Why is the scroll sweet in the mouth but bitter in the stomach? Canonical Setting “So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, ‘Take it and eat it. It will be bitter in your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth.’ ” (Revelation 10:9) Revelation 10 forms an interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets, repeating the common apocalyptic pattern of commissioning the prophet before the final series of judgments (cf. Revelation 7:1-17). Old-Covenant Precedent John’s experience echoes Ezekiel 2:8 – 3:3, where the prophet eats a scroll that is “sweet as honey in my mouth” (Ezekiel 3:3) and then laments over Israel’s coming calamity. Jeremiah likewise testifies, “Your words were found, and I ate them … ; yet I sat alone because Your hand was upon me” (Jeremiah 15:16-17). The pairing of sweetness with subsequent grief was therefore an established prophetic motif centuries before John wrote his apocalypse, demonstrating the internal coherence of Scripture. Symbol of Eating the Scroll 1. Internalization: Prophets must assimilate the revelation before proclaiming it (Psalm 119:11, 103). 2. Identification: By eating, John unites himself with the message; the forthcoming judgments are no longer abstract but personal. 3. Authorization: Consumption signals divine commissioning, as in Ezekiel. Why Sweet in the Mouth? • Divine Truth Is Delightful – God’s word is perfect (Psalm 19:7-10); its initial reception brings joy and mental exhilaration. • Gospel Hope – Even in judgment, the scroll promises vindication for the saints and the triumph of Christ (Revelation 11:15). • Fulfillment of Long-Awaited Prophecy – Seeing God’s plan unfold confirms His sovereignty, engendering spiritual sweetness. Why Bitter in the Stomach? • Impending Judgment – The same message announces woes on the unrepentant world (Revelation 11:14), producing gut-level sorrow (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:11). • Cost of Discipleship – Proclaiming truth invites persecution; John himself is exiled on Patmos. • Empathic Anguish – God “takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezekiel 33:11); the prophet shares that grief. Dual Nature of the Gospel Christ’s cross and resurrection embody both sweetness (salvation offered) and bitterness (judgment for rejection) (John 3:16-18; 2 Corinthians 2:15-16). The believer rejoices, yet mourns for those who remain under wrath—an emotional tension mirrored in the scroll. Apocalyptic Symbolism Clarified • Little Scroll – Distinct from the seven-sealed scroll of Revelation 5, it focuses on the specific judgments of chapters 11-16. • Honey Imagery – Repeated biblical symbol for God’s provision (Exodus 3:8) and revelation (Psalm 119:103). • Bitter Belly – Hebrew idiom for deep inner distress (Lamentations 2:11). Eschatological Placement in a Young-Earth Framework Adhering to a literal grammatical-historical hermeneutic and a Ussher-style chronology, Revelation’s trumpet judgments occur near the close of a roughly 6,000-year human history. The sweetness corresponds to the imminent restoration promised since Eden (Genesis 3:15), while the bitterness reflects the travail that precedes the Millennial reign (Revelation 20:1-6). Pastoral and Missional Application Believers must: 1. Consume the Word thoroughly (Colossians 3:16). 2. Expect both joy and sorrow in proclaiming Christ (Acts 20:27-31). 3. Let compassion temper every warning, imitating the heart of God (Matthew 23:37). Conclusion The little scroll’s dual taste dramatizes the prophet’s paradox: God’s revelation is inherently sweet, yet its judgments induce profound anguish. This tension energizes faithful witness until the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ (Revelation 11:15). |
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