THE LION, THE SCROLL AND THE BOWLS
Revelation 5
Some historians divide human history into ten great segments. At the end of each section there is an event so momentous that all subsequent history moves in a different direction.
For example, on January 10, 49 BC. Julius Caesar, with 5,000 loyal men crossed the Rubicon River, marched on Rome, and changed the course of history.
Another historic turning point took place on October 10, 732 AD, when Charles Martell, the Frankish Christian leader of Western Europe defeated the invading Muslims at the Battle of Tours. The course of the Western World and Christianity was forever changed.
Another turning point is found in Revelation 5:7. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.
This event is so profound, so far-reaching, so momentous, that nothing in all the universe is ever the same. Every man, woman and child, every angel, every demon, from the smallest particle on earth to the farthest galaxy: nothing is ever the same.
I will explain this in more detail in just a moment or two but first let me address the elephant in the room. I’m preaching from the book of Revelation.
When I turn to the book of Revelation, I think of what G. K. Chesterton once said: even though St. John the Evangelist saw many strange monsters in his vision, he saw no creature so wild as one of his own commentators.
If you want to go on a wild ride type into Google “The meaning of the book of Revelation”. If I announce to an Evangelical church that I am going to have a Bible study in the book of Revelation, I will attract every eccentric within 100 kilometers. If I announce to an Anglican Church that I am going have a Bible study in the book of Revelation hardly anyone will show up because Anglicans generally have given up on the Book of Revelation. Since we are an Evangelical Anglican Church, I’m not sure what will happen this morning.
Let me get to the point: I settled in my mind years ago
• That most of the book of Revelation happened in the late first Century AD during the time of the awful waves of Roman persecution, except for the last two or three chapters.
• That the book of Revelation has an application for every generation of Christians. I have no doubt that many believers in the Ukraine find great comfort in the Revelation right now.
• That the book of Revelation is written in metaphoric language because the ways of God are beyond rational explanation most of the time.
• And that the bottom line of the book of Revelation is ‘In the End God wins.’
With that out of the way let me go to, the Lion, the Scroll, and the Golden Bowls.
1 THE SCROLL
When the Revelation was written the main way to preserve writing was on a parchment that was rolled up. If you wanted to get to a certain passage you had to unroll the whole thing.
Then in about 250 AD someone invented this new technology – the book. You could flip to any place in the story you wanted to; you could add and subtract pages, without destroying the whole book. It was wonderful.
The difference between a scroll and a book was about the same as the difference between a typewriter and a word processor. I find that Christians can be very slow to adopt new technology but in the case of the book Christians were quick to embrace it.
Christians really took to the book format whereas the Roman pagans clung to the scroll format. The main reason why Christians loved the book format in the years between 250 AD and 350 AD is because it was during this time frame that the Church was trying to decide what books should be included in or exclude from the New Testament.
It was much easier to add and subtract books to and from the Bible in the book format than it was in the scroll format. So as the Church grew in strength the book format became more and more popular all over the Empire. By the time Rome fell in 395 the scroll was a thing of the past.
But here at the beginning of the second century when John wrote the Revelation, they only had Scrolls. So, John sees a scroll in God’s right hand.
There is a great deal of discussion, debate, as to what was written on this Scroll. The Bible does not tell us. Some think it was the Scriptures. Others suggest it is the Lamb’s book of Life. Whatever it was it must have been very important. God does not deal in trivial things.
I want to suggest that this scroll was not so much like a story, or a poem – it was more like a driver’s license or a marriage license or a university degree. If you have a driver’s license with your name on it, then you have the authority to drive on a public highway in Canada. If you have a Ph.D. from an accredited university then you have the authority to be called Doctor.
If you follow along with what happens in the rest of the book of Revelation, then you see that the one who takes this scroll has the authority to rule the universe. This paper is a license to rule the universe. The person who holds this certificate can run the universe. And God only issued one license to rule the universe.
Only one person is worthy enough to receive this certificate. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David has triumphed. He can open the scroll and its seven seals. And that brings me to the Lion.
2 THE LION
John was told that the Lion of the tribe of Judah had prevailed. The Lion is the only one worthy enough to take the scroll. So, he looks around fully expecting to see a Lion and sees a lamb. Sometimes things don’t turn out the way we expect them to.
Sometimes we misunderstand each other and God. We think we see something or hear something, and we misinterpret.
When my mother died, some years ago my brother was in Toronto where she died and took care of things.
We were all sad but certainly not carried away with uncontrollable grief. I tell you this so that you can feel the impact of what happen a few days after the funeral. I had come back to Calgary. My brother was at home in Toronto. He had some things to do around the house but decided to use some mouthwash at the same time. While he was multitasking – doing things around the house and swishing the mouthwash the phone rang.
