Revelation 10: “The Little Book”

John describes an angel that comes down from heaven; “…clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire.” (Revelation 10:1) John explains that the angel brought with him a book, or more specifically a ‘little book’. The angel opens the book and immediately “…seven thunders utter their voices…” (Revelation 10:3), John explains that just as he was about to write down what he heard, the angel commanded him to not write any of those things which he had heard! But John explains that; “…in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” (Revelation 10:7)

The Angel then tells John to take the book and to ‘eat it up’, but that when he eats it, it will be sweet in his mouth, but bitter in his belly. So John eats the book and sure enough; sweet in the mouth and bitter in the belly. It is possible that John ‘eating’ the book was him accepting his mission to warn the inhabitants of the earth of these great destructions and while accepting the mission was sweet to him to be chosen for this great calling, but become bitter to him because of what he would see and the pain he knew would come to those who chose not to follow God.