{7} And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.

(7) The other part of this chapter concerning the particular calling of John to the receiving of the following prophecy, which is enjoined him, first by sign, in three verses, then in plain words in the last verse Re 10:9,10,11. To the setting forth of the sign belong these things: That John is taught from heaven to ask for the book of the prophecy in this verse: for these motions and desires God inspires that asking for the book, he is charged to take it in a figurative manner, the use of which is expounded in Re 10:9

(as in) Eze 2:9 whence this similitude is borrowed: lastly that John at the commandment of Christ took the book, and found by experience that the same as proceeding from Christ, was most sweet, but in that it foretells the afflictions of the Church, it was most bitter to his spirit.

People's New Testament

10:8-11 Go and take the little book... eat it. I will give a synopsis of the events of the chapter. (1) The angel holds in his hand an open book. (2) He calls attention to it in a loud voice. (3) The seven thunders launch their thunderbolts against the reception of the open book by the world. (4) John is about to record their words, but is forbidden. (5) The angel affirms with an oath, that the duration of the power and terror of the seven thunders shall be short, and that soon the seventh angel shall sound universal redemption and triumph. (6) John is bidden to take the book. (7) He receives it and is told to eat it, or to receive and devour its contents. (8) Its words are sweet like honey. In Ps 19:10 the word of the Lord is compared to the sweetness of honey (9) There are bitter effects that follow. The great object of this angel seems to be to present the open book to the world. The book is mentioned four times in the chapter; twice it is stated that the book was open Re 10:2,8-10.

Wesley's Notes

10:8 And - what follows from this verse to chap. xi. 13, Rev 11:13 runs parallel with the oath of the angel, and with the fulfilling of the mystery of God, as it follows under the trumpet of the seventh angel; what is said, verse 11, Rev 11:11 concerning St. John's prophesying again, is unfolded immediately after; what is said, verse 7, Rev 11:7 concerning the fulfilling the mystery of God, is unfolded, Rev. xi. 15 - 19, Rev 11:15 - 19 and in the following chapter s.

Scofield Reference Notes

Margin angel

See note, See Scofield Note: "Heb 1:4".

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8. spake . and said-So Syriac and Coptic read. But A, B, C, "(I heard) again speaking with me, and saying" (Greek, "lalousan . legousan").

little book-So Aleph and B read. But A and C, "the book."

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

10:8-11 Most men feel pleasure in looking into future events, and all good men like to receive a word from God. But when this book of prophecy was thoroughly digested by the apostle, the contents would be bitter; there were things so awful and terrible, such grievous persecutions of the people of God, such desolations in 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 orders; daily meditating on his word, that it may nourish our souls; and then declaring it according to our several stations. 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.

Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

Verses 8-11

Here we have, I. A strict charge given to the apostle, which was, 1. That he should go and take the little book out of the hands of that mighty angel mentioned before. This charge was given, not by the angel himself who stood upon the earth, but by the same voice from heaven that in the fourth verse had lain an injunction upon him not to write what he had discerned by the seven thunders. 2. To eat the book; this part of the charge was given by the angel himself, hinting to the apostle that before he should publish what he had discovered he must more thoroughly digest the predictions, and be in himself suitably affected with them.

II. An account of the taste and relish which this little book would have, when the apostle had taken it in; at first, while in his mouth, sweet. All persons feel a pleasure in looking into future events, and in having them foretold; and all good men love to receive a word from God, of what import soever it be. But, when this book of prophecy was more thoroughly digested by the apostle, the contents would be bitter; these were things so awful and terrible, such grievous persecutions of the people of God, and such desolation made in the earth, that the foresight and foreknowledge of them would not be pleasant, but painful to the mind of the apostle: thus was Ezekiel's prophecy to him, ch. 3:3.

III. The apostle's discharge of the duty he was called to (v. 10): He took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up, and he found the relish to be as was told him. 1. It becomes the servants of God to digest in their own souls the messages they bring to others in his name, and to be suitably affected therewith themselves. 2. It becomes them to deliver every message with which they are charged, whether pleasing or unpleasing to men. That which is least pleasing may be most profitable; however, God's messengers must not keep back any part of the counsel of God.

IV. The apostle is made to know that this book of prophecy, which he had now taken in, was not given him merely to gratify his own curiosity, or to affect him with pleasure or pain, but to be communicated by him to the world. Here his prophetical commission seems to be renewed, and he is ordered to prepare for another embassy, to convey those declarations of the mind and will of God which are of great importance to all the world, and to the highest and greatest men in the world, and such should be read and recorded in many languages. This indeed is the case; we have them in our language, and are all obliged to attend to them, humbly to enquire into the meaning of them, and firmly to believe that every thing shall have its accomplishment in the proper time; and, when the prophecies shall be fulfilled, the sense and truth of them will appear, and the omniscience, power, and faithfulness of the great God will be adored.