Rev 10: Sweet as Honey; Yet, Bitter to Swallow

Revelation 10 NIV

Prophecy is often a "bitter pill" to swallow. We don't like to hear that we have a need to make changes in our lives. We usually don't care to hear that there are consequences to everything we do. Sometimes, those consequences are good. Sometimes, they are not. A lot depends on whom or what we choose to serve.

The angel who stood with one foot on the sea and one on the land holding a tiny scroll announces to John that the seventh trumpet is about to sound and "the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets." (vs 7) This could well be a "bitter pill" for those who  refuse to hear the message of the prophets.

John is told to take and eat the little scroll from the angel. He eats. The scroll tastes as sweet as honey; but, it turned his stomach sour. He has swallowed the words and it is sweet to taste; yet, bitter to stomach. It sounds good and it is good; but, with the words that were delivered to John on the scroll will come many anxious and troubling times. Events and times that will be very difficult to stomach.

John must go out and prophesy with the words that he has swallowed about peoples, nations, languages and kings. It may well be that to those who believe in the Son of God and anxiously wait for the mystery of God to be accomplished that the word is sweet; yet, a very "bitter pill" to those who reject the Lord. But, it will not be easy for John. With the sweet word of the Lord will come much persecution from the world to those who love him.

May God help us to hear the word and receive it no matter what kind of changes it asks us to make in our lives.

God's Peace - Pr. J

1 Chronicles 12 - God's Purpose Finally Fulfilled

All this turning over kingdoms makes me a little sad.  There has been much treachery and death to get to the point where the might men of Israel, in fact it seems, all of Israel, joins David in support of him.  It reminds me that God works through people to achieve His good purposes.  When God told Abraham that he was going to make him a father of nations it took more than a few years for that to be accomplished.  When God appointed David as king, it took way more than a few years for that to be accomplished.  Multitudes of people were involved in David's life as he journeyed to the place where the people would receive him as their king.  It was rough.  But, in the end, the purpose of God is fulfilled. 

The road to the fulfillment is not an easy one.  It takes time.  It takes trial (trial by fire?).  It takes persistance.  But, God is with us every day, with every step of the way .