What is the meaning of Revelation 10:9? And I went to the angel and said • John acts immediately, mirroring earlier obedience in Revelation 1:17. • His approach underscores that heavenly messengers are approachable when God commissions the encounter (cf. Daniel 8:16; Hebrews 4:16). • The scene reminds us that revelation comes as we step forward in faith, not as passive spectators. “Give me the small scroll.” • John’s direct request shows that divine truth, though offered, must still be personally received (Jeremiah 15:16). • The “small scroll” distinguishes this message from the larger seven-sealed scroll of Revelation 5:1, indicating a specific, focused word. • Like Ezekiel 2:8–3:3, a prophet receives God’s word in a tangible form before proclaiming it. “Take it and eat it,” he said. • Eating depicts full assimilation of the message—God’s word becomes part of the prophet’s very being (Ezekiel 3:1–3). • The command “take” stresses human responsibility; God offers truth, but we must appropriate it (Psalm 119:11). • Once internalized, that word will be spoken (Jeremiah 20:9), ensuring the prophecy flows from conviction, not mere recitation. “It will make your stomach bitter,” • Internalizing the coming judgments produces grief; knowing wrath is real is never light (Revelation 8:13). • Ezekiel felt similar bitterness after eating his scroll (Ezekiel 3:14), showing that bearing God’s burden often aches. • True prophecy carries lament alongside hope (Lamentations 2:11; Jeremiah 6:26). “but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.” • The very same word is delightful when first tasted: “How sweet are Your words to my taste—sweeter than honey!” (Psalm 119:103; Psalm 19:9-10). • God’s truth is sweet because it reveals His character and plan; the bitterness arises from judgment on sin, not from any flaw in the word itself. • Proverbs 24:13-14 links honey’s sweetness with wisdom; so, too, Revelation’s message is precious wisdom for the church. summary John obeys, asks, receives, and consumes the small scroll. The angel’s directive teaches that God’s word is both delightful and demanding—sweet to embrace, yet sobering when its full implications settle in. As we, like John, take the Scripture to heart, we find joy in God’s revelation and a holy burden for those who must hear its warning and its promise. |
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