The Little Book – Sweet in the Mouth but Bitter in the Stomach
This is a very interesting subject in the book of Revelation. Not much is written about it. I have been asking God, on and off again, what it means for a few years now. He finally showed me the key that unlocks the mystery. After John eats the little book, the angel tells John that he must prophesy again concerning many people. Then the next verse introduces the two witnesses. There is no break in the context. That is the key.
I saw another strong angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire and he had in his hand a little book which was open. Revelation 10:1-2
Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, “Go, take the book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.” So I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little book. And he said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. Revelation 10:8-10
There is one more verse in chapter 10. There is no break in the context when chapter 11 begins. It is the continuation of the same story. Now for the last verse in chapter 10 and the first verse in chapter 11.
And they said to me, “You must prophesy again concerning many peoples and nations and tongues and kings.” Revelation 10:11
Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, “Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread underfoot the holy city for forty-two months. Revelation 11:1-2
The peoples, nations and tongues that John must prophesy again about are the worshipers in the sanctuary. Once again, there is no break in the context when the two witnesses are introduced. The little book that is sweet in the mouth and bitter in the stomach is actually the introduction to the two witnesses.
Verse three of Rev 11 begins with the word ‘and’ so the authority is granted to the worshipers in the sanctuary. The ones in the outer court are left out of the context of the two witnesses. As I have said many times, there can be no discussion of the two witnesses until we identify who the worshipers in the sanctuary are! The first verse of chapter 11 sets the entire context of the two witnesses.
As I have said in my other messages, the first witness is the corporate company of worshipers, the overcomers who have gone beyond the veil into His presence. This is the Elijah company that prepares the way of the Lord. The second witness is the work that the Holy Spirit does through them. This is the pattern established by Jesus when the pharisees confronted Him about having two witnesses.
If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true. For the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me. John 5:31,36
This is the two witness pattern. We know that the two anointed ones from Zechariah 4 are Zerubbabel the governor and Joshua the High Priest. Joshua has filthy garments and must be cleaned up. He is the foreshadow of the worshipers in the sanctuary. Those who have made their filthy garments white in the blood of the Lamb. Zerubbabel, the governor does not have filthy garments. He has a signet ring which represents rulership. He is the foreshadow of Jesus as the Holy Spirit.
Now let’s continue with chapter 11.
And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone wants to harm them, fire flows out of their mouth and devours their enemies; so if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this way. 6 These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. Rev 11:3-6
This is the sweet in the mouth part from the little book. The worshipers are granted power and authority that has never been seen before on the earth! They operate in the same and greater anointing as Moses and Elijah! They prophesy to the entire world about the Messiah! They are the ones who preach the Gospel of the Kingdom during the three-and-a-half-year tribulation that Jesus talked about in Matthew 24. If anyone tries to harm them, they are killed!
This is glorious! This is the Elijah company of overcomers that Malachi and Jesus prophesied about.
Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD. Malachi 4:5
This is the Lord’s army in Joel chapter two. As the dawn is spread upon the mountains, so there is a great and mighty people. What an incredible honor to be a part of this last day army of the Lord! How sweet it is. What is in the little book? It is the names of the worshipers in the sanctuary. Sweet in the mouth…
Now let’s look at the next verse.
When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. Revelation 11:1-7
What? What is this? Everything was so blessed. Ministering to a lost world with power and authority during the tribulation. Testifying to the truth. Glorious last day army of God. How sweet.
Now the beast from the abyss will make war with them and overcome them and kill them? This isn’t sweet. It is bitter. Suddenly, I have a terrible stomachache! This is terrible. I feel sick.
The little book introduces the two witness Elijah company of overcomers. Their names are in the book. Sweet in the mouth. This is their ministry. Their worship.
Bitter in the stomach. This is the drinking of the cup. This is martyrdom. Every single one of them is put to death by the beast.
Do you want to be in this last day army of God? Do you want to be a worshiper who is granted power and authority by the Holy Spirit? Do you want to be in the Elijah company that testifies to the truth during the tribulation? Then you must commit to drinking the cup.
Jesus did. After He arose, He said the Father had granted Him all authority. The disciples committed to drinking the cup. Then Jesus granted them the power and authority that the Father had granted to Him.
There is no granting of power and authority without the cup. Jesus will not grant power and authority to those whom He can’t trust. He will not grant power and authority to those who fail to pick up their cross and follow Him.
The power and authority is granted to those who love not their own lives, even unto death.
This granting of power and authority is different from the gifts of the Spirit that we enjoy in the church today. We are talking about stopping the rain, turning the waters into blood, and killing anyone who tries to stop their testifying. This is the latter rain outpouring on the church at the end of the age. This is mankind’s last call to repentance.
Sweet in the mouth. Bitter in the stomach.
Can you drink this cup?