The Book Sweet, then Bitter

The book mentioned in Revelation 10, of which it is said that to the eater it was sweet as honey, but as soon as eaten was “bitter” (or, as some translate, “as soon as I had digested it, in my stomach it was picra” ^{4Picra—a most disagreeable, bitter preparation of alcohol, aloes, and gum myrrh.}, was that book from which the angel announced, on the authority of him who made heaven, earth, and sea, “Time shall be no longer.” Eating this book, then, must represent the joyful acceptance of the time proclamation. The sudden bitterness of the morsel to those who ate it must represent the sad contrast in their experience after the time of the book is expired, and they find themselves sorely disappointed in their expectations.GSAM 185.4