THE MANS ACTION WITH THE LITTLE BOOK

The Man's Action With the Little Book  10:8-11

"And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth." "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." "And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter." "And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings."

The Reception of the Little Book vs. 8

"And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth."John must take the book from the hands of the angel.

The Reflection Upon the Message of the Book vs. 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 is commanded to eat the book, which is done by reflection upon its message (Ezek. 3:1; Jer. 16:17-18). A twofold effect is predicted.

"Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel."

"For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes." "And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things."

The Rejoicing Upon the Surface Message of the Book vs. 10a

"And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey....."

In John's mouth it was sweet to the taste. The reason for this was that it announced judgment upon the world of the wicked.

The Realization of the Deeper Meaning of the Book vs. 10b
".....and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter."

Upon more careful reflection of what the book taught, he became aware that judgment to follow would not only affect wicked men but it would bring his own nation Israel into great tribulation. This was bitter in his stomach. Cf. Chapter 11, 12, 13.

The Responsibility of John Toward the Message of the Book vs. 11

"And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings."

He is commanded to prophesy the very message that is both sweet and bitter. The message follows. It has gone out before peoples, tongues, nations, and kings.