This angel had in his hand a little book that John was required to take and eat. In advancing and taking the book, John himself becomes an actor in the symbolic scene, the same as was the book and the angel from whose hand he took it. Therefore we must now consider John a symbol of something in this vision. Some of the commentators have supposed that this book signified the remainder of the book of Revelation. But John was commanded to _write_ the Revelations, not to _eat_ them. And if he ate them, how, then, could they constitute the remainder of the book? Its true signification is undoubtedly the word of God. In making such an application we do not necessarily make one book merely a symbol of a larger one, as the Bible is, but of God's _revealed will_, just the same as the sealed book of chapter V was the symbol of the divine purposes. When we come to explain the resurrection of the witnesses in chapter XI, it will be found that this is the time when the word of God is again taught in all its purity, being restored for the first time, in its perfect sense, since the morning time of this dispensation. A great spiritual famine has for centuries overspread the earth. Since the time the black horse of the third seal entered on his career, the people have been starving for spiritual food. The few crumbs that have been dropped during the reign of Protestantism have been eagerly gathered up by the spiritually-minded; but, thank God! the time has now arrived when the messengers appear with food from heaven, and the multitudes of earth's starving millions can "eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord God." Joel 2:26. Halleluiah! In taking the book from the hand of the angel and eating it, John became a symbol of the church, or people of God, who receive the Word from the hand of his ministers. The sweetness of its taste signifies the eagerness with which people receive it and the gladness experienced when they first partake of the heavenly manna; while the bitterness resulting therefrom probably symbolizes the bitter persecutions and oppositions of which it is the occasion. "Yea, and _all_ that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Tim. 3:12. John was told to "prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings," which signifies that the people of God must again be witnesses of his saving grace throughout all the world. In the beginning of this dispensation all his people prophesied among the nations; for Christ had said unto them, "Ye shall be _witnesses_ unto me, both in Jerusalem, and in Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth." Acts 1:8. So, also, in this evening time we go forth again on the same mission, inspired by the soon-coming of our Savior. "Even so come, Lord Jesus." CHAPTER XI.