Matthew Henry Commentary Revelation 10:8-11

"And the voice which I heard from heaven, [I heard it] again speaking with me, and saying, Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel that standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. 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. And I took the little book out of the angel`s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and when I had eaten it, my belly was made bitter. And they say unto me, Thou must prophesy again over many peoples and nations and tongues and kings." — Revelation 10:8-11 (ASV)

Most people feel pleasure in looking into future events, and all good people like to receive a word from God. But when this book of prophecy was thoroughly digested by the apostle, its contents would be bitter; there were things so awful and terrible, such grievous persecutions of the people of God, such desolations on the earth, that the foresight and foreknowledge of them would be painful to his mind.

Let us seek to be taught by Christ and to obey His commands, daily meditating on His word so that it may nourish our souls, and then declaring it according to our respective roles. The sweetness of such contemplations will often be mingled with bitterness, while we compare the Scriptures with the state of the world and the church, or even with that of our own hearts.