I came across this in my Bible reading today. I’m including a whole chapter here:
Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. 2 He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, 3 and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. 4 And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” 5 And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 6 and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, 7 but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.
8 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 9 So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” 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. 11 And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.” – Revelation 10
Two things jump out at me in reading this chapter. First, notice that there are some things that God doesn’t want John to disclose in prophecy. There are some things we just don’t need to know – and that is right for us, both because God is always in control but also because we would be too puffed up with knowledge. Especially in our social media, technology-driven world, we think we know far too much, and could use more and more humility, which would equate to more and more wisdom. You may have heard the phrase: “knowledge is power.” Consider that phrase as it pertains to sin – we can use knowledge to feel self-righteous, better than others, and more knowledgable – and that makes us feel powerful – but what an outrageous sin. We are to have faith like children, and we must take that seriously.
The second thing that jumps off the page is the dual nature of the Word of God to the prophet. The instruction here echoes Jeremiah, who had this same experience. He was to write things down on a page and then eat it, and experienced this duality of sweetness and bitterness. This is fitting – as God’s Word, his declarations, are life to the believer, and judgment to the one who rejects the Lord. God is offering always blessings and curses based on how his Word is received. Its never this neutral “life advice” but rather the keys to the mysteries of all the universe or the very thing that will bury you. Never let anyone say that they just respect Jesus or think he’s a good guy – he’s either a villain, as bad as any cult leader who would ask you to give your life for something psychotic – or he is God himself, worthy of our worship.