He Is Worthy                          Revelation 5

Today I am doing something I haven’t done in a long time, working in the Book of Revelation. This book is filled with symbolism that people still discuss and argue over.

First, a little bit about the book. Revelation was written by John, one of the original twelve apostles. Early church leaders Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, and Clement of Alexandria attribute the writing to John.

 Revelation 1:9, “I John…was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” At the time, around AD 95, there was intense persecution of Christians in Asia Minor. John, who refused to stop his testimony of Jesus was seen as a dissenter and a political threat. Rome exiled him to Patmos, a rugged, isolated island difficult to escape from. It was while on Patmos that God gave John visions, revealing how the return of Jesus would lead to the end of history as we know it. He was shown the rise of the Antichrist and the persecution of believer. And how Jesus will conquer the evil one and a new earth and new heaven would be established as our eternal home.

Verse 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.”

John is seeing the throne of God, and God himself. And God is holding a scroll in his right hand. This is not John just making a casual observation of which hand God is using; Exodus 15:6, “Your right hand, O Lord, is majestic in power…” Biblically, the right hand represents power, authority, blessing, and favor. Holding the scroll in his right hand symbolizes God’s eternal authority, and his favor.

As to the scroll itself, it had writing on both sides and is for now closed. The scroll being written on both sides represents completeness. Here is God’s plan for humanity, complete and recorded for all eternity. The scroll is sealed seven seals. This symbolism would have been understood by the people of the first century. In the Greco-Roman world, wills, testaments, legal decrees, they were all rolled or folded and sealed with seven seals,         one from each of the seven witnesses, thus securing the documents authenticity. This sealing of the scroll with seven seals shows God’s unalterable authority over his creation.

Verses 2 & 3, “And I saw a mighty angel proclaim…’Who is worthy to break the seals’…But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll.”

The scroll, God’s complete and recorded plan for man’s redemption, and no one is able to fulfill what it says to do. Abraham, the faithful man of God’s promise, willing to sacrifice his son, was not powerful enough to save humanity. On earth, no one who lived,     no one who lives, no one who will live, is able to complete what it takes to satisfy God’s wrath over sin. Throughout time there have been those who said, “I know how to get to heaven. I know what you have to do to be saved.” Each has been proved wrong. No one in heaven, not the angels nor the creatures, could complete what was required in the scroll for the salvation of humanity.

Verse 4, “And I wept much because no one was found worthy to open the scroll…” At first it seems hopeless. All humanity sins against God, and no one is able to stand before God and plead our case. No one can prevail upon God to offer mankind forgiveness and salvation. But God is a God of hope, and he has someone to fulfill the requirements of the scroll.

 Verse 5, “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.” Jesus, descendent of the tribe of Judah and its royal lineage, direct descendent of King David, fulfiller of Old Testament prophecies; he is the Messiah. He alone can fulfill God’s plan. He alone can open the scroll and offer humanity forgiveness and salvation. He alone can stand before God in our place. Verse 7, “He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.”

Like I said earlier, this book is full of symbolism, so I want to go back and look at verse 6, “Then I saw the lamb, looking as if it had been slain, encircled by four living creatures and the elders. The lamb had seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”

The slain and sacrificial Christ stands in the middle of all the creatures and leaders of the earth; he is who all creation revolves around. In the Bible, seven represents fulness or completion. The seven horns symbolize God’s omnipotence, his complete and unlimited power. The seven eyes represent God’s omniscience, his seeing all, his knowing all. And the seven spirits represent the fullness of the Holy Spirit sent out from God to mankind.

Verse 8, “And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the elders fell down before the lamb.” We say Jesus completed God’s plan when he died at the cross, and he did, but the scroll was not opened then because God is giving mankind time to turn to him. John tells us that time is limited. God knows all, and when the last person who will accept Jesus does, Christ will take the scroll and open it. He will return to the earth. And at that time, all creatures, all mankind, will know who he is: Romans 14:11, “’As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’”

Again, verse 8, “Each one had a harp and were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.” Harps were played at celebrations. Here the saints who went to heaven celebrate Jesus taking the scroll, his second coming to earth,  the final victory over evil, and the establishment of the new and eternal heaven and earth. The golden bowls and incense; gold represents divinity so here we see how our prayers are offered to God and God alone. Incense offers a pleasing scent; the prayers of the saints alive on earth or in heaven, pleases God. The prayers of the faithful are heard, valued, and treasured by all of heaven.

Verse 11, “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels…ten thousand times ten thousand…”

There are those who feel this refers solely to the number of angels, God’s heavenly host. I subscribe to the other teaching. This refers to all the angels and the saints, all those on earth who have been saved. It is not meant to be an absolute number. It’s meant to represent the countless people throughout history that have had a mustard seed of faith and were accepted as righteous.

Verse 13, “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them saying: ‘To him that sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’” All creation giving praise to God, and to our Lord and Savior,

And last, verse 14, “The four living creatures said, ‘Amen,’ and the elders fell down and worshiped.”

The creatures and elders are in complete reverence to the Lamb of God. “Amen” signifies affirmation of Christ’s worthiness of praise. The elders worship demonstrates their complete and total surrender to Christ of their lives and spirit. All this validates the sovereignty and majesty of Christ as the sole figure in God’s plan of redemption, salvation, and restoration. Their worship is a testament to the eternal glory of Jesus. Together, the creatures and elders reveal that all of creation, angelic and redeemed, will confess the absolute supremacy of Jesus Christ. He is worthy of it.

Psalm 150, verse 6, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”

Psalm 71, verse 8, “My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long.”

Amen