Revelation 10 Footnotes

10:8-11 John eating the little scroll recalls Ezekiel being commanded to do the same thing (Ezk 3:1-3). In John’s case, while the eating was sweet, the digesting was bitter (Rv 10:10). The implication here is that, while the word of God (i.e., John’s prophesying) is sweet, the calloused rejection of his hearers is bitter indeed. All ministry of the Word of God is similarly bittersweet.