Savoring Scripture (Rev. 10:10)

And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter.
– Revelation 10:10

This verse is a powerful picture of the double-edged sword known as God’s Word. The Word that brings both sweetness and bitterness. And specifically when you about what’s coming in the end, ultimate things. Because as Revelation is describing the times—and ultimately the day—when God’s justice will reign on the earth.

Revelation 10:10 teaches the sweetness of hope and the bitterness of judgment.

This is sweet news for all who trust in Jesus. We will see his face (Revelation 22). His justice will reign. All those whose names are written in the book of life… Those who have trusted in Jesus as Savior and Lord. They will be with him in a new heaven and a new earth. No more mourning or crying or pain anymore. Old things have passed away; no more death, no more sorrow, no more sin, no more suffering. All of that is so sweet for those who know Jesus as Savior and Lord.

And at the same time, it’s so bitter—the word doesn’t even capture it—for those who don’t know Jesus as Savior and Lord of their lives. This picture in Revelation that we see painted here is horrifying. It’s terrifying. It’s judgment forever and ever. This is torment. It’s the everlasting price for sin. It is the penalty for sin forever—being experienced by all those who don’t know Jesus as Savior and Lord.

And we really need to, as followers of Jesus, feel both of those—with anticipation that causes us, like Revelation ends, just to pray, “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.” Yes, I want to see your face. I want to experience new heaven and new earth. I want to be done with sin and evil and suffering and death in this world. So that there would be sweet longings in us.

Revelation 10:10 reminds us that truth must move us toward others.

And at the same time, that we would feel the horror this is for all those who don’t trust in Jesus—in a way that obviously leads us to share the gospel. That’s part of the point—a big part of the point—of the whole book of Revelation: to cause us with urgency to follow Jesus and make him known, knowing this day is coming.

So I just want to encourage you to share the gospel with somebody today—somebody who’s not ready for this day. And pray that God would lead family members and friends and coworkers and classmates and neighbors—just people you know in your sphere of influence—to relationship with him, to be ready for this day.

And obviously not just to stop your praying there, but to pray for the peoples of the world who are not ready for this day.

This text encourages boldness to proclaim the gospel today.

Oh God, we taste your Word and we find it both sweet and bitter at the same time.
So God, we praise you for its sweetness. We praise you for the life with you that we have to look forward to—that is free from sin and suffering and evil and death. Yes, God. Yes, Jesus, come quickly. Bring this about.

And at the same time, God, we pray: help us to live from this day until that—as long as we have breath here—with urgency to share this good news, that others might experience your Word, the sweetness of your Word, of the gospel.

God, we pray for boldness to share the gospel with somebody today in our sphere of influence.

And God, we pray—we pray for people in our lives who don’t know you. We pray: please, God, draw them to yourself. Just thinking of so many different faces and names right now—please, God, open their eyes, their taste buds, to experience the sweetness of your Word, of your love for them.

A Prayer for the Kreda People

God, we pray for this around the world. We pray for the Kreda people of Chad—for 180,000 Muslim Kreda, Dazaga-speaking Muslims. God, please, please cause the good news from your mouth—your Word about Jesus and your love for the Kreda people—to reach them.

Lord, we pray that they might be ready for this day, that they might be gathered around your throne as you promise in Revelation 7. God, draw Kreda people to yourself, that they might be saved from the judgment that we all deserve.
God, we pray all this according to your Word in Revelation 10:10—according to its sweetness and its bitterness.

In Jesus’ name, amen.