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“Is Anyone Worthy?” • 8.16.20 • Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- In Revelation 4, God called John the Apostle into heaven, to give him a preview of things to come. The church age has passed and God's people are safely transported into the presence of God.
- It has taken John a little bit of time to get acclimated. The colors and the creatures have monopolized his attention. For John's part, he is overcome with excitement and visual stimulation.
- His eyes are wide and his heart is pounding with excitement. Soon, he will be in a very different emotional state. Let's have a look at this second part of our visit to heaven. Verse 1.
Text
• Revelation 5:1 : "And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals." : John's eyes are drawn back toward the Throne and for the first time, he notices what is in the right hand of the Father.
- God is holding a scroll, a book or a rolled up document. The Apostle cannot make out the details, but he is aware that the totality of the document is written on.
- Ancient scrolls like this one, have been found all over the Near East. One would read a scroll vertically and a letter the size of Revelation, could stretch out to nearly 15 feet.
- The other matter here is that it is sealed with seven seals. Generally, important documents were written on large pieces of parchment.
- When the communication was completed, the parchment would be rolled closed. If additional details were added, another parchment would be rolled and sealed again.
- "Seals" were globs of sticky wax that had been heated until it reached liquid form. It was then applied to the scroll. A signet ring would then leave an impression in the wax to mark it's authenticity.
- What exactly is this scroll? We'll consider that later. For now, remember that it is in the possession of God the Father. This is His scroll and His power protects it.
- The right hand, as we have noted before, speaks of power and authority. Nobody will ever be able to remove what He holds with His right hand without His consent. Verse 2.
• Revelation 5:2-4 : "Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?' And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it." : As John is pondering the scroll itself, a strong or mighty angel approached to act as a herald to all of heaven. This is a public announcement with a specific set of words.
- The question at hand is "who is worthy" to access this scroll in the hand of God?
- The issue isn't ability. The wording is specific. "Who is worthy?" a word which refers to a weight equal to it's corresponding value.
- In the marketplace, it would be a currency weight equal to the purchase price of an item. In this case, it's a weight of character equal to the actions that are required by the contents of the scroll.
- The moments after this announcement are filled with tension. There is a "universe wide" search that takes place.
- Obviously, we aren't told of the length of this search, but the result is clear: There wasn't a single individual who fit the bill! None were found!
- Not angels, not saints, not elders, neither was there anyone under the earth! This was literally a deep search!
- There wasn't a single being in the Universe that carried the weight to be able to open the scroll, much less to even look upon it! This portrayed the drama of the ages!
- It illustrates that no matter the worthiness of any other being, their worthiness pales in comparison to what is necessary to stand in this place, to assume this responsibility!
- John's understood this. He "wept much." He sobbed uncontrollably. He wailled loudly. One paraphrase renders it this way: "I wept and wept and wept!" Verse 5.
• Revelation 5:5 : " But one of the elders said to me, 'Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.'" : You can feel for John can't you? He's the new guy. He's the literal "Johnny Come Lately!" He's not quite sure what is going on and is lost in his own lack of perspective.
- The beauty of being an elder on earth is that you have a greater breadth of perspective and you can come alongside a younger person to tell them not to let their emotions get the better of them.
- There is at least one in heaven who is able to spend a moment encouraging this brother!
- What is the source of his trouble? Truly, what is the source of all of our troubles? The failure to see Jesus! You can say to your friend, like this elder said to John, "Do not weep! Behold!"
- I don't think that this was lost on John! "Behold" was HIS favorite attention getting word! The Elder wants him to look long and consider who has not yet been considered in this search!
- Jesus is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. That designation reaches all the way back into the book of Genesis.
- Jacob, the final Patriarch of the Israeli people, is soon to die and takes his final moments to prophesy over his children. You have to know a few things historically that took place before this.
- The most important factor was what should have happened. When an Father blessed his children, he would have given the "lion's share" of inheritance and leadership to his eldest son.
- In this case, his eldest son Reuben had disqualified himself from the position.
- Reuben had involved himself in a sexual affair with Jacob's concubine Bilhah in Genesis 35:22. When such a thing happens, the next brother in line would be considered. Not here!
