TAKE, EAT AND PROPHESY

Passage: Revelation 10:1-11

Key verse: 9

NIV

The Angel and the Little Scroll

10 Then I saw another mighty angel(A) coming down from heaven.(B) He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow(C) above his head; his face was like the sun,(D) and his legs were like fiery pillars.(E) 2 He was holding a little scroll,(F) which lay open in his hand. He planted his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land,(G) 3 and he gave a loud shout like the roar of a lion.(H) When he shouted, the voices of the seven thunders(I) spoke. 4 And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write;(J) but I heard a voice from heaven(K) say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.”(L)

5 Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land(M) raised his right hand to heaven.(N) 6 And he swore(O) by him who lives for ever and ever,(P) who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it,(Q) and said, “There will be no more delay!(R) 7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to sound his trumpet,(S) the mystery(T) of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”(U)

8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven(V) spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll(W) that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.”

9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but ‘in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.’[a]”(X) 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth,(Y) but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy(Z) again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”(AA)

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Footnotes
  1. Revelation 10:9 Ezek. 3:3
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Angel and the Little Scroll

10 Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with (A)a rainbow over his head, and (B)his face was like the sun, and (C)his legs like pillars of fire. 2 (D)He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, 3 and called out with a loud voice, (E)like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. 4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, (F)“Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” 5 And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land (G)raised his right hand to heaven 6 and swore by (H)him who lives forever and ever, (I)who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, 7 but that (J)in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, (K)just as he announced to his servants the prophets.

8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, (L)“Take and (M)eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 10 And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. 11 And I was told, (N)“You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. The great angel with a little scroll (1-7) John saw another mighty angel from heaven with a similar glory of Jesus. He was holding a little scroll, which lay open for all in his hand. The angel swore by God who lives forever, who created the heavens and the earth and all in them and announced, "There will be no more delay!" God's promises and purpose would be accomplished including his final judgment and eternal salvation. He showed an example of gospel preachers to be bold, loud, open, clear and majestic. 2. Sweet and sour scroll (8-11) The angel urged John to take and eat the little scroll. The taste was sweet like honey for his mouth but sour in his stomach. Eating the word of God opens our spiritual eyes and comforts us with his forgiveness of our sins and hope of eternal life. However, when we want to digest it deeply and live as the word tells, we see it is sour. It requires our humble repentance and full submission, denying all our wills to take up the cross of mission. To preach the news of salvation is sweet but to pronounce the message of judgment is sour. We must enjoy the sweet and sour word!

Prayer: Lord, your word is sweet like honey but sour to put them into practice and to preach as you want.

One Word: Take, eat and prophesy the sweet and sour word of God!