A Glimpse Of Glory 2

The Worthy Lamb

Text: Revelation 5

Introduction

Q — Since the moment you trusted Jesus as Savior, has you maintained a deep sense of exciting wonder about the person and activity of Jesus Christ? I am afraid that the reason many are in following Jesus more closely, is the very fact Jesus Himself has become boring to them!

You might respond with, “There is no way I would ever consider Jesus boring!” Let me ask you, “How often are you participating in worship with your church family? How often are you meditating on God’s Word? How often are you spending time in fervent prayer? How often are you sharing the good news of the gospel? How often are you making daily decisions with eternity in view? How many of you parents are helping you children learn to put Christ first over secondary things?………”

You and I have no right to complain about the disinterest of our youth, community, country, and world if we are leading them

As we approach chapter five, lets understand that both chapters four and five should be seen as one unit; an continual discourse about the One sitting on the throne. Chapter five will provide us with a visual picture of the person and activity of our redeemer Jesus Christ.

Satan was the first and most powerful usurper! Since his great rebellion against God, he has inspired many through history to attempt conquests against God: Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander the Great, Roman emperors, Attila the Hun, Napoleon, Stalin, Hitler, etc. The Antichrist is yet to come! They all share one thing in common…FAILURE!

This chapter introduces Jesus Christ as the rightful ruler and redeemer of the world.

Through a series of descriptions, John will help us grasp a deeper understanding of who Jesus is today and encourage us to continue our lives for Jesus with a never ending wonder of who He is and what He has promised to accomplish.

1) Viewing God’s Right Hand

Verse 1

“I saw in the right hand…a book (scroll)

A scroll was a long piece of papyrus or animal skin, rolled from both ends into the middle. Such scrolls were commonly used before the invention of the codex, or modern-style book, consisting of square pages bound together. John F. MacArthur Jr., Revelation 1–11, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 163.

“written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals”

Dr. Robert Thomas quote — “This kind of contract was known all over the Middle East in ancient times and was used by the Romans from the time of Nero on. The full contract would be written on the inner pages and sealed with seven seals. Then the content of the contract would be described briefly on the outside…Support also comes from Hebrew practices. The Hebrew document most closely resembling this scroll was a title-deed that was folded and signed, requiring at least three witnesses. A portion of text would be written, folded over and sealed, with a different witness signing at each fold.”

Jeremiah 32:9–15 — A deed was made up for the land God told Jeremiah to purchase from his cousin Hanamel. This deed was signed and sealed.

What was the content in this scroll?

The title deed to the earth. The Father will give this to Christ.

We don’t read a description of the inheritance, but rather how Christ sill regain His rightful inheritance; DIVINE JUDGEMENTS (6-8)

Not only about judgements, but also about redemption!

How Jesus will defeat Satan, demons, evil men, and every power that is leaving an evil footprint in this world.

Ezekiel 2:9–10 “9 And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; 10 And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.”

2) Searching For The Worthy One

Verses 2-4

A. John notices a strong angel

Not named

How far reaching was this proclamation? EVERY CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE.

Here is what the angel was asking:

Who has the worthiness of character, has the divine right, power to defeat Satan and his demons, remove sin completely, and reverse the curse on all of creation?

The loud voice of the angel was not intended to bring despair into John’s heart, but rather set up a worthy introduction for Jesus Christ.

INTEREST THOUGHT…

Think about all who remained silent following this announcement.

Uncounted thousands of other angels remain silent. All the righteous dead of all the ages, including Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, David, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Peter and the rest of the apostles, Paul, and all the others from the church age, say nothing. John F. MacArthur Jr., Revelation 1–11, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 165.

We can assume that all of them were not silent in a worrisome suspense, but waiting in a silent assurance of Who was getting readying to reveal Himself.

B. John responds with weeping

It is a little perplexing why John would be crying.

You would think his mind would jump right to Jesus being the answer to the angel’s question.

APP — How many of you make the very same mistake when approaching the problems of your own life?

I want you to hear W. A. Criswell’s explanation of John’s tears: “Represent the tears of all God’s people through all the centuries. Those tears of the Apostle John are the tears of Adam and Eve, driven out of the Garden of Eden, as they bowed over the first grave, as they watered the dust of the ground with their tears over the silent, still form of their son, Abel. Those are the tears of the children of Israel in bondage as they cried unto God in their affliction and slavery. They are the tears of God’s elect through the centuries as they cried unto heaven. They are the sobs and tears that have been wrung from the heart and soul of God’s people as they looked on their silent dead, as they stand beside their open graves, as they experience in the trials and sufferings of life, heartaches and disappointments indescribable. Such is the curse that sin has laid upon God’s beautiful creation; and this is the damnation of the hand of him who holds it, that usurper, that interloper, that intruder, that alien, that stranger, that dragon, that serpent, that Satan-devil. “And I wept audibly,” for the failure to find a Redeemer meant that this earth in its curse is consigned forever to death. It meant that death, sin, damnation and hell should reign forever and ever and the sovereignty of God’s earth should remain forever in the hands of Satan.”

