Who Is Worthy?

WHO IS WORTHY? (REVELATION 5)

I seldom spend money to buy a movie ticket, but one that was fully worth my money was The https://bible.ryl.hk/web_en Grammar Bible (English)

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https://bible.ryl.hk/web_Esp Biblia de Gramática (Spanish)

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Avengers: Endgames, which I saw with a group young adults. Which character fascinated you most in the story? Iron Man? Captain America? Spiderman? For me it was Thanos and his mad plot to destroy the world - half of life from human beings to animal life by the snap of his fingers with the power of the Infinity Stones. Some viewers questioned why not double the resources in the universe with the snap of a finer, rather than eliminate half of life?

The director the Russo brothers said, “People have asked us why Thanos didn’t just use the stones to double the resources in the universe, and clearly he is not interested. Well, he was told ‘no’ to an idea that he had that he felt was the only solution, and then was proved right to himself when that solution was not acted upon. So his messianic complex — he is now committed to following through on the idea he had many, many years ago.”

https://www.thewrap.com/infinity-war-directors-explain-thanos-double-universe-resources/

The history of man is simple: it commences with human existence, it continues with human exploitation and it concludes with human extinction. There was no remorse, no remedy nor recourse on earth for the human condition. When you looked around the world today, you see a world that is crooked, cunning and cruel. The world, as ever before, is a world of sin, suffering and strife. The pandemic reminds us of the dread of the coming death, disaster and destruction upon the world.

What was God’s plan for the world He created? What can be done for fallen, faithless and foolish man? Who is qualified to save the world from ruin, rottenness and retribution to come? Who would be unselfish, unstained, unspotted?

Share of Your Defenselessness

1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 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.”

The 24-year-old Simone Biles was called the GOAT (greatest of all-time) in her sport because she won four gold medals at the previous Olympics (Rio) and was the most-decorated gymnast in World Championships history with 19 gold medals. Biles fell from her pedestal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics with only a bronze because her body refused to bend and twist when it was needed at the most important stage.

On the other hand, after worship one week with the Olympics ongoing, I could hear a group of small boys shouting in Sunday School: Cheung Ka-Long! Cheung Ka-Long! Cheung Ka-long! His English name is Edgar and the left-handed foil fencer became the first Hong Kong athlete to win an Olympic gold medal in fencing. He dropped out of college and was ranked world No 19 when he won the men's singles gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

In a touching interview Cheung said, “To be honest, I’m not that calm, I don’t know what I can do. It’s like a dream — that’s why everyone thinks I’m calm, but I didn’t know what happened. The reaction in Hong Kong has been insane because in total medals in Hong Kong, we only have three. Now we have four because we haven’t had a gold medal since 1996 so it means a lot to show to the world we can do it. We are not only a city. We can fight for victory.”

https://www.news18.com/news/sports/tokyo-olympics-fencing-champion-edgar-cheung-ka-long-says-hong-kong-insane-after-first-gold-for-25-years-4011011.html

The traditional Olympic motto is the hendiatris Citius, Altius, Fortius which is Latin for "faster, higher, stronger." The salvation of the world, however, demands something else, something more and something different.

Chapter 5 is a touching, tender and tearful chapter. Verse 1 is the first of four “I saw” statements in the chapter (Rev 5:1 Lamb, v 2 angel, v 6 Lamb, v 11 angels). Chapter 5 and 22 have most references to the “book,” mainly from to open the book (and loose the seals), (v 2) to open and to read the book (v 3) and to take the book (v 8, 9). More important than the book is the first question in the book of Revelation – Who is worthy? Followed by two “no one”: