(8) 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. (9) And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey. (10) 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 as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. (11) And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
This is a very interesting part of this chapter. John is ordered to go to Christ, and to take out of his hand the open book. Now observe. When Christ took the book from the hand of his Father, it was sealed. He, and He alone, can open to us the decrees of God. I am the way, saith Christ, and the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me, John 14:6. Had not Christ come forth from God, to make known God, never should we have known the way to God. But when John, or any man, takes the book from Jesus, it must be opened to us or we shall never understand it. Reader! except Jesus gives the book, opened by himself, to those who minister in his name; and except Jesus by his Spirit ordains them; ministers, as they call themselves, or as they are called of men, had better never have ran to the service. Popes, bishops, or prelates, not sent of Christ, will have a woeful account to give in, the end of the day. I have not sent these prophets, (saith the Lord), yet they ran; I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied, Jeremiah 23:21
What a lovely view is here given of John! Immediately, on command, he went to Christ. To whom shall the Lord's servants go but to their Master? From whom can they receive their authority, or their instruction, but from Him? Sweetly Peter, who knew this, said, Lord! to whom shall we go, thou hast the words of eternal life And what John saith of the sweet taste of the book, and the bitter effects afterwards, is fulfilled in all God's servants, who minister in his name, as well as in the hearts of those who are ministered unto. When first the word is received, in joy of the Holy Ghost, with much affliction, by reason of our conscious sense of sin, everything we hear of Christ, and feel of Christ, is sweet. But when persecutions come on, and the conflicts of flesh and spirit are at the height, bitter are the seasons of trial. And what it is with the faithful followers of the Lord, in their private life and conversation, such, in an eminent degree, is it with the ministers of Christ in their public ministry. Oh! who shall say what soul exercises he goeth through, both for himself and people, while laboring in the word and doctrine; that is, faithful to God and to souls? Lord! do thou give to thy servants grace, that in all things they may approve themselves ministers of God!