He is commanded to open his mouth and to eat, after the warning not to be rebellious. He then received a scroll from a hand, no doubt, the hand he had seen in the vision. It was written within and without with lamentations, mourning and awe. He was commanded to eat and it was like honey in his mouth. We are reminded at once of Zechariah's flying scroll (Zech. v:1-4); of the scroll written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals, which in John's vision the Lamb of God received to open the seals (Rev. v and vi); and of the little book (or scroll) which John received and ate, which was sweet in his mouth but bitter in his belly (Rev. x:9-10). These scrolls have all one meaning. They are symbolical of the Word itself, the message of judgment and tribulation which are written therein. All is symbolical and contains many spiritual and helpful lessons. The Word must be received; it must be eaten. The prophet obeyed and ate. It was self-surrender and therefore, though the message he was to bear was a hard message, it was sweet to him. Jeremiah too speaks of a similar experience. "When Thy words were found, I did eat them; and Thy Word was to me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart" (Jer. xv:16). No servant of God can speak thus unless he receives the Word, feeds on it himself, eats what the Lord has given and finds out the sweetness of obedience and self-surrender. The Word to be spoken, the message to be given, must come from Jehovah. "I have put my words in thy mouth" was spoken to Jeremiah (chapter i:9); and Ezekiel makes the same experience. And our Lord, the true Son of Man, said that His meat and drink was to do the will of His Father. He too fed on His Word and was obedient to it. In Ezekiel's experience there is a definition of divine inspiration. The prophet received, accepted, took it in and then gave it out. "Son of Man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, _and speak with my words unto them_." This is inspiration. The Messages of God were given to the prophets in the words of God. Such is the definition of inspiration in the New Testament. "Which things also we speak," saith the Apostle, "not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Spirit teacheth" (1 Cor. ii:13). May all the Lord's people receive His Word, eat His Word, speak forth His Word and find that it is indeed sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.