John wept because he wanted to see the world rid of evil, sin, and death. He wanted to see Satan vanquished and God’s kingdom established on earth. He wanted to see Israel saved and Christ exalted. John F. MacArthur Jr., Revelation 1–11, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 166.

Did John really have a need to weep?

Do you ever have a reason to weep?

LISTEN…If Jesus is worthy and powerful enough to open the scroll, He is powerful enough to provide you the solution to your circumstances!

John’s weeping will cease as the Lamb of God comes into view.

3) Approval Of The Worthy One

Verses 5-7

A. The elder’s introduction to the Worthy One

Notice the titles: Lion, root of David

Lion — Genesis 49:8–10 “8 Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: Thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; Thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. 9 Judah is a lion’s whelp: From the prey, my son, thou art gone up: He stooped down, he couched as a lion, And as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? 10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh come; And unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”

This Lion would be a strong, fierce, and deadly ruler.

He would be powerful enough to liberate His people from their oppressors.

Jesus however did not come at first in this form and therefore not meet the Jewish expectations.

His lionlike judgment of His enemies awaits the yet-future day that He has chosen—the day that begins to unfold in Revelation chapter 5. John F. MacArthur Jr., Revelation 1–11, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 167.

The Root — Jeremiah 23:5–6 “5 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. 6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Isaiah 11:1 “1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots:”

Isaiah 11:10 “10 And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, Which shall stand for an ensign of the people; To it shall the Gentiles seek: And his rest shall be glorious.”

Revelation 22:16 “16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.”

Jesus is worthy to take the scroll because He is the great overcomer!

Defeated sin, death, hell, and we become overcomers through Him!

B. John’s eye’s captivates a completely different image

With the backdrop of the bright colors, flashes of lightening, and thundering foreshadowing the great divine judgements to come, and the worship of both the creatures and elders…a Lamb comes into view!

The Lord Jesus could not be the Lion of judgment, or the King of glory, unless He was first “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John F. MacArthur Jr., Revelation 1–11, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999), 167.

John 1:29 “29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

“Lamb” refers to a little lamb, or a pet lamb.

This image comes from the Passover.

Jewish families were required to keep their sacrificial lamb as a household pet for four days before sacrificing it.

Exodus 12:3–6 “3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.”

Jesus is called a Lamb 31 times in Revelation.

In what condition was the Lamb in that John saw?

Standing, alive, standing strong, but with evidence on His body as if He had been slain.

There was no mistaking the wounds on His body…YET HE WAS ALIVE!!!

This very Lamb is that Lion of Judah and root of David!

Revelation 19:16 “16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

1 John 3:8 “8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”

Seven horns & Seven eyes

symbolizes strength and power.

Psalm 18:2 “2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”

Psalm 75:10 “10 All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; But the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.”

7 is the number of perfection

Jesus’ power and vision is without blemish!

NOTICE VERSE 7!

4) The Praise Of The Worthy One

A. A Cosmic crescendo of worship broke out as the Lamb moves to take the scroll!

This future moment represents the climax of redemption!

Quote: (John McArthur) “The spontaneous outburst of worship results from the realization that the long-anticipated defeat of sin, death, and Satan is about to be accomplished and the Lord Jesus Christ will return to earth in triumph and establish His glorious millennial kingdom. The curse will be reversed, the believing remnant of Israel will be saved, and the church will be honored, exalted, and granted the privilege of reigning with Christ.”

Due to the equivalent worship of Jesus to that of what they gave the Father speaks to Jesus’ deity — Matthew 4:10 “10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

B. Notice the song of praise before the scroll is opened in chapter 6

Harps were closely linked to O.T. worship and prophecy.

“golden bowls full of incense”

wide-mouthed bowls were used in the tabernacle and temple.

Connected to the altar.

symbolized the priestly work of intercession for the people.

Represents the prayers of every believer throughout history.

All worship, prophecy, and prayer for the final redemption will finally be fulfilled!

C. Every believer will sing a new song!

He is worthy to initiate the final judgement that will usher in the new heaven and new earth.

“Redeemed” (or purchased) = pictures slaves purchased in the marketplace and then set free. (His blood being the price)

“Every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation”

This helps us understand Jesus died for all of humanity!

While His provision is universal, the application is not.

Three reasons for singing to Christ about His worthiness:

First — He died a sacrificial death for all.

Second — He offered His blood as a sufficient purchase price.

Third — Christ has made them “kings and priests.”

Conclusion

Unbelievers should learn that there is nothing you can add to Jesus’ finished redemptive work! You are commanded to believe the Gospel for spiritual victory.

Believers should learn to live with continual wonder regarding the work of Jesus Christ on their behalf. Go forward with peace about your future in Christ and confidence in your message about Christ!

HE IS WORTHY!!!