Revelation 10:9

And I went unto the angel, saying unto him that he should give me the little book. And he saith unto me: Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but in thy mouth it shall be sweet as honey.

Give me the little book ... See under preceding verse. "Take it, and eat it up ..." It is futile to search for John's "source" either in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 2:9-3:4) or anywhere else except in this vision "which God gave him" (Revelation 1:1). Nothing truly like this vision is found anywhere but here. The meaning inherent in taking a book and eating it up is simply that of mastering its contents; and this, of course, means digesting its contents also. Both Ladd and Morris missed this, causing them to interpret the bitterness that came later as something "internal, and within the believer himself."[40]

It shall make thy belly bitter ... Hendriksen's interpretation of this is correct, referring it to the suffering and cross-bearing which is ever the portion of those who faithfully proclaim the gospel. "That gospel is in itself glorious and sweet; but its proclamation is ever followed by bitter persecutions."[41] We agree with Hendriksen that this meaning is "very clear."

In thy mouth it shall be as sweet as honey ... The interpretation that would make this sweetness due alone to the sweet promise of forgiveness and eternal life, and the following bitterness to be due to the awesome revelations of God's wrath and judgment upon the wicked is incorrect. There is no need whatever for the revelation of God's wrath upon the wicked to be a source of bitterness to persecuted, suffering, dying Christians. Such is a false theological conception. Origen's notion that "The book of Scripture is very sweet when first perceived, but bitter to the conscience within,"[42] is also a false conception. The true meaning of this passage cannot turn upon the subjective response of the believer, but upon the turn of events which follow the proclamation of the truth. "The eating up" of God's word, and obeying it, which is necessarily included, brings nothing but joyful release and tranquillity to the conscience. Hinds grasped this fundamental truth: "The thoughts from eating the book would give him joy; but practicing the teachings would bring persecutions, sufferings and possibly death."[43]

Of course, the metaphor here is based upon the fact that some foods which taste good produce sickness or pain later. The sweet taste of God's word is a frequent Old Testament metaphor (Psalms 19:9,10; 119:103). It should not be forgotten that "eating the book" means, "The complete mastering of the contents, digesting it."[44]

[40] Leon Morris, op. cit., p. 143.

[41] William Hendriksen, op. cit., p. 151.

[42] As quoted by Plummer, op. cit., p. 276.

[43] John T. Hinds, op. cit., p. 151.

[44] W. Boyd Carpenter, op. cit., p. 583.