Day 175

^“8 Then the voice which I heard from heaven, I heard again speaking with me, and saying, “Go, take the scroll which is open in the hand of the angel who stands on the sea and on the land.” ⁹ And I went to the angel, telling him to give me the little scroll. And he *said to me, “Take it and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” ¹⁰ I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it, and in my mouth it was sweet as honey; and when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.” REV 10:8-10 (NASB)

This little acted parable expresses John’s disappointment. He saw that this book would not bring the End. At the time of the end, this book would prophesy again by means of another people (Rev 10:11). In the context of Rev 10:5-7, John’s experience is also a forecast of another disappointment at the close of Daniel’s time prophecies, a large group of people who thought the end would come and it does not. To have hopes of Jesus’ return raised and dashed would be a bitter experience for God’s faithful people at any time.

Many people believe that disappointment occurred in the year 1844. A massive movement brought on by Baptist preacher William Millar and others had thousands of Americans and many Europeans, believing that Jesus would return on October 22 of that year. On that day they eagerly expected to see Jesus Himself coming in the clouds surrounded by all the holy angels. They looked forward to meeting all the dear friends who had been torn from them by death. They expected that all their trials and sufferings would be over. They would be caught up to meet their coming Lord and to inhabit bright golden mansions in the golden New Jerusalem. The study of Daniels time prophecies (the little book) proved to be a bitter-sweet experience.

Daniel’s 2300year prophecy is still there and it still stretches to 1844. The only thing that changed is how we perceive “the time of the end” in relation to these prophecies.
As the 1260 years were coming to a close, there was a definite fulfilment of the prophecy. The books of Daniel and Revelation had been known as ‘closed books’ but at the beginning of the 19th century many were preaching the rediscovered doctrine of the second coming. There was a great awakening on this subject. The passing of the day became a great disappointment. They had misunderstood the prophecy – but now the little book was open!