- His next two brothers, Simeon and Levi, had also disqualified themselves by taking revenge upon the entire city of Shechem after their sister Dinah was raped. (Genesis 34:25-30)
- This left Judah, the fourth son of Leah and HE almost messed himself up! He, a Jewish man, married a Canaanite woman and left his family, ostensibly over his brother's treatment of Joseph.
- He showed virtually no leadership skills until Joseph tested his brothers and Judah offered himself to his Father in the place of "the Son of His Right Hand," Benjamin! (Genesis 43:9)
- It was on this account that Jacob prophesied of Judah's ultimate leadership over the tribes of Israel on his death bed!
• Genesis 49:8-12 : "Judah, you are he whom your brothers shall praise; Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies; Your father’s children shall bow down before you. Judah is a lion’s whelp; From the prey, my son, you have gone up. He bows down, he lies down as a lion; And as a lion, who shall rouse him? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. Binding his donkey to the vine, and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk." : Jesus is the promised Ruler, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the One that holds the scepter of the Kingdom and executes the justice of God!
- Keep that in mind. Jacob prophecied of one whose clothes were washed in wine and the blood of grapes. That is symbolic of a warrior's victory over their enemy.
- Additionally, Jesus is also the "Root" of David. Usually, the Lord is called the "Son of David!" Here, He is the "Root." The Greek word can mean progeny or offspring metaphorically.
- But, Jesus is also the Root from which David comes! He is David's Son, yet, David's Lord! For our historical context, we'll have to look back into II Samuel 7.
- The King had hoped to build a Temple, a "house" for his God, but there was too much blood on his hands. As with all of God's operations, He refuses David's offer only to offer him something.
• II Samuel 7:12,13 : "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." : The final Son of David, Jesus, would be the eternal King!
- The Elder says that this King has already "prevailed," the same word that has been translated, "overcome." Jesus has already conquered and is qualified to take the scroll.
- I imagine the elder looking John in the face. John is looking through tear stained eyes, barely able to control his breathing when the elder speaks to Him. When he moves away, John can see.
- Without Jesus, there is room for weeping. If Jesus has not risen, Paul reasons that we are men most pitiable and hopelessness and despair are rational responses. But Jesus was not missing.
- He was there among and in the midst of the living creatures and the elders that John had been focusing his attention upon. At this moment, his eyes are glued on the subject! Verse 6.
• Revelation 5:6,7 : " And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne." : When John looked at the throne again, he is surprised to see that right in the midst of everyone else, stood Jesus, the Worthy One!
- The elder had called Him the "Lion of the Tribe of Judah." That is the only time that Jesus is called by that designation. He'll be called the "Lamb" 28 times going forward.
- The mascot for the Kingdom of God is not even a fully grown Lamb, but a "little Lamb!"
- He will proceed like a Lion, but His glory will always be tied to His being the Lamb, the marks of His obedience to be slaughtered were still visible! "Slain" speaks of having been butchered!
- These scars will stand forever as a reminder to the full complement of heaven. You and I will never be able to forget the sacrifice that allows us to stand in heaven forever.
- There is a sense grammatically that these scars stand in heaven as a perpetual fresh reminder to God of the sacrifice of His Son! I can't help but think of the song, "Before The Throne."
˚ "My name is graven on His hands. My name is written on His heart. I know that while in heaven He stands, no tongue can bid me thence depart!" Charitie Lees Smith
- This "little Lamb" is not only scarred. He endowed with seven horns and seven eyes. The horn is always significant of power. The seven eyes, the full measure of God's Spirit!
- Jesus is the Lamb who is omnipotent and omniscient! He is able to approach and has the authority to take the scroll from His Father! Verse 8.
• Revelation 5:8 : "Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." : Jesus accepts the scroll and in the same moment, receives an eruption of unified praise between the creatures and elders.
- Each of these beings that had just worshipped the Father for being the Creator in chapter 4 are now prostrate before the Lamb, the Redeemer in chapter 5!
- Right within the throne room of God the Father, Jesus the Son accepts the worship of the inhabitants of heaven! Nobody objects! In fact, I see the Father approve with a satisfied smile!
