Alpha and Omega, Part 29, Revelation Part 6
The Worthiness of the Lamb of God
Revelation 5:1-14
Welcome, we are grateful to have you here today – VIP cards in bulletin
Introduction
- Taking this a part, chapter by chapter, to understand God’s ultimate plan
- Last week we were introduced to the Throne of God
-- We discussed the importance of the 24 elders and the 4 living creatures
-- We unpacked their role: to worship and to serve God before His throne
-- The vision John gets is clear: the majesty and glory of God is second to none
-- It’s a place of unbelievable power (thunder / lightning) and glory (beauty)
- Today, the vision continues in the Throne Room, and introduces Jesus Christ
- Read Revelation 5:1-14 / Pray
- Scene: Understand there is no break between Ch. 4 and 5
-- God is on His throne, and in His hand is the very plan of His for creation
-- What is it? The history of the final days of Earth; the end of all things
-- Must stress: This is the center piece of all that we are studying: God’s plans
- TR: This book – this revelation – tells us how the story ends
-- Let’s talk a bit and set up some background for the rest of the message …
Point 1 – God demonstrates His absolute sovereignty
- As if creation was not enough, speaking our existence into place …
-- John sees God holding a scroll in the palm of His right hand (v1)
- The scroll is written front and back – rolled up and sealed
-- Ancient books were written this way – front and back, and tied or sealed
-- In this case, a seal is used to ensure they do not fall apart (ref. wax imprint)
- This has seven (GR: hepta) seals – it’s worth is the focus here
-- The scroll was sealed closed … Greek: katasphragizó; to seal up
-- In Roman times when a will was written, it would need 7 witness of men
-- This means that seven men would witness and approve of the contents
-- To us, the seals reveal the secrecy of the book – no one in time has opened them
-- Romans 11:33, “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!”
- John sees an angel pose a question: “Who is worthy to open …?” (v2)
-- This angel has the ability to pose the question to any that could hear
-- Deeper: “Is there anyone who is worthy to comprehend its contents?”
• No person in Heaven (of all the souls there) was found worthy (v3)
• No person on Earth (no king or rulers) was found worthy
• No person under the Earth (meaning from the dead) was worthy
- Because of this, John is found in despair – he weeps bitterly (v4)
-- Consider: Standing before the greatness of God, and NONE are worthy???
-- Not a single person (Abraham, Moses, etc.) would come forward to do this?
-- IMP APP: Quit putting your faith in man … we are not able to redeem!
- But also, as a human, John weeps because … He wants to know too!
-- Just like you and I … we want to know what is going to happen
-- We do this all the time with our prayers, don’t we? “Why?” “When?”
- Even during this critical time in Heaven, none were found worthy. Really?
-- Right! Why? B/c of the contents … no one is able to know God’s plan
-- FYI: Everything that we will see from Chap. 6-21 is disastrous for creation
-- And until now, not one has been worthy to see or know God’s truth
- Ponder: The one who opens this book has to be able to grasp its contents
-- Consider: If you knew the date of your death, might you change your life?
-- How about, if you knew the destruction or the end of all things … ?
- The contents of this scroll are just that and none of us can comprehend them
-- It is why we NEED a revelation or have it shown to us! (Welcome to church!)
- Interesting: This same scroll is also mentioned in OT prophecy as well:
• Ezekiel 2:9-10, “Then I looked and saw a hand reaching out to me. It held a scroll, which he unrolled. And I saw that both sides were covered with funeral songs, words of sorrow, and pronouncements of doom.”
- The importance of this is consistent – all things to happen are inside of it
-- Church: Don’t miss this … in your hands today is the knowledge of God!
- We must pay close attention here, and live to study it AND share it
-- Why should we want to know? Because God has given it TO us!
-- Ephesians 3:5, “God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.”
- APP: God’s authority is on full display, and because of that, we ought to tune in
-- Get this: He has a plan, a certainty, a reason for all things up to this point
- TR: Now, hold onto yourselves for history’s most dramatic moment …
Point 2 – Jesus, the Messiah, is revealed in Heaven
- An elder comes to John and tells Him to “stop weeping” (v5)
-- Jesus Christ, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, heir to David’s Throne is here!
