What book did he eat?

Question

While we're on the subject of Revelations I'd like to ask Bible scholars 3 questions.....

1. What book do you think John ate?

2. Why did it turn his belly bitter?

3. Why do you think that God didn't want the general populous to know what that was about?

Answer 1

He probably ate one of those stupid Gossip Girl books. I know they make a bitter feeling in my stomach.

Answer 2

In Ezekiel 3:1-4, nearly the same event occurred. A roll was given to Ezekiel, he was told to eat it with the same results.
Immediately after, there was a command to peach or speak God's words.

I personally believe that while they would feel good while preaching the Gospel, perhaps they would have some immediate results, but in the end, the results would be bitter. Perhaps they were able to convince many people, but they fell into wickedness?

When Joseph Smith was asked this question, here is the response.

D&C Section 77
Q: What are we to understand by the little book which was eaten by John, as mentioned in the 10th chapter of Revelation?

A. We are to understand that it was a mission, and an ordinance, for him to gather the tribes of Israel; behold, this is Elias, who, as it is written, must come and restore all things

Answer 3

A little book that GOD told hhin to take from an angel and to eat it up(a book of Phrophesy) sweet to the mouth but biter to the belly.
The words in the litle book were preached by John to to many peoples and nations and Kings.
Revalation 10:1-11

Answer 4

The book John ate was symbolic for a mission he was to perform; a mission to gather the tribes of Israel. I imagine that it was bitter in his belly because of the difficult of the task, yet it was sweet in his mouth because it was the work of God.
Symbolism like this was used to help people at various levels of spirituality understand what they were ready to understand.

Those closer to the spirit understood the deeper gospel meanings, while those who did not quite have the spiritual aid or readiness to understand such things were given what they were ready to hear. "He that has ears (spiritual), let him hear"

Answer 5

The book is Revelation, without the S on the end, and it was written in code to persecuted Christians of the time. They understood the code back then - we don't now. It was not meant to be taken literally.

Answer 6

Biblaridion in Greek. It means a diminutive book or scroll, analogous to a diary.

Nothing is known of its contents, so any affirmative answer is mere conjecture.

Answer 7

It was the Word because it is recieved with joy at first but then it is heavy and difficult to swallow when it goes down...

I haven't studied this in a long time. I wish I could remember.

Answer 8

Becuase John was trapped alone on a deserted island and obviously wasn't in full control of his senses.

Answer 9

The Bible is just folk lore