The Scroll and the Lamb

Rev 5:1 “Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals.”

The right hand… significant. power.

Ex 15:6 “Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power, your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.”

but then in the right hand… what will do the shattering? - scroll?

what’s in the scroll?

a decree. The king on the throne has a written decree. if we remember the story of esther we see similar situations playing out - the kings written decree sealed with his seal - until the one who is to execute it breaks the seal.

IOW - How does God rule? - his word. his decrees.

and his decrees are the blessings on those who keep his commandments, and the cursings on those who do not.

more specifically here - judgement on Israel and others - but we see these principles always playing out

in other words - the order of the world is set. it hinges on whether or not the world follows the Lord.

and this is why - we proclaim his words and the hope of the Gospel.

the way of death is a WAY OF DEATH.

get out of there, and follow the Lord. He has life for you, to the fullest.

and he will forgive you of all your dark ways, if you just confess and repent.

Don’t be like stubborn Israel. Don’t hold on to your way of death. Why would you?

Temporary insanity I imagine.

but isn’t that what sin does to you?

instead - trust him - history is written

be on the right side of it.

Rev 5:2-4 “And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.”

who is worthy? no one.

worthy is an interesting word. you can be worthy of honor. you can be worthy of death.

it basically means by merit. Do you deserve it? Are you equal to this task?

So there was no deputy. No one who could carry out the words of God.

In the Bible God makes promises, covenantal promises.

and they are fulfilled in - Christ.

They’re looking for the messiah, and he’s nowhere to be found. There is no one worthy.

Here we’ve got a glimpse of what it looked like in human history for the faithful who were anticipating the coming of the promised messiah.

we’ve got all these promises - but where is he? Where is he who is worthy?

have you felt that way? of course you have.

we weep because of the injustice of the world when the Lord promises good and right judgement on his enemies.

we weep because he’s promised a defeat of sin, but yet its still in our midst.

we weep because the darkness can be overwhelming at times.

we weep because it seems like the work is too great.

we weep because we just keep stumbling…

“where is he?”

Rev 5:5 “And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more...

And there - that’s a good pastor. Thats a good elder.

“where is he?” “he’s here.”

a good elder, what we should all aspire to be really, is one who points others to Jesus in their time of need.

the answer to your questions, your problems, all of it - is found in Christ.

trust him, follow him, he covers your sins, he forgives, he cleanses, he heals, all of it.

Rev 5:5 ... behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.””

but watch out - because he is not weak.

don’t believe the long -haired-hippie-Jesus schtick that the world presents.

the Lion of the tribe of Judah.

that’s a look of a warrior.

and what does a lion do? Devour it’s prey. Get rid of that “hippie-Jesus” nonsense.

The root of David - David, the man of war, the champion.

David stood up - the one worthy to take on Goliath

Jesus stands up - he takes up the fight

Ps 110:1 “The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.””

Ps 110:5 “The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.”

Ps 110:6 “He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth.”

Ps 2:10-12 “Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.”

Don’t be decieved by this pacified hippie weak Jesus.

Rev 14 and Rev 19 depict Jesus as a warrior riding on a white horse executing God’s judgement on the enemies of God with blood up to the stirrups.

He has conquered - and he is conquering.

The King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

You see - this is what makes the Gospel so profound...

that by believing in Jesus and repenting of your wicked ways … you can be saved - from what?

FROM JESUS’ WRATH

You can move from being an enemy of Christ - worthy of such a horrifying death - to being his brother - worthy of life eternal and an inheritance beyond anything you’ve ever imagined.

Rev 5:5 “And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.””

he has CONQUERED - past tense.

and since he has conquered by his life, death, resurrection - he is the one worthy to carry out the edict of the Father on the world.

he is the one who is worthy to open the scroll and administrate the judgement over the whole world.

this is how we are able to say - he has won - and he will win.

Rev 5:6-7 “And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.”

slain? or standing? both - resurrected.

a lamb? - another wonder of the Gospel. That God became like his people - his sheep.

The shepherd became like his sheep.

but also - the sacrificial lamb prophesied again and again.

Exodus 12:7-8 ““Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.”

SEVEN HORNED SHEEP

folks die from rams. in fact, many times sheep have their horns removed when they’re young to prevent these types of problems.

theres a lot of power in rams horns.

but seven horns? complete.

in other words - all the power belongs to this ram.

Matt 28:18-19 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

stop thinking - about Jesus - as hippie Jesus - you seeing a theme here?

SEVEN EYES

perfect sight - complete sight

via the Holy Spirit - sent forth into all the earth.

and they are linked - the Spirit is the eyes of Christ.

he sees you.

you get it?

He sees all of you. He sees the sin, nothing is hidden.

he has all power and all authority and he SEES you.

and his sword of judgement is at the ready.

BUT ALSO - he has been slain.

for those who put their faith in him - who repent and believe.

he has already been slain FOR US.

He gives us life - nourishes us - through his sacrifice.

and this is one of the important understandings of the Lord’s supper