Revelation 10:9; Take it and Eat It Up

Revelation 10:9 And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. 

John in the vision symbolically took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it. As the angel had predicted, in John’s mouth it was sweet as honey; but when he had eaten it, his stomach was made bitter.

The act of eating the scroll symbolized the absorbing and assimilating of God’s Word (cf. Ps. 19:10; Jer. 15:16; Ezek. 3:1–3).

Psalm 19:10 More to be desired are theythan gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 

Jeremiah 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. 

Ezekiel 3:1-3 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel. So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. 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. 

When John took in the divine word concerning the remaining judgments as the Lord took possession of the universe, he found the words written on the little book both sweet as honey and bitter. Sweet because John, like all believers, wanted the Lord to act in judgment to take back the earth that is rightfully His and be exalted, honored, and glorified as He deserved. But the realization of the terrible doom awaiting unbelievers turned that initial sweet taste into bitterness.

 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1999). Revelation 1–11 (pp. 287–288). Chicago: Moody Press.

 Indeed, it is no joy to see the unbelieving perishing, especially our loved one. May God be merciful to save! Amen.