The Worthy Lamb

We are in Revelation 5 this morning…let’s pray before we begin.

Father of Lights…Giver of all good gifts…

Give us eyes to see…Ears to hear…Hands to serve…Feet to go…Minds to think and Hearts to feel…with Jesus interceding for us we pray in His name, amen.

I never cease to marvel at the great accomplishments of mankind…medicine…technology…travel…communications…advanced we hold in our phone…

Man has come a long way!

Or have we?

Over a century ago liberal theologians thought we were living in a new age of humanity.

So they tried getting rid of the virgin birth…denying the deity of Christ…the death and burial and resurrection of Jesus…

They were chooseing rather to trust human ingenuity rather than trusting in God. We have come so far!

That hope in mankind was destroyed when an assassins bullet ignited WW1. We have come so far!

The war to end all wars was soon followed by WW2…mankind mastered the science of mass killing…in Auschwitz, Hiroshima, Nagasaki. We have come so far!

Since 1945 the world has seen the rise of socialism/communism, horrors of terrorism 9-11 October 7

Many believe terrorism is “here to stay”. We have come so far!

Not only that but Abortion 97,000 in Canada alone…every year…Euthanasia…

Who has the answer for the reality of human depravity?

Where is the hope?

It is certainly not found in education/humanistic philosophy…that mankind is getting better.

Nor is it found in liberal theology.

As a result…today our world is left wandering in uncertainty, unbelief, doubt & fear.

People wonder if anyone or anything is able to truly remove and deal with the evil all around us.

Will a new president in the U.S.A. help? A new PM in Canada?

As the world continues its desperate and disappointing search for worldly answers to life’s problems…

The Bible reveals the solution in clear words and visual graphic images…

Here in Revelation 5…we read and can experience the inexpressible joy that John felt when the attention of all creation centres on the ONLY ONE who can take the reins of a world out of control.

Jesus the worthy Lamb of God.

READ Revelation 5:1-14 (p 1091)

One of the first things you notice is that it is a CONTINUATION of Revelation 4…second half of vision

No passage paints such a beautiful picture of Jesus…like the one before us in Revelation 5.

In Revelation 4 John…awestruck..wide angle glimpse of the indescribable majesty of throne room of Heaven

Heard the voice…saw the throne….with One seated on it…appearance of brilliant hues…

Surrounded by the 24 thrones of the 24 elders in white garments and wearing crowns…

Thunder & lightening & torches of fire

4 living creatures…like a lion, an ox, a human and an eagle.

Sing unceasing song: “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come.”

But now in Revelation 5 John will FOCUS in on something in the right hand of the One on the throne…

Revelation 5:1 (ESV)

“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.

1. The SCROLL

In the right hand of God was a SCROLL. (Greek word is biblion…) a book.

To be clear this is NOT the Lamb’s book of Life…where all the names of the redeemed are recorded. Revelation 13:8; 21:27 .

It is the same word biblion=book=scroll

2. WHAT IS this SCROLL?

This is key …to understanding the book of Revelation.

A picture rooted in OT…Ezekiel & Daniel= “apocalyptic literature…pictures reveal, unveiling unknown.

A lot of the imagery in Revelation are dependent on the writings of Daniel & Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 2:3-3:3

The scroll in Revelation is like the scroll here in Ezekiel…words on both sides…scrolls are to be eaten.

See: Revelation 10:9-11 (probably not literally eaten…God says “Take My words and digest them I take it as a metaphor…they will be sweet when you taste them…sour when you swallow them…they will be words of salvation…and words of judgement…

Ezekiel 2:10 words of lament, warning & woe.

The scroll was God’s plan to judge His people…and Ezekiel was to eat it digest it and speak it out.

And so in a similar way…the scroll in Revelation 5 contains God’s decrees of judgement and salvation

Revelation 6 when the seals are actually broken (no reference to names of the redeemed) instead there is a clear reference to God sending the four horsemen of the apocalypse…who bring death and disease…great tribulation

So when the scroll is opened it contains the plan of God to judge the wicked and save the righteous It is book of God’s promises and His warnings…His foreordained plan for the nations.

Daniel 12:1-4

What Daniel saw was written and sealed up in a scroll and now in Revelation 5 the scroll was about to be opened…the seals unsealed…and it was time for God’s plan to take place.

I have mentioned a number of times that we are in the end times…we are living in that age where Christ has conquered death and His kingdom has been inaugurated and we are waiting for His return.

The very sight of this scroll…was God’s plan for the nations…it prompts the angel to announce:

Revelation 5:2

And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?”

A “seal” in the ancient world…would have been a wax blob on the edge of the document…

The king sending the scroll would then embed his ring into the wax sealing it with His authority…saying this letter is sent from the king himself…and it is sealed with his authority…and unless you have the authority to open the letter you did not open it.

John recognized the scroll as a title deed or last will & testament…only opened by a legal heir

Revelation 5:3 (ESV)

“And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it,

To “open the scroll” meant more than just opening & reading…it meant doing what was written inside.

So the angel is not asking if anyone can read it…opening the scroll…means doing what is written in it.

He is asking who can do it?

Who is worthy to make God’s plans known and to carry them out?

Who is worthy to carry out all of God’s promises and warnings?…Who can make it come to pass?

Who has the divine right to qualify Him to break the seals and do what was inside?

In other words who has the power to defeat Satan and his demons…to wipe out sin and effects?

Who can reverse the curse on all of creation?

That’s why initially no one was found worthy to open the scroll!!

No angel…no exalted creatures…no elder!

No one in heaven…no one on earth…no one under the earth was able to open the scroll!!

Revelation 5:4 (ESV)

and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.

Why is John weeping loudly so much? (weeping=klaio=bitter weeping

ex. Jesus wept over Jerusalem, Peter wept when he knew he had denied Jesus

He is so emotionally involved…weeping because he fears God’s plans will never come to pass.

If no one is found worthy…the hopeless condition of the world will continue…the suffering, the pain, the sickness and death and the wicked chaos of everyday life would continue.

Have you felt that way?

Remember…John had spent the better part of 60 years trusting in Jesus to turn the world around.

If Heaven couldn’t produce one to open the scroll and do it…then his confidence in Jesus had failed

That we will never know what God has in store to vindicate His people…

It won’t happen…unless Someone worthy enough can open it…

BUT…all hope is not lost…just as he’s overcome with sorrow…an elder comes with good news!

Revelation 5:5 (ESV)

“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.”

Excuse me John don’t weep…like standing at the empty tomb…“don’t cry woman…He is not dead."

The elder says: Weep no more…assuring him there is One who has overcome/conquered who has the power, strength and ability to break the seals…and to execute God’s plan!

“…the Lion of Judah”…fulfils Genesis 49…at the end of Jacob’s life…he blessed his 12 sons…a couple received more like curses…but 2 sons were elevated Joseph & Judah (10/25 verses).

Who will get Abraham’s blessing…the gospel…Galatians 3:8

Who will inherit the promises Judah inherits the eternal Kingdom…

See: Genesis 49:9-10

The Jews understood this to be a prophecy about the Promised Messiah…the Christ was to come from Judah…take up the sceptre & rule the nations for all time…So, all along they’re looking for an all conquering righteous judge…a King from David’s line…to tear up & destroy enemies.

The root of David…Isaiah 11…Jesse’s lineage Davids father…the Messiah will be like a LION!

So now go back to Revelation 5 and John and the glorious scene.

John hears the Lion has conquered…He will do & make good all the promises & warnings in the scroll.

Revelation 5:6 (ESV)

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.