Your Answer:  Prophesy Before Many

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New American Standard Version of the BibleAnd the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, "Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land." 9And I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, "Take it, and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey." 10And I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was in my mouth sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. 11And they said to me, "You must prophesy* again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings." Revelation 10:8-11 (NAS)

* from the Greek word #4395 "propheteuo," meaning to foretell events, or speak under inspiration (not all prophesy involves foretelling the future).

The days of the 7th angel:

As a reminder, we are still in the place in the Revelation which is after the 6th angel sounded the trumpet...and before the 7th angel sounds his trumpet.  It is in this time or nearing the time (the days of the 7th angel) when the mystery of God is finished...as God had preached:

Easy-to-Read Version of the BibleIn the days when the seventh angel is ready to blow his trumpet, God's secret plan will be finished. This plan is the Good News God told to his servants, the prophets. Revelation 10:7 (ERV)

Immediately after this, John sees the little book.  Perhaps the little book represents the Gospel itself (given its appearance in the vision in this particular time).  The text itself is not specific as to what the little book represented or the purpose of eating it.

Regardless of the message or meaning of the little book, when it was eaten (or perhaps taken internally or read) it made the stomach bitter, but in the mouth it was as sweet as honey.  Proverbs 5:3-4 talks about evil things being sweet to the taste, but in the end bitter as wormwood and sharp as a two-edged sword.  The scriptures also talk about God's words as sweet to the taste...and also as a two-edged sword.  However, as Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 1:18, the word of the cross (the message that Jesus died on the cross for our sins) is "foolishness" to those who are perishing, but to us that are being saved "it is the power of God."  Perhaps the sweetness and the bitterness of the little book is referring to the Gospel (the message of the cross) and its affect on the hearer depending on whether the message is accepted or rejected?

New American Standard Version of the BibleHow sweet are Thy (God's) words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104From Thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. 105Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path. 106I have sworn, and I will confirm it, that I will keep Thy righteous ordinances. Psalm 119:103-106 (NAS)

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joint and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (NAS)

Let the praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, 7 To execute vengeance on the nations, and punishment on the peoples..." Psalm 149:6-7 (NAS)

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Chapter 11-Question 1

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