In Revelation 10 John is told to enact the things being predicted by prophesying over the world. The act of prophesying is not just a matter of sharing certain information. It is an authoritative declaration which instigates the things it declares. This is exemplified by Ezekiel when, in the valley of dry bones, he was told to prophesy to the bones so that they would rise up to become a might army (Ezekiel 37:4). It is interesting to note how both Ezekiel and John had to imbibe the prophecy before enacting it. As Ezekiel was told to eat the scroll of the prophecy over Israel (Ezekiel 3:1ff) so John is given a scroll here to eat, and though it tasted sweet in the mouth its content was bitter in the stomach because it spoke of judgement. We have here a pattern for Christian ministry. We cannot carry God’s mission and message forward unless we first imbibe it ourselves. We must not only declare a message of peace; we must ourselves emanate that peace. We must not simply speak about God’s love; we must embody that love. Christian mission begins with being filled with what God wants to give us. It begins with us reconnecting with the vine to let our hearts be transformed by the life of God. And then, when we speak, we will communicate more than words. Something real, something that is in us, will be imparted and something will be enacted. Every word spoken in love is like Ezekiel’s prophecy to the dry bones. It will give life to what is dead.
Ask God to fill you with a fresh measure of his peace and love.
Read Revelation 10 again.
