Reveling in the RevelationRevelation 10 – Biblical Heartburn
Heartburn
Have you ever eaten something that tasted great when
you first tasted it, and then after it had settled, it upset
your stomach? Chips and salsa do that for me. At first, I
can’t get enough. Then suddenly, my stomach signals
that I should have quit eating ten minutes ago, but by
then, it’s too late.
In Revelation Chapter 10, John experienced something
similar. He was in Heaven (not a Tex-Mex restaurant),
where a mighty angel held a little scroll in his open
hand. A thunderous voice instructed John to take the
scroll and eat it but warned him that it would taste
sweet at first but later make his stomach sour.
The imagery in this part of Revelation is some of the
strangest in the Bible. Even so, there are still some
practical questions and answers that will help bolster
our daily faith walk. For instance, what does the scroll
represent, why is John told to eat it, and why is it both
sweet and sour?
The Scroll
In Revelation 10, the voice told John to “Take it and eat
it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth, it will
be as sweet as honey.”
Most commentators agree that the mysterious little
scroll offered to John represents God’s Holy Word. John
Calvin calls the Word the speech of God. God speaks to
us through His written and revealed Word.
For instance, Genesis 1 tells us that God spoke creation
into being by His Word. John 1 proclaims that God’s
Word became flesh as Jesus on Earth, thus personifying
His Word. Hebrews 4:12 declares, “The Word of God is
living and active. Sharper than any two-edged
sword...judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Take the Scroll
Notice in Revelation 10 that the angel holds the scroll in
his open hand, but it is not handed to John. He must
reach out and take it. God offers His Word and wisdom
to us, but He never shoves it into our hands or forces it
down our throats. Instead, He freely offers His Word,
but we must respond and take it.
Eat the Scroll
After John takes the scroll from the angel, he eats it as
instructed. Eating the scroll symbolizes the fact that
God’s word can only impact our lives when we
internalize it and make it part of us. We can never be
satisfied with periodic nibbles or cursory tastes. We
need to learn to feast on God’s Word.
Psalm 119:105 declares, “Your word is a lamp for my
feet, a light on my path.” God’s Word brightly illuminates
the next steps our feet are to take and gives us long-term
guidance as we walk our life path. The better we know
it, the more He can guide us.
Sweet and Sour
When John ate the scroll, it was sweet but then turned
sour. It tasted sweet because it contained the good
news of God’s coming kingdom. But it turned sour
because of the coming judgments and tribulations it
contained. What does this mean for us today?
First, remember we are what we eat. If we want to
experience God's transformed life, we must change our
spiritual diet. We must form good spiritual eating habits
by regularly feasting on God’s Word.
Second, God’s promises are undoubtedly sweet news
to believers. But the trials we encounter often taste
bitter. James 1:2-3 encourages us to “count it all joy
when we meet various trials, for you know that the
testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”
Third, even though we have limited viewpoints, we can
trust that all of God’s ways—both the sweet and the
sour—are true and reliable. God’s sovereignty shows
that nothing is out of His control, while His love proves
He cares for us as unique individuals. This is good news.
After eating the scroll, John proclaimed God’s grace and
judgment to a dying world. We, too, play a role in telling
our world about Jesus. The more we can internalize His
Word and make it part of who we are, the closer we will
draw to Him, and the more clearly we can share the
good news that Jesus came to make all things new.