Without even thinking what he was doing he picks the phone up and tries to say hello. It was the local minister phoning to express his sympathies. My brother cannot spit the mouthwash out, and so he talks to the pastor like some incoherent drunk.
The dear pastor interprets this to be overwhelming grief. I know Phil, it is a deep valley you are going through. Just let your grief out. It is good to cry. Meanwhile my brother is babbling like an idiot not because of grief but because of mouthwash.
Sometimes we misread what is happening. Never did this happen more than in 33 AD. The man strung up on the middle cross looks like a looser. Looks like a dead end. Looks like a tragedy.
But the middle cross proved to be the road to heaven. It proved to be the way to God; it proved to be Good Friday. Things aren’t always the way they seem.
The salvation of the world did not come about by roar of a Lion but by the blood of a lamb. And so, Christians worship this Lamb.
In chapter 4 we are told that the 24 elders (who represent the people of God from both the Old and New Testaments) fall down and worship the One who sits upon the throne.
Now in chapter 5 these same 24 elders fall down and worship the Lamb. Have they changed gods? Or are there two gods? Or is the Lamb really the One who sits upon the throne? Or is God far more complex than anyone would have guessed?
The early Christians opted for the idea that God is far more complex than anyone had first thought. There is only one God. But God is not only the One upon the throne - He is also the man upon the middle cross.
The 24 elders are right to fall down and worship the One who sits upon the throne; they are also right to worship the One upon the cross. And part of our worship involves prayer and that brings me to the bowls.
3 THE BOWLS
We are told in verse 8 that the 24 Elders in heaven are each holding a harp in one hand and a golden bowl in the other hand. These bowls are full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
I want to conclude my sermon this morning and talk to you briefly about the value and dynamics of prayer. What happens when we pray?
According to this text our prayers end up in the presence of the people of God in heaven right next to the throne of God. These prayers are of such great value to God that they are likened to incense. They are the air freshener of heaven. The perfume of heaven.
As you read this passage it is hard to tell who is in heaven and who is on earth. We know the 24 elders and the 4 living creatures are in heaven. The saints who are praying are most likely on earth. In any case, remember there are no dead Christians. There is only one holy, apostolic, and catholic church. And every member of that Church is alive! This text, as does all the Revelation, views all Christians as being completely alive. On earth and in heaven we are one body. There is total unity within the Family of God.
So, what happens when we pray in a meeting like this?
The prayer bounces around this room – we hear each other and care for each other – then the pray is taken to heaven where it is assigned to one of the 24 elders. There it is released like sweet perfume on a Parisian Street. All of heaven is aware of our prayer as it ascends to the Father. Departed Christians are aware of our prayers. The four living creatures who are full of eyes, who don’t miss a thing know our needs and share in our concerns. We are all one.
Prayer happens when I talk to God through the body of Christ. If I share with you a pain, a burden, a need – that is prayer. Even if I don’t have my eyes shut and use fancy language and say Amen at the end – it is still prayer.
If I go home tonight and kneel beside my bed and groan my hurts – these are taken and placed in golden bowls held by the Church triumphant who in turn release them like perfume before our Heavenly Father.
There is something mystical and mysterious about prayer. When I lift my heart and voice to God things happen in heaven and on earth. This is no trite thing we do when we pray. When we pray from the heart forces for good are released in heaven and on earth.
God could run this universe without our prayers. I mean he did for billions of years – long before we came along. He knows all about us. He doesn’t need us to tell Him how we are doing or what we need.
But in the mystery of God, He has chosen to work through our prayers. He has also chosen to involve all his family in our prayers. Since other Christians – even the ones in heaven – can’t read our minds, prayer is one way God has of letting everyone know our needs.
Prayer is bounced around the Church on earth and then its bounced around the Church in heaven and then God acts. We can pray alone but in the truest sense we never pray alone. The creatures with all the eyes are always watching and listening. The 24 elders are always gathering our faintest cry as it ascends to the Father.
I know some of you find it hard to pray in public. May I gently remind you that you always pray in public? There is a great host of witnesses who listen to our every prayer, even if we are hidden away in some closet.
Every time you talk about your pain, your concerns; every time you express anxiety about your family or your work; every time you confide in someone about your temptations and sins. In that moment you are praying.
You are filling up the golden bowls. Incense that gladdens the heart of God. Fuel God uses to run the universe.
Let us pray.
Lord God, I open my mouth and bounce words around this room through the saints on earth and the saints in heaven. You call our prayers incense. You value our prayers more than much fine gold. I find this hard to believe.
O Lord, teach us to talk to you the way we talk to ourselves. The way we talk to one another. May we practice the presence of God every day. Help us to grasp the power of prayer.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
