of Ezekiel and Revelation. This act serves as a divine commissioning of the prophets, symbolizing the internalization of God's message and the responsibility to proclaim it to the people.

Ezekiel's Commissioning

In the Old Testament, the prophet Ezekiel is commanded to eat a scroll as part of his commissioning by God. In Ezekiel 2:8-3:3, the Lord instructs Ezekiel, "But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I give you." Ezekiel then sees a hand stretched out to him, holding a scroll. The scroll is covered with writing on both sides, containing "lamentations, mourning, and woe."

Ezekiel is told to eat the scroll, and upon doing so, he finds it as sweet as honey in his mouth. This sweetness signifies the divine origin and truth of God's word, despite the difficult and sorrowful message it contains. The act of eating the scroll symbolizes Ezekiel's acceptance and internalization of God's message, preparing him to deliver it to the rebellious house of Israel.

John's Vision in Revelation

A similar symbolic act occurs in the New Testament in the book of Revelation. The apostle John, while exiled on the island of Patmos, receives a vision in which he is instructed to eat a little scroll. Revelation 10:9-10 states, "So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. 'Take it and eat it,' he said. 'It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.' So I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned bitter."

This act parallels Ezekiel's experience, emphasizing the dual nature of God's prophetic message. The sweetness represents the joy and truth of receiving God's word, while the bitterness reflects the difficult and often harsh realities of the message that must be proclaimed. John's consumption of the scroll signifies his readiness to prophesy about "many peoples and nations and tongues and kings" (Revelation 10:11).

Theological Significance

The symbolic act of eating the scroll highlights the intimate relationship between the prophet and the divine message. It underscores the necessity for God's messengers to fully absorb and understand His word before delivering it to others. This act also illustrates the dual nature of prophecy: the sweetness of divine truth and the bitterness of impending judgment or difficult truths.

In both Ezekiel and Revelation, the act of eating the scroll serves as a powerful reminder of the prophet's role as a mouthpiece for God, tasked with delivering His message faithfully, regardless of its reception. The imagery of consuming the scroll conveys the idea that God's word must become an integral part of the prophet's being, shaping their thoughts, actions, and words as they fulfill their divine commission.