Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

I would say that the passage cited in the question was intended to evoke an association with a vision that the prophet Ezekiel had in Ezekiel 2:9-3:3. In that vision, Ezekiel was shown a scroll that had writing on both the front and back, which Ezekiel described as words of lamentation and mourning. When Ezekiel ate the scroll, it tasted as sweet as honey, but, later in chapter 3, Ezekiel described himself as being in bitterness of spirit because of the judgment that he had been sent to pronounce against the house of Judah in exile for its wickedness.

In the same way, the "little book" (which I would say was again like a small scroll) that John was told to consume was sweet in the sense of being given the honor of acting as God's spokesman, but bitter with respect to the judgments from God that John witnessed and prophesied about.

November 21 2018 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Aurel Gheorghe

It appears that the “little scroll” is the book of Daniel and here are few reasons for this thinking: 
The book is little - Daniel has only 12 chapters

Each time the book is mentioned it's said that is “open” - this indicates that it was closed (sealed) at some prior point. The book of Daniel is the only book mentioned in the Bible as being sealed until the time of the end (Daniel 12:4, 9) 

With the book of Daniel being sealed until the time of the end, it would make sense to expect that at some point the opening of this book would be mentioned and other than Revelation 10, there is no Bible account of the book of Daniel being opened

Daniel did not understand the oath in Daniel 12:8, but was reassured in Daniel 12:9 that the understanding would be given after the time of the end - Revelation 10 is a fulfillment of this promise

The person that made the oath in Daniel 12:7 is described in Daniel 10:5-6 appears to be the same person that makes the oath in Revelation 10. This person is Jesus Christ according to the description given in Revelation 1:13-17. 

It seems reasonable to conclude that the little book open in the hand of the angel was the book of Daniel. With the presentation to John of the little book open, the sealed portions of Daniel's prophecy are revealed - the time element, pointing out the end of the 2300-day prophecy.

November 21 2018 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Grant Abbott Child of Father, Follower of Son, Student of Spirit

I would say that this little book or scroll is none other than a new prophetic word from the Lord God Almighty to his servant, the prophet John.

The text itself says that after John eat the scroll “Then they said to me, “You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and languages and kings” (Revelation 10:11). Following this statement we have the revelation of chapters 11 to 22. We see a powerful example of this prophetic message to people’s, nations, languages and kings in Revelation 14:6-13:

“Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth —to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’ which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.” A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

There are numerous examples in the prophetic books where God gives a message to his prophet and then tells him to write it on a scroll. In Revelation 10 God gives John the message written on the scroll and after he eats it his mind is opened to understand the message and deliver the prophecy.

Our entire bible is a set of scrolls containing God’s Word (Revelation) to us.

November 24 2018 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report