I recently watched a video of protesters at UW-Madison demonstrating against the campus appearance of a conservative commentator. The video shows students surrounding and shouting down a young man reading aloud from the Scriptures. One protester used his teeth to shred ripped-out pages of the Bible, while spitting on pages on the ground.  It also showed a woman with red-dyed hair shoving pages from a torn-up Bible into her mouth. It was a vivid demonstration of contempt for the Word of God. 

When I saw protesters eating pages of Scripture, I thought of the prophets. Both Ezekiel (2:9-3:3) and Jeremiah (15:16) were told to eat the word of God – and for both it was a much more positive experience.  Ezekiel said, “So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth” (3:3).  Jeremiah explained, “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight” (15:16).

Conversely, John was commanded in Revelation 10:9-11 to eat a little scroll provided by an angel. Unlike the prophets, the Word became sour for John. “It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour.”  The Word can have both positive and negative effects on those who take it in.  For these protesters, it was definitely negative.  The distaste for God’s Word was demonstrated right before our eyes as protesters were literally eating the Bible with disdain.  What can we learn from all this?

First, there is often contempt for the message of the Bible.  Satan, the father of lies, will do all he can to discredit, distort and falsify the teachings of Scripture.  These young protesters believed the lie. Jesus warned about the devil: “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies’ (John 8:44).  Scripture reveals Satan to be a contemptuous liar.  

Secondly, the simple practice of reading Scripture aloud in public has power. Those who are so strongly opposed to its message were enraged at the public declaration of simple words of truth.  Jesus told Pilate, “…For this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone on the side of truth listens to me” (John 18:37).  Paul warned, “The Spirit makes it clear that as time goes on, some are going to give up on the faith and chase after demonic illusions put forth by professional liars” (I Tim. 4:1 – Message).  

Thirdly, proclaiming truth brings to light the untruths of the enemy.  Through the Word of truth, Satan is exposed as a deceiver.  The enemy traffics in half-truths in our nation’s popular narrative.  Just enough truth to be harmless is his preferred approach.  We are warned, “You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching but will fill up on spiritual junk food – catchy opinions that tickle their fancy” (II Tim. 4:3 – Message). 

Fourthly, the enemy spreads his message very effectively through popular media.  I heard one commentator describe propaganda in two sentences:  “First, you are told what you want to hear.  Then you are told what to believe.”  Peter warned, “You must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires” (II Peter 3:3).  These impressionable students were scoffing at the Good News of Jesus.   

Lord, help us to reach out with compassion to those who show contempt for you and your Word.