Revelation 10:10
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Cross References
Ezekiel 3:3
3He said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll that I give you and fill your belly and your bowels with it.” Then I ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth.
Proverbs 16:24
24Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
Psalms 119:103
103How sweet are your promises to my taste, more than honey to my mouth!
Psalms 19:10
10They are more to be desired than gold, yes, than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb.
Psalms 104:34
34Let my meditation be sweet to him. I will rejoice in the LORD.
2 more
Ezekiel 3:14
14So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; and the LORD’s hand was strong on me.
Ezekiel 2:10
10He spread it before me. It was written within and without; and lamentations, mourning, and woe were written in it.
Study
Revelation 10:8–10
As in Ezekiel's experience, the scroll tasted sweet in the mouth (Ezekiel 3:1–3; see Jeremiah 15:16; see also Psalms 19:10; 119:103). The future experiences for God's people would be sweet, including the victory of God's plan and the vindication of his people. John's bitter stomach is similar to the effects of Ezekiel's tough message for Israel (Ezekiel 3:8–9). The process of fulfilling God's plan involves hardship.
Section overviews (3)
Revelation 10:1–11:14
This interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets has two parts:
the seven thunders and the small scroll (Revelation 10:1–11), and
the two witnesses (Revelation 11:1–13).
The interlude ends with the announcement that the second terror is over (Revelation 11:14).
Revelation 8:2–11.19
The second series of judgments involves seven trumpets. Like the first series (Revelation 6:1–8:1), it includes a pause (10:1–11:14; compare 7:1–17) and concludes with a view of God's eternal kingdom (11:15–19; see 7:9–8:1).
The trumpet judgments are similar to the ten plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7:14–11:10). They aim to show that earthly gods (or evil powers) are powerless and to clearly demonstrate God's power and control.
Revelation 6:1–16.21
Three sets of seven judgments (the seals, trumpets, and bowls) are central to Revelation. Some believe these judgments happen in a sequence, one after another, totaling twenty-one judgments.
However, it is more likely that the relationship is cyclical, similar to other Jewish apocalyptic writings (compare Daniel 2, 7, 8, 11). Each set of judgments becomes more intense and adds new details about God's judgment on those who rebel against him. In this view, all three cycles end at the same time, with the return of Christ.
10:10
the little book--So A and C, but B, Aleph, and Vulgate, "the book."
was bitter--Greek, "was embittered."
10:8-11
Here we have, I. A strict charge given to the apostle, which was, 1. That he should go and take the little book out of the hands of that mighty angel mentioned before. This charge was given, not by the angel himself who stood upon the earth, but by the same voice from heaven that in the fourth verse had lain an injunction upon him not to write what he had discerned by the seven thunders. 2. To eat the book; this part of the charge was given by the angel himself, hinting to the apostle that before he should publish what he had discovered he must more thoroughly digest the predictions, and be in himself suitably affected with them.
II. An account of the taste and relish which this little book would have, when the apostle had taken it in; at first, while in his mouth, sweet. All persons feel a pleasure in looking into future events, and in having them foretold; and all good men love to receive a word from God, of what import soever it be. But, when this book of prophecy was more thoroughly digested by the apostle, the contents would be bitter; these were things so awful and terrible, such grievous persecutions of the people of God, and such desolation made in the earth, that the foresight and foreknowledge of them would not be pleasant, but painful to the mind of the apostle: thus was Ezekiel's prophecy to him, Eze 3:3.
III. The apostle's discharge of the duty he was called to (Rev 10:10): He took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up, and he found the relish to be as was told him. 1. It becomes the servants of God to digest in their own souls the messages they bring to others in his name, and to be suitably affected therewith themselves. 2. It becomes them to deliver every message with which they are charged, whether pleasing or unpleasing to men. That which is least pleasing may be most profitable; however, God's messengers must not keep back any part of the counsel of God.
IV. The apostle is made to know that this book of prophecy, which he had now taken in, was not given him merely to gratify his own curiosity, or to affect him with pleasure or pain, but to be communicated by him to the world. Here his prophetical commission seems to be renewed, and he is ordered to prepare for another embassy, to convey those declarations of the mind and will of God which are of great importance to all the world, and to the highest and greatest men in the world, and such should be read and recorded in many languages. This indeed is the case; we have them in our language, and are all obliged to attend to them, humbly to enquire into the meaning of them, and firmly to believe that every thing shall have its accomplishment in the proper time; and, when the prophecies shall be fulfilled, the sense and truth of them will appear, and the omniscience, power, and faithfulness of the great God will be adored.
10:10
It was in my mouth sweet as honey - There was in it some pleasing, some unpleasing, intelligence. I read of the consolations and protection of the true worshippers of God, and did rejoice; I read of the persecutions of the Church, and was distressed.
10:10
And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up,.... As he was bid to do:
and it was in my mouth sweet as honey; so is the Gospel in the mouth of a faithful minister of it, who has a spiritual knowledge, and a savoury experience of it; and so it is in the mouth of an understanding hearer, who finds it, and eats it, to the joy and rejoicing of his heart; and so this little book of prophecy being looked into, read, and considered by John, the first taste and knowledge he had of the things contained in it were exceeding grateful and delightful; the view it gave him of the glorious state of the church, and kingdom of Christ on earth, filled with unspeakable pleasure:
and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter; so the ministration of the Gospel occasions bitterness, grief, and sorrow, to the preachers and professors of it, through the persecutions that attend it, the obstinacy and hardness of men's hearts against it, and its being the savour of death unto death to many that hear it; and so the little book of prophecy, upon a perusal of it, giving to John a view of the witnesses prophesying: in sackcloth, and of their bodies being killed, and lying exposed in the street of the great city, and of the church's flying into the wilderness, and continuing there for a time and times, and half a time, and of the barbarities and cruelties exercised on the saints by the whore of Rome, whom he saw made drunk with their blood, made his belly bitter, or filled him with sorrow, grief, and pain.
10:10
And I took the little book, and ate it up; according to the command, .
And it was in my mouth sweet as honey; as it was the revelation of God’ s will.
And as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter; but when he came to think upon it, it was either so mysterious that he could not comprehend it, or the matter of it was so sad that it gave him great trouble.