Revelation 10:8-11 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll 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.’” 10 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth,but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. 11 Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”
John is told to eat the scroll. It was sweet to taste but gave him a stomach ache. This comment implies that the message will be pleasant to hear or people will think it is a good message, but the reality of it is that it will bring great discomfort. What kind of message would do this? If we look at the passage that comes next in chapter 11, we find that God will send two witnesses who will have a good ministry for almost 3 1/2 years. This might be the good taste. But after them comes the beast. This might be the bitter stomach pain. Another idea is to take this more broadly. God has given humanity a time of grace to receive and accept the gospel. But there will come a point when this same gospel and grace will become justice and judgment for those who refuse to accept it. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, ‘In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor 6:1-2).
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