JESUS IS WORTHY
Revelations 5:1-14
The scene is in the throne room of God, just prior to the great tribulation
described in Daniel 12. The apostle John is given a revelation of
the Father holding a scroll with seven seals. Around the throne are four
beasts and 24 elders giving continuous praise to the Father.
The scroll the Father is holding in His right-hand peaks the interest of John
He is distressed because there is no one worthy to open the scroll.
Revelation 5:1-6:5
V: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."
Notice, that the text gives us the genealogy of Jesus. He is from the tribe of Judah, the fourth son of Jacob and Leah. He is a descendant of David. Jesus the Second in the Holy Trinity
chose to be clothed in human flesh through the descendants of man starting with Abraham. He was born in a line of kings to be king of kings to humble Himself before
God and man to be our savior.
John elevated in the spirit, found himself in the company of a mighty angel, perhaps an
archangel who had the answer of the one qualified to open the scroll. The scroll has seven seals with writings on both sides. Seven is the number of completions. Some say the number has two sections. Four of the numbers represent the world. Three of the
numbers represent the Holy Trinity. If so the document contains what will happen to
the world during the Lord's final battle with the Anti-Christ.
It is a legal document that can only be opened by an authorized individual. There is no
one qualified in heaven, on earth, or under the earth. All the world has sinned. None is
pure in themselves. The qualified one is of eternal righteousness. The one qualified
is the writer of the document.
V:6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb.
Often my dreams, are mixed with sights I have seen and words I have heard along with things I have imagined but couldn't put into words. I know that God has a way of collecting my random thoughts and putting them together in a message He wants me to hear.
John saw a picture of the crucified Christ. I wonder If his mind was filled with thoughts
of the crucifixion of His Savior that he witnessed one Friday evening. I wonder If
the angel was bringing to John’s mind the words of Jesus that He would be raised on
the third day and come again to judge the living and the dead (John 14:1-3. Matthew
24, 1 Corinthians 15:52).
In his mind, John saw Jesus in the crucified state with nail holes in his hands and feet
and perhaps blood stains on His garment. He knew that one qualified to open the seals
was his Lord and Savior. He may have remembered Jesus saying that the Son Of Man has
the authority to forgive sin. On the Island of Patmos off the Aegean Sea by himself, he had time to reflect on his life with Jesus and all His teachings. He may have remembered
the teaching of the end times in Daniel chapter 12. Christ, the only sacrificial offering for the sin of man qualified Himself to open the seals.
The seven horns represent power and perfect might. Jesus is seen as a lamb in His
crucifixion, but Lion in His second coming.
Some think the seven spirits represent, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Wisdom, the spirit of understanding, the spirit of counsel, the spirit of knowledge, the spirit of fear
, and the spirit of might. The spirit of the Lord indwells every believer throughout the
universe.
The seven eyes represent His watchful providence of the church. He said I will
never leave you or forsake you.
The four living creatures and the 24 elders represent the worship of the Church.
Sunday morning is our scheduled time of worship. It ought to be all day every day.
V:8b Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song:
"You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood, you purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth."
The Lord commands us to worship Him with string instruments in song and praise.
The soul of John was filled with praise and worship (John 1). The burning of incense
was established in the Tabernacle designed by God in the desert for the nation of
Israel to worship Him. It was the job of the high priest. (Exodus 25:5-8) The High
priest was to ensure that his mind and thoughts were pure before entering the
Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle which represented the presence of God.
Every day is a new day with new mercies and grace from the Father. Because He
gives a fresh start each day, our hearts ought to be fresh with praise and worship.
It is sad for us to bring the worries of yesterday to a new day of God. Yesterday
is gone and today with take care of itself under the guidance of the Lord.
V:11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they sang:
"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!"
Praise starts in heaven with God's angels whose number we can not count. And everything that has breath ought to start their day with praise and worship. We ought
to imagine each day of our lives with Christ worshipping Him around His throne. If
praise and worship are our hearts Satan's songs of doom and gloom can’t get in.
We ought to sing ourselves happy, knowing that the Lord has defeated the enemy and
given us victory over the world.
V:13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
forever and ever!"
14 The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell and worshiped.
We owe the Lord our praise and worship. The conduct and position of the angels
around the throne of God ought to be the holy example to follow. There should be
no dissension, disagreement, or reluctance in praise and worship. In unison, all
the angels worship the Lord. Jesus did not die for the sins of the angel. Those who
fell are condemned to hell. There is no redemption for them. But for us, who were
enemies of the cross, Christ sacrificed himself for our sins.
Each day is a day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.
The four living creatures and the elders fell and worshiped the Lord.
They are an example for us to follow. We must remember the elders had gone
through hell on earth and survived. Their reward was praise and worship
around the throne of God. We ought to be looking forward to the second
coming of the Lord Jesus
JESUS IS WORTHY TO BE PRAISED
Rev. M. Mitchell
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