“WRITE THE VISION DOWN”
(The importance of writing down God's words)
Feb. 28, 16
2 And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. Habakkuk 2:2
What
if no one ever wrote down or recorded their experiences that they’ve had with
God? What if when we picked up a book to
read and turned the page, all we saw then were empty pages?
We
have the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and all of the minor prophet’s
words written down in scripture, for us to read. And of course, the greatest
words ever written down plainly for us to read, are those from the Lord Jesus
himself.
We
are told to write the vision down, and to make it plain on tablets, so that those
who have received the revelation may then go forth with it. When one receives a
divine word from the Lord it can be easily forgotten or lose its original
content, if it is not written down. When
one is in the presence of Almighty God, the words come forth as His breath, and
they are like the living waters that flow from His very throne. One would not want to miss a drop. One would
be remiss if he or she went back later on to record or write down, what they
had received earlier.
The prophet Jeremiah dictated to the scribe Baruch, a scroll to be read in the temple. At one point, the scroll was cut in two and then burned. But Jeremiah once again, had his faithful scribe write down the very words spoken to him from God. He knew that Jehoiakim the king, needed to hear the message, even though it spoke of his demise to the Babylonians.
The same year, when Jeremiah was prevented from going into the temple, he dictated a scroll to Baruch which he read in the temple (36:1-10). The scroll urged the people to accept the inevitability of Babylon’s control and repent. When Michaiah and some noblemen heard the words they took Baruch aside. Michaiah urged Baruch and Jeremiah to hide while they appealed to the king (36:11-19). As the scroll was read to Jehoiakim, he cut it in two and burned it. He then commanded his son Jerahmeel, and others to seize Baruch and Jeremiah (36:20-26). When Jeremiah learned of the king’s response he dictated another scroll to Baruch with the same words and a prophecy against Jehoiakim (36:27-32).
Those
who have received the word of the Lord must be faithful to know exactly what
the Lord has said to them. Every word from God is as fine gold, and must be
treated as such.
The apostle John was told to take the little scroll that was given to him from the angel.
So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” Revelation 10:9
The words seemed to be pleasant-sounding at first, but very soon they became bitter to him as he ate them. For those words, etched down in the very throne room of God, spoke of the terrible judgment that would befall the world and its inhabitants. Every word was exact in its pronouncement and in its vivid imagery and language.
Ezekiel was given the same mandate from the Lord as well, as he was instructed to take a scroll and eat it:
Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.2 So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.3 And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.4 And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. Ezekiel 3
The words we hear others speak to us in this world may at times come with profundity and grace, but they pale in comparison to those spoken from the throne of God himself.
Stephen Hanson
3655 El Morro Rd.
#120
Colo. Spgs, CO. 80910