-- He is granted the title of the “Messiah” (concluding prophecy), and rightfully so!
- Teach: Judah was the strongest tribe in Israel
-- It’s symbol of a lion shows it’s strength in those days
-- God prophesied to Jacob that his son Judah would be a lion’s whelp (child)
-- Gen 49:9-10, “Judah, my son, is a young lion that has finished eating its prey.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness - who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor.”
- If Judah was a young cub – the coming Messiah would be the king of the beasts
-- APP: The messiah would be strong, the strongest, and able to conquer!
- (BIG EMPH) The elder tells John … “BEHOLD! LOOK! THERE HE IS!!”
-- HE IS WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLLS … DRY YOUR TEARS, MAN!
-- Remember hearing this before? This same declaration about who Jesus is?
-- John 1:29, “The next day John (the Baptist) saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
- He is called the root of David – from the household of King David’s lineage
-- His bloodline, his very roots, lead back to Israel’s heritage & promises of God
-- Isaiah 11:1, “Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot - yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.” (Homework, read through Isa 11 …)
-- Isaiah 11:10, “In that day the heir to David’s throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.” (Think about it, Isaiah prophesied the role Messiah would have)
- APP: Because of His ascension to Heaven - He alone is worthy to take the scroll!
-- Why? B/c He alone has conquered death and the grave – He is capable!
-- He has the power to open it, read it, and share it with those He pleases!
-- The big question is always, “Why?” Why can He do this?
- I’d say His resume alone gives Him this honor!!
• He has conquered sin; 1 Peter 3:18, “Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.”
• He has conquered death; 2 Tim 1:10, “And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News.”
• He has conquered this evil world; John 16:33, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
• He has conquered Satan and all other evil forces; John 12:31, “The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.”
• He has conquered all rule and authority and power; 1 Cor 15:24, “After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power.”
• He has conquered hell; Revelation 1:18, “I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.”
- Here is the most supreme moment of all history – Jesus assuming His place
-- He is the sacrificial lamb that was slain for you and me, for all sins of man
-- John is being shown who Jesus is, to fully understand what Jesus has done
-- Greek: Lamb in NT is ho amnos – the lamb of God
-- Greek: Lamb in Rev is arnion (29 times) – stresses slaughter, suffering, agony
-- IMP: Jesus is represented as the perfect sacrifice, esp. before God the Father
- TR: Now, don’t miss what happens when Jesus is declared as Savior …
Point 3 – All of Heaven responds in unconditional worship!
- The response of heaven turns to Jesus the Christ (the Messiah) (v8)
-- The four living creatures and 24 elders now fall at His feet to worship
-- Greek: piptó; to fall and enópios; in sight of, before
-- They possess harps and the prayers of the saints (the bowls), they worshiped
- Those around God’s Throne praise Him for three specific things:
• He was slain for and has redeemed man (v9)
• He is praised because of His universal (FOR ALL) salvation (v9)
• He has given those redeemed a great reward of royalty (v10)
- Love how they sing a new song … like, right there in Heaven, fresh worship!
-- Re-read verses v9-10, then see chorus of v12, and praise of v13
-- CH: How are YOU doing with a new song?
-- Truly, take a quick look: Are you in worship of Him today?
- We’ll have more on this on Wednesday night … come join us!
BIG IDEA
- IMP: Never before or since has a chorus of praise been seen like this - WHY?
• Only Jesus is worthy to step forward to possess this authority
• Only Jesus has the authority to possess/execute what God has decreed
• And only Jesus can redeem us in a way that all of Heaven celebrates
- But, let me land the plane here with a firm application … (v14)
-- Not only are we called and exhorted to worship – we see Heaven do the same!
-- When the worship concludes, the four living creatures say “AMEN!”
-- And when they do, another round of deserved worship begins
- Where are you in responding to Him right now? Do you worship like this?
-- I encourage you, these altars are open, run to Jesus and worship Him
-- If Heaven can cry out to Him unashamed, what is it that stops us?
- Pray