- These are powerful attestations to the claims that Jesus had made during His Earthly ministry regarding His deity! That has been a consistent theme throughout the Johannine canon.
- Each of these beings that had just worshipped the Father are now prostrate before the Lamb and nobody even blinks! There is the sound of music and the sweet smell of incense.
- The elders are playing the harps of heaven. This is where people get the erroneous idea that we will all be sitting on clouds playing harps. Not so, but heaven will be filled with music!
- The elders have a harp in one hand and a golden bowl in the other, containing the prayers of the saints, which rise like incense before the Throne of God.
- I'd invite you to look at Psalm 141 and it's context when you consider verse 2. David prayed that the Lord would remember his prayer for deliverance from the wicked, as incense.
- This is where I'd like us to consider this scroll and what it meant. Let's put the pieces together. The scroll belongs to God. It is written within and without, sealed seven times.
- Worth is the key character element to be able to open it. When nobody was initially found, John wept.
- The elders that fell before the Lord were carrying the incense of heaven, the prayers of the saints. There are several ideas regarding the scroll's meaning. I'd like to think that they are all one.
- For example, in ancient real estate, a scroll like this would be used, called an "epistograph."
- It would be written on both sides. The writing on the outside would describe the property. The inside of the scroll would lay out the terms for taking possession.
- It has long been held that what God was holding was the "title deed" of the Earth. That's not a bad concept at all! Originally, Adam and Eve has been given dominion over this planet.
- When they fell at the Devil's suggestion, they forfeited their rights and the planet fell into the hands of the Devil, who has wreaked havoc as the ultimate squattor for 6 millenia!
- When the Devil tempted Jesus, he offered the Lord the Kingdoms of the Earth if He would simply bow down and worship Satan. (Matthew 4:9) Jesus doesn't argue with his claim!
- He goes on to obediently serve His Father's interests even to the point of death!
- The fact that He does this as a human being makes Him our Kinsman, who is capable of redeeming what had been forfeited! This is a good consideration.
- However, I might add that there are two more concepts that I have come to understand.
- When a Father was about to bestow His inheritance and will upon His Son, a scroll like this was used.
- Written on the outside were all the benefits of the will and inheritance. On the inside, there are the characteristics necessary for the person to receive the will.
- In the ancient world, in order to ratify the will, seven friends would have to seal the will.
- Documents like this have been found by archeologists and some have the actual words, "This one is worthy!" I like this. Jesus has an inheritance that He shares with us, but there's one more.
- I believe that there are some very interesting correlations between what we have seen here and what we find in Ezekiel's visions. He also received a fully written scroll.
- On it were written, "lamentations, mournings and woe!" (Ezekiel 2:9,10) Could it not be that each of these is a part of the truth?
- Could it not be that John wept at the proposition that injustice and unrighteousness would prevail and not be censured? Wouldn't that cause you to weep?
- He knew too many who had suffered at the hands of the world, for the sake of the gospel. What about justice for them? Would there be no retribution?
- Would God allow such a thing to go unanswered in His world? In this way, can we not see John as representing every Christian who has ever lived?
- If there wasn't anyone with enough weight to reconcile this problem, what hope was there and what is the point of His Kingdom? But this is exactly the Good news!
- The Lord Jesus is worthy to receive the title deed to the Earth. Because of His righteousness, He is worthy through His obedience to receive the inheritance that He shares with the Saints.
- Because He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, He is worthy to execute the justice of God upon His Father's enemies, the prayers of the saints of all time will have been answered!
- No longer does John need to weep! One has been found who will resolve all conflict related to the injustice that this world has imposed upon the saints!
- If there wasn't anyone worthy, how could true salvation, the righteousness of the entire universe be accomplished? Where was the hope of the Kingdom being realized?
- Thankfully for John and for us, it is Jesus who is worthy to open this scroll! He can carry the weight of executing the measured and righteous judgment of God!
- God has seen every injustice, every wicked plot and every betrayal that has taken place on this Earth from Genesis 3 to the events of this past week.
