The "Time" & "Book" of Rev. 10

"Another feature of the time proclamation of Revelation 10 should not be passed unnoticed. As John sees the angel standing upon the sea and upon the earth, saying that time shall be no longer, he says:- “And the voice which I heard from heaven spoke unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which stands upon the sea and upon the earth. 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. 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.” Rev. 10:8-10

As the angel here proclaiming the time, represents those who go forth to give the time message, so John, receiving and eating the book, represents those receiving the message. 

The message contained in the book is time. When the time therefrom proclaimed expired, the book was fully eaten. While eating, it was “sweet as honey” to the eater, but as soon as eaten it became “bitter.” The contrast here presented clearly sets forth a scene of bitter disappointment. The very thing that had heretofore been such sweet spiritual food, now, as soon as consumed, becomes, O, so “bitter”!

Let us consider for a few moments the situation of that people who, with joyous hearts and rejoicing lips, came up to the tenth day of the seventh Jewish month - Oct. 22, 1844. Thousands met in various places of worship, expecting ere the setting of that day’s sun to be in immortal glory. The day passed, and October 23 found them, O, so sad! The cup of sweetness in anticipated immortal joys is dashed to their feet." J.N. Loughborough