The Great Second Advent Movement: Its Rise and Progress

Chapter 12 — The Disappointment—The Bitter Book

“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. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.” ¹ GSAM 185.1

In scriptural language, the “eating” of a book represents the reception of truth in order to communicate it to others, as is seen in Ezekiel, where the prophet is shown “a roll of a book,” and it was said to him, “Eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.” After eating the roll, he says, “Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.” ² GSAM 185.2

The prophet Jeremiah uses this same figure: “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.” ³ From this language we learn that the “sweetness” of the book while eating it represents the joy and satisfaction experienced by those who thus feed on the word of the Lord. GSAM 185.3