- Men have stored away the righteous response of God to their actions and that offense is made even more offensive given the patience of God in Christ! Why?
- Because He was slaughtered for the redemption of His people! The fact that the Righteous One died to save all that would believe upon Him is enough of an offer to damn those that reject it!
- Add to all of this the one indisputable fact: The presence of the seals are the beginning of the pouring out of the wrath of God upon a God rejecting Earth! Thankfully, we won't be here! Verse 9.
• Revelation 5:9,10 : "And they sang a new song, saying: 'You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.'" : They sang a new song. It is not "new" in content, but "new" in terms of being fresh.
- Who are the "they?" The twenty-four elders who reveal the condition of worthiness: He was slain! He had redeemed "us" by His blood! Only human beings are redeemed by blood!
- At this point, I have to tell you that if you have a modern version of the Bible, you'll find that this is variably translated. George Ladd, a Post Tribulation Scholar wrote this:
˚ "If in fact it is 'us' then that group is speaking about their own redemption and must refer to the church, which immediately makes us all pre-tribulational."
- There are only 95 Greek manuscript copies of Revelation in existence. Of that number, there are only 24 copies of chapter 5. Of the 24, 23 contain the word "us!"
- The King James 1611 and 1634, as well as the Vulgate, Syriac, and Peshitta all have the word "us." Only one manuscript deviates and that is the Alexandrinus!
- I personally do not need this little bit of encouragement and believe me, it is immediately rebutted among the other camps, but it does serve to bolster my already confident position.
- The raptured redeemed are safe in heaven and are given a seat in the very throne room of God and they are not lacking in diversity. Take note of the scope of redemption!
- Jesus has redeemed us to God by His blood, out from every tribe, tongue, people and nation. There is no basis for racial discrimination. If that is in your heart, repent today!
- Heaven will be filled with every color, every language, every people group and every ethnicity. Jesus will have made one people, a group of royal priests, from His own blood!
- Whatever their status was on the Earth, heaven accounted these people as royalty, the Kingdom of Priests! "And we shall reign on the Earth!" Notice the people involved. "We."
- These twenty four elders, representing believers who have lived and died in the faith throughout the ages. Notice that it is certain. "We shall." And finally the location. "On the Earth!"
- Redemption will issue in restoration and eventually, a reversal of righteous proportions. God's Kingdom will be established upon the Earth and His people will reign with Him! Verse 11.
• Revelation 5:11,12 : "Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: 'Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!'" : The crescendo of praise continues to rise, enveloping more and more participants. This time the angels join in.
- John is looking an innumerable group of angelic beings. The Lamb that was slain was worthy to receive all of this. All of it relates to abstractions which men and created beings cling to.
- Might, strength, honor, glory, etc., are all the achievements and accolades that created beings desire. In heaven, we all realize that none of it ever belonged to us. He alone is worthy of it!
- Did you notice how many words are present? That's right students: seven! The full complement of what a created being can achieve, belongs to Him! Verse 13.
• Revelation 5:13,14 : "And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: 'Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!' Then the four living creatures said, 'Amen!' And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever." : As if the chorus wasn't already glorious, this chapter closes with a final wave of worship from every creature in all of creation, echoing the praises of the redeemed in heaven!
- This means that demons and unbelievers in hell will be forced to acknowledge this truth! What we say with celebration, they will will say under condemnation!
- Every knee will bow in heaven, on earth, under the Earth and on the sea. There is no place in this Universe where His praise will not be heard!
- The four living creatures continually say, "Amen!" and the 24 will continually worship Him!
Conclusion
- Jesus is the only One that is worthy to restore righteousness of God
to the Universe, to receive the inheritance of His Father and finalize the
penalty of justice upon all agents of wickedness.
- As the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, He is Heaven's warrior. As the Root of David, He is the King of all Kings and as the Lamb, He is the Redeemer of all that believe upon Him!
- Those of us who belong to Christ today cry, "Worthy" but the truth is that this will be the cry of every creature in the Universe one day.
- You will either say it with great delight and thanksgiving or you will say it through the clenched teeth of bitterness and regret.
- May the Lord give us each His grace to choose HOW we will say it while we still can!
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