1I saw a mighty angel coming down out of the sky, clothed with a cloud. A rainbow was on his head. His face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire. 2He had in his hand a little open book. He set his right foot on the sea, and his left on the land. 3He cried with a loud voice, as a lion roars. When he cried, the seven thunders uttered their voices. 4When the seven thunders sounded, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from the sky saying, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders said, and don’t write them.”
5The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land lifted up his right hand to the sky 6and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and the things that are in it, the earth and the things that are in it, and the sea and the things that are in it, that there will no longer be delay, 7but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as he declared to his servants the prophets.
8The voice which I heard from heaven, again speaking with me, said, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.”
9I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book.
He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.”
10I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth. When I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. 11They told me, “You must prophesy again over many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”
Out of Your Being Will Flow Streams of Living Water
9 I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book.He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.”10 I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth. When I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. 11 They told me, “You must prophesy again over many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”
There are so many mysteries of God, and these passages we've been reading remind us that we can't understand everything about God. I don't understand why the wicked prosper. I don't understand why the righteous suffer. I don't understand why, if God wants to be known, He seems so hidden. My dad used to comfort me by just telling me, "Son, these are just part of the mystery." Perhaps the mystery of the "little book" is that it was sweet in the mouth but bitter in the belly. We have an expression to "devour something."You might be reading an exciting book and tell someone, "I got into the book, and I just devoured it."When we see prophesies coming to pass, there will be a sweetness to it. When we see the lion lying down with a lamb, it all sounds glorious and will indeed be. But to get from here to there is going to be an awful bitter journey. There is a sweetness in knowing how it will end up, but the bitterness for the Earth will be in getting there. The shepherd King, David, proclaims, 103 How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. (Psalm 119:103-105)
Likewise, the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of the sweetness of the word. 1He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you find. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”2 So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat the scroll.3 He said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll that I give you and fill your belly and your bowels with it. Then I ate it. It was as sweet as honey in my mouth." (Ezekiel 3:1-4 WEB)
There is indeed a sweetness in God's Word. When we read it, we are refreshed. We are enlightened. We are strengthened. We are inspired. We are changed. We are empowered. We are informed, and we are transformed! We read of His lovingkindness and His mercy (chesed). But, there is a side of God's Word which promises Judgment. There is a side that speaks of vengeance and wrath that will be poured out on the nations. God is indeed perfect love, but He is perfect justice. One cannot stand without the other. To take one and ignore the other is to disregard half of God's essence. It is to deny who He is and what He desires of mankind. To see only one side of God's Word is to deny that He is Who He says that He is, and that He will do what He says He will do. What we are seeing in this passage is the bitterness of the effects of sin, but the sweetness of fellowship with Him. Reader, stay in His word. Eat of the sweetness of the Lord. If you do, out of your being will flow streams of living water (John 7:38).