Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 10:8-11
10:8Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, "Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth."
10:9 So I went to the angel and said to him, "Give me the little book." And he said to me, "Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth."
10:10 Then I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.
10:11 And he said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings."
The theme is THE BITTER AND SWEET TASTE.
The bitter, sour, and sweet tastes are always tasted by men from the womb, babies, little children, teenagers, adult and old people, up to the life after death. In the womb, if the nutrition is enough, a baby will feel quiet or sweet. On the contrary, if the nutrition is not enough, the baby will feel suffered or bitter. Likewise, the little children and adult or old people will cry when they are suffering or being in bitterness and they will smile when they are rejoicing or being in sweetness. It continues to the life after death. If one suffers because of sins and feels bitter in his life in the world, he will cry forever in the hell. On the contrary, if he lives in righteousness and holiness, so he feels sweet in his life in the world, he will rejoice forever in heaven.
I hope that all bitter and sour things in our life can be made sweet until forever by celebrating this Christmas. The Christmas news is able to change the bitter and sour things into the sweet ones.
Revelation 10:1, 8
10:1I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.
10:8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, "Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth."
The angel refers to the Lord Jesus [verse 1] as the Great Shepherd, who holds the open little book that refers to the revelation of the Word through a verse that explains other verses in the Bible.
Thus, the open little book in the hand of the angel refers to the angel's news or the shepherding Word, namely the Word of God which is entrusted by the Lord Jesus or the Great Shepherd to a pastor in the world that he may preach to the congregation faithfully, regularly or continually, and repetitively as the spiritual food for the sheep with the two kinds of taste, namely bitter and sweet.
Luke 2:8-12, 20
2:8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
2:9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
2:10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
2:11 "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
2:12 "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
2:20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
The shepherds received the news of the angel, the Christmas news, or the shepherding Word. It is the same as hearing and seeing the shepherding Word, whose real form is in the baby Jesus in the manger. Thus, it is the same as seeing Jesus as the Savior.
Revelation 1:10-13
1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
1:11 saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."
1:12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
1:13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
John the apostle heard and saw the repeated voice of the trumpet or the hard shepherding Word which became a real form, namely the perfect church or the seven golden lampstands. He also saw Jesus in the glory as the High Priest, the great Shepherd, the King of all kings, the Head or Husband, and the Heavenly Bridegroom.
Thus, the shepherding Word refers to the Word of God which becomes the spiritual food for the congregation with the two tastes, namely bitter and sweet as well as the real form which can be seen in our life. We can also feel the ministry of Jesus, the High Priest.
There are two kinds of the shepherding Word or spiritual food as follows:
The meanings of the bitter and sweet taste are as follows:
The examples and results are as follows:
God blesses you.
Revelation 10:8-11
10:8Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, "Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth."
10:9 So I went to the angel and said to him, "Give me the little book." And he said to me, "Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth."
10:10 Then I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.
10:11 And he said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings."
The theme is THE BITTER AND SWEET TASTE.
The bitter, sour, and sweet tastes are always tasted by men from the womb, babies, little children, teenagers, adult and old people, up to the life after death. In the womb, if the nutrition is enough, a baby will feel quiet or sweet. On the contrary, if the nutrition is not enough, the baby will feel suffered or bitter. Likewise, the little children and adult or old people will cry when they are suffering or being in bitterness and they will smile when they are rejoicing or being in sweetness. It continues to the life after death. If one suffers because of sins and feels bitter in his life in the world, he will cry forever in the hell. On the contrary, if he lives in righteousness and holiness, so he feels sweet in his life in the world, he will rejoice forever in heaven.
I hope that all bitter and sour things in our life can be made sweet until forever by celebrating this Christmas. The Christmas news is able to change the bitter and sour things into the sweet ones.
Revelation 10:1, 8
10:1I saw still another mighty angel coming down from heaven, clothed with a cloud. And a rainbow was on his head, his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire.
10:8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven spoke to me again and said, "Go, take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the earth."
The angel refers to the Lord Jesus [verse 1] as the Great Shepherd, who holds the open little book that refers to the revelation of the Word through a verse that explains other verses in the Bible.
Thus, the open little book in the hand of the angel refers to the angel's news or the shepherding Word, namely the Word of God which is entrusted by the Lord Jesus or the Great Shepherd to a pastor in the world that he may preach to the congregation faithfully, regularly or continually, and repetitively as the spiritual food for the sheep with the two kinds of taste, namely bitter and sweet.
Luke 2:8-12, 20
2:8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
2:9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
2:10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
2:11 "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
2:12 "And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
2:20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
The shepherds received the news of the angel, the Christmas news, or the shepherding Word. It is the same as hearing and seeing the shepherding Word, whose real form is in the baby Jesus in the manger. Thus, it is the same as seeing Jesus as the Savior.
Revelation 1:10-13
1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,
1:11 saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last," and, "What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea."
1:12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands,
1:13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
John the apostle heard and saw the repeated voice of the trumpet or the hard shepherding Word which became a real form, namely the perfect church or the seven golden lampstands. He also saw Jesus in the glory as the High Priest, the great Shepherd, the King of all kings, the Head or Husband, and the Heavenly Bridegroom.
Thus, the shepherding Word refers to the Word of God which becomes the spiritual food for the congregation with the two tastes, namely bitter and sweet as well as the real form which can be seen in our life. We can also feel the ministry of Jesus, the High Priest.
There are two kinds of the shepherding Word or spiritual food as follows:
- The Gospel of Salvation, the Gospel Word, the milk, or the Good News.
Ephesians 1:13
1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
Proverbs 25:25
25:25As cold water to a weary soul, So is good newsfrom a far country.
It refers to the Word of God which preaches the first coming of Jesus to the world as the only sinless man through Christmas, but He must die on the cross to save the sinners. - The light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, the Word which is sharper than any two-edged sword, the solid food, or the Bride Tidings.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4
4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
Hebrews 4:12
4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Matthew 25:6
25:6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!
It refers to the Word of God which preaches Jesus' second coming in the glory as the King of all kings or the Heavenly Bridegroom to sanctify and change the saved people or make our spirituality mature until we are as perfect as He is.
The meanings of the bitter and sweet taste are as follows:
- The attitude when we hear the shepherding Word.
Proverbs 27:7
27:7A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb, But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.- If we eat the shepherding Word with hunger or need, we will feel that it is as sweet as honey or something which makes us joyful although it is bitter or painful for the flesh.
For example, a woman of Canaan whose child was demon-possessed could appreciate the Word like a dog licking the crumbs.
As a result, our bitter life will be sweet little by little by the power of the repeated Word until we can be the house of prayer. - On the contrary, how great a man is, his prayer will be an abomination if he gets sleepy and bored or rejects the shepherding Word.
Proverbs 28:9
28:9One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination.
He does not become the house of prayer, but the den of thieves. Consequently, his life becomes bitter little by little until he perishes.
- If we eat the shepherding Word with hunger or need, we will feel that it is as sweet as honey or something which makes us joyful although it is bitter or painful for the flesh.
- The work or activity of the shepherding Word is as follows:
- The work of the Gospel of Salvation, the Gospel Word, the milk, or the Good News which is repeated is calling the sinners for being saved. The process is as follows.
- Hearing the Word until we can understand and believe the Word (it becomes faith in our heart), so we can believe Jesus as the only Savior. It may be bitter for the flesh. For example, we are expelled because of believing Jesus or we cannot receive our inheritance, and so on. Nevertheless, it is sweet for our life. If we have felt the bitter and sweet taste of the work of the Gospel Word, we will be able to see the form of Jesus as the Savior.
- The faith becomes a brake that we can stop sinning and return to God or repent and die to sin. It continues until we repent from self-truth. The self-truth means covering sins by blaming at other people and God or the true teaching.
- The water baptism.
The true water baptism must be according to the will of God or the Bible and the baptism of Jesus.
Matthew 3:16
3:16When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
Romans 6:4
6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
One who has died to sin or repented must be buried in water with Jesus and raised from the water with Jesus. Then, the heaven is opened and we get the new life or the heavenly one, namely we get the baptism of Holy Spirit and live in righteousness. We become like a newborn baby.
37:25I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.
37:26 He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed.
Believing Jesus, repenting, being baptized of water and Holy Spirit, and living in righteousness may be bitter for our flesh. For example, we are expelled, slandered, and so on. Nevertheless, the results are sweet; we are saved (or not condemned), blessed by God up to our descendants, and become blessings for others. Bequeath the righteousness to your descendants! God never leaves us until we get the eternal life. - Hearing the Word until we can understand and believe the Word (it becomes faith in our heart), so we can believe Jesus as the only Savior. It may be bitter for the flesh. For example, we are expelled because of believing Jesus or we cannot receive our inheritance, and so on. Nevertheless, it is sweet for our life. If we have felt the bitter and sweet taste of the work of the Gospel Word, we will be able to see the form of Jesus as the Savior.
- The work of the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ or the Bride Tidings which is repeated is sanctifying and changing us until we are as perfect and glorious as Jesus is.
What is sanctified by the teaching Word?
Revelation 10:9-10
10:9So I went to the angel and said to him, "Give me the little book." And he said to me, "Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth."
10:10 Then I took the little book out of the angel's hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter.- The bitter stomach of heart.
Matthew 15:19
15:19 "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts(1), murders(2), adulteries(3), fornications(4), thefts(5), false witness(6), blasphemies(7).
If the heart is ruled over by the seven evil, unclean, and bitter desires, the lamp will be quenched like a blind man. There is no control anymore in his life. He commits sins up to the peak, namely the sins concerning eating-drinking such as smoking, getting drunk, and drugs abuse as well as the ones concerning marrying-being given in marriage such as the fornication between a man with a woman who are not a legal spouse, between man and man, between woman and woman, between man and animal, as well as the wrong marriage or mix marriage, divorce-remarrying, and marrying-being given in marriage. Consequently, the life becomes bitter and perishes in the hell forever.
Nevertheless, if we willingly receive the work of the repeated teaching Word, our heart will be sanctified and filled by Holy Spirit with the seven manifestations.
Isaiah 11:1-3
11:1There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
11:2 (1)The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, (2)The Spirit of wisdom and (3)understanding, (4)The Spirit of counsel and (5)might, (6)The Spirit of knowledge and of (7)the fear of the LORD.
11:3 His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
It continues until we have the fear of the Lord or hate sins and live in holiness.
Then, we are equipped with the ministry and the gifts of Holy Spirit or the beautiful tunic. We are used by God in the edification of the body of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-12
4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
Holy Spirit makes us faithful and fervent in spirit as well as faithful and responsible in our service and ministry to God as well as marriage or household.
As a result, although we are like a small stem which is powerless and none sees, Holy Spirit is able to make us bud, bloom, and yield fruits; even we can yield the sweet ones. - The mouth.
It is until being as sweet as honey in the mouth. It begins from not lying.
If there is still lie, the life will be bitter. If the mouth is sanctified until saying honest, righteous, and good words, the life will be sweet.
Revelation 10:11
10:11And he said to me, "You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings."
Moreover, we can testify and worship God or become the house of prayer.
Colossians 3:9, 10-14
3:9Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
3:10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
3:11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on (1)tender mercies, (2)kindness, (3)humility, (4)meekness, (5)longsuffering;
3:13 bearing with one another, and (6)forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
3:14 But above all these things put on (7)love, which is the bond of perfection.
The new man is signified by the seven renewals until being as perfect as Jesus.
If we have tasted the bitter and sweet taste of the work of the teaching Word, we will be able to see the manifestation of the seven golden lampstands, the perfect church, or the bride.
Revelation 1:13
1:13and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.
We can also see the form of Jesus, the High Priest, who stretches out His hands of mercy and goodness to us.
Psalm 136:1-4
136:1Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
136:2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever.
136:3 Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever:
136:4 To Him who alone does great wonders, For His mercy endures forever;
Jesus alone is able to do great wonders for helping us. Do not hope any man! - The bitter stomach of heart.
- The work of the Gospel of Salvation, the Gospel Word, the milk, or the Good News which is repeated is calling the sinners for being saved. The process is as follows.
The examples and results are as follows:
- Peter.
Matthew 14:29-30
14:29 So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
14:30 But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
He often relied on the others, so he became doubtful and God let him almost drown to make him choose Jesus alone (Peter could cry out to Jesus, not to the other eleven disciples). Maybe we are in the deterioration in our economy and ministry, the fall in sins, as well as the drowning. God's hands of mercy and goodness are able to lift up, heal, and increase our life. - A woman who was caught in adultery.
John 8:9-11
8:9Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
8:10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
8:11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."
She refers to the destruction of marriage and children, fear, distress, bitterness of life, and perdition. Jesus alone [verse 9] is able to help us and make the bitter things sweet and joyful. - Mary andMartha faced Lazaruswho had died four days.
It refers to the rottenness in sins and failures or there are no more hope and future life. Jesus alone is able to revive the dead and make the rotten things fragrant. The failed things will be made successful and beautiful in the time of need.
All bitter and sour things which are like the sour wine mingled with gall in our life have been drunk by Jesus on the cross so that our life becomes sweet until we are perfect and worthy to welcome His second coming on the glorious clouds. We can enter the New Jerusalem and feel the sweet thing forever.
God blesses you.