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The Lamb of God and the Scroll - Revelation 5:1 - 14

 The Weekend, December 5 –

Welcome to the weekend as we continue to read through the book of Revelation – the final book in our quest to read thru the New Testament in a year!  Today’s reading Revelation 5:1 – 14.  Please read the Scripture first, and then come back after you have finished reading for more.


The revelation of Heaven, God on the throne along with twenty-four elders around the throne, and the four creatures – all of which broke out in praise to God – must have overwhelmed John.  Still, the open door that allowed John to see was just the beginning.  What John saw and heard was Heaven’s worship of God who is Holy, the Almighty God (4:8), and the Creator (4:11).  Like many chapter divisions, the revelation continues on into the next chapter, and with it the revelation of a sealed scroll.

“Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals” (5:1).

As John gazes at the heavenly worship going on, he sees in God’s right hand a scroll that is written on both sides – which was unusual for ancient parchments – and it is sealed with seven seals.  The seven seals serve as an “owner-only” document, much like a property deed, and the scroll was sealed so only the owner could open the deed.  The scroll is similar to the prophetic scroll Ezekiel received (Ezek. 2:9-10), which recorded “lamentations, mourning and woe”.  The scroll is rolled up in such a way that the contents were successively revealed as each seal would be broken.  The scroll’s content was sealed for a time when a lawful owner could open its content – something Daniel wrote about – “…Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end…” (Daniel 12:4).  At this point, John hears an Angel proclaim “who can open it?”  As in Ezekiel’s scroll there is both salvation and judgment that follow, and the problem becomes apparent – “no one is worthy”.

“And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”  But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.  I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside” (5:2-4).

John, who had seen the holiness and majesty of God weeps because it seems as if no salvation, no justice will prevail.  All of creation in heaven grieves over the unopened scroll because it means the world will stay hopelessly ruined, without redemption forever.  Yet, the one who owns the scroll is the one who died for the world –

“Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”  Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth” (5:5-6). 

Jesus, the lamb of God looks as one who has been slain – nail-pierced hands and feet, his side opened, and he stands “at the center of the throne” – one who is now with the Father, and also surrounded by the living creatures and the elders.  The reference to seven horns is Old Testament symbols of strength, sacrifice, and power (Exodus 27:2; 29:12; Joshua 6:4; 1 Samuel 2:10).  The seven eyes are symbols of the seven spirits, or the Spirit of God, who endowed Christ with power, strength to endure, and the way of the cross in sacrifice (John 15:26).  John is seeing Christ Jesus in his heavenly majesty, through his earthly sacrifice for the sin of His people – He alone is worthy to take ownership of the earth’s deed.

When Jesus took ownership of the scroll, everything changed – in heaven, and on the earth.  The empires of the world that defied God would not prevail, and history would not lead towards hopelessness and continued despair for Jesus prevailed over death and has made his people into a Kingdom of Priests.

“And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.  And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals,
because you were slain, and with your blood
you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.  
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth” (5:8-10).

The elders and creatures represent all of God’s creation.  Sin has created futility for the earth and its people (Romans 8:19-21).  Now the creation and the creatures (us) have a redeemer who is changing it all.  It is a “new song” because of all that Christ has accomplished.  A new Covenant has been made and is being accomplished in Christ’s finished work.  John has entered the throne room of God to see Jesus in his resurrected, ascended role, as Prophet, Priest, and King.  He returned to heaven as the suffering Savior who took the sins of the world upon himself (Isaiah 53), and as the risen, glorified Son of God who has ownership of God’s world and will execute salvation and justice for the glory of God.  All of heaven’s creatures recognize it and sing the Lamb’s praise, even as they had sung the Father’s praise.

“Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.  In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”  (5:11-13).  

The center of heaven’s praise is the Lord Jesus.  The Songs of heaven reverberate with praise for the Father and the Son for his redemption, power, and glory.  The response to the worship and praise is more than a simple “Amen”, but it is an affirmation that this worship is worthy of both Father and Son.

The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped” (5:14).

We are used to hearing “Amen” in our prayers, worship, reading of God’s word…both in church, even at the dinner table.  Amen is the audible response to the truth that is spoken, whether in prayer, teaching, or reading.  The second-century theologian, Justyn Martyr, described the “Amens” as “shouts of applause”. Jesus is our Amen.  We praise in our singing, in our prayers, in our confessions, in the sacraments, and the reading and teaching of God’s word.  It may not always look like it, but our church gatherings should be mini-Revelation 5 experiences.  The songs of heaven are pointed at the Father and the Son, sometimes alone, and also together.  It is crucial we learn how to sing, pray, listen to the word with this in mind. 

Revelation 4 & 5 open our mind’s imagination to peek into the doorway of heaven.  We must “stand at the door and knock” that we might “enter in and eat with him”.  Jesus became incarnate – one with us – so that we might become the children of God and become one with Him.  We fool ourselves in believing the world will get better and better because we’re getting smarter with technology, science, medicine, etc…  The world is certainly a complex place with billions of people, but there is only one person who came into the world, in order to die for the world, and sovereignly knows what the world needs for salvation to occur, the creation to be restored, and justice to prevail – that is Jesus, the lamb of God who was slain, and by His blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation (5:9).  AMEN!

Peace

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