Revelation 10:1-11
John Eats the Little Scroll
Read the passage
1Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head. His face was like the sun, and his legs were like pillars of fire.
2He held in his hand a small scroll, which lay open. He placed his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.
3Then he cried out in a loud voice like the roar of a lion. And when he cried out, the seven thunders sounded their voices.
4When the seven thunders had spoken, I was about to put it in writing. But I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.”
5Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to heaven.
6And he swore by Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and everything in it, the earth and everything in it, and the sea and everything in it: “There will be no more delay!
7But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he begins to sound his trumpet, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, just as He proclaimed to His servants the prophets.”
8Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the small scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel standing on the sea and on the land.”
9And I went to the angel and said, “Give me the small scroll.” “Take it and eat it,” he said. “It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.”
10So I took the small scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach turned bitter.
11And they told me, “You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.”
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
John sees another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head. His face is like the sun, his legs like pillars of fire, and he holds a little scroll open in his hand. He sets his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land.
The angel cries out like a lion, and seven thunders sound. John is about to write their words, but a voice from heaven tells him to seal them up and not write them. The angel raises his right hand and swears by the eternal Creator of heaven, earth, and sea that there will be no more delay. When the seventh angel sounds his trumpet, God's mystery will be fulfilled, just as He announced to His servants the prophets.
The heavenly voice tells John to take the open scroll. The angel tells him to eat it: it will taste sweet as honey but turn his stomach bitter. John takes it and eats, experiencing exactly what he was told. Then he is commanded to prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.
John must receive the message he will proclaim. Its sweetness and bitterness fit the joy and weight of speaking God's word, though these verses do not explain every part of the sign. He is commissioned to speak again, even after the bitter experience.
At the same time, the seven thunders must remain unwritten. The command to speak does not give John authority to publish everything he hears. Both commands come from heaven. The churches can trust what God has chosen to reveal while leaving what He has withheld with Him.
Questions
1 How does the angel stand?
AnswerHe places one foot on the sea and one on the land. The posture presents a message with reach across the whole created world.
2 What does John do with the seven thunders?
AnswerHe is about to write what they said, but heaven tells him to seal it and not write it down. Some revealed sound remains outside John's authority to publish.
3 What will happen when the seventh trumpet sounds?
AnswerThe mystery of God will be fulfilled as announced to the prophets. The delay has an appointed end even though John is not given every detail.
4 What does the scroll taste like?
AnswerIt tastes sweet like honey in John's mouth but makes his stomach bitter. Receiving a prophetic message includes delight and painful responsibility together.
What This Means for Us
When you hear a confident claim about something God has not clearly explained, ask where Scripture supports it. It is all right to say you do not know. Give your attention to what God has made known, including a difficult truth you may prefer to avoid. Faithful listening makes room for both restraint and obedience.
Prayer
God of revealed and hidden things, keep us humble about what we know. Give us courage for truthful speech, restraint when silence is required, and strength for the sweet and bitter work of faithful witness. Amen.