Why did God tell Ezekiel to eat a scroll? In Ezekiel 2:1 through 3:15, God commissions the prophet by handing him a scroll — and telling him to eat it. Dr. Toby Holt explains this strange command and what it teaches about God's Word.

God calls Ezekiel to preach to a stubborn, rebellious people who likely will not listen. He gives him a scroll filled with "lamentations and mourning and woe," and commands him to eat it — to take God's Word fully into himself before speaking it. Amazingly, the scroll tastes sweet as honey. Repeatedly called "son of man," Ezekiel foreshadows Christ — sent to His own people, and rejected.

Questions this study answers:

1. Why did God tell Ezekiel to eat the scroll? To picture taking God's Word deep within himself before proclaiming it. A true messenger must first internalize the message.

2. Why did the scroll of "woe" taste sweet? Because God's Word, even when it warns of judgment, is good and life-giving. Its truth is sweet to those who receive it.

3. How is Ezekiel like Christ? Both are called "son of man" and sent to God's own rebellious people. Ezekiel's hard calling foreshadows the Savior who would also be rejected.

"Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel." — Ezekiel 3:1 (NKJV)

Dr. Toby Holt is President of New Geneva Theological Seminary, and his sermons have been downloaded more than 1.9 million times on SermonAudio. Find more verse-by-verse Bible teaching at newgeneva.org; support this ministry at newgeneva.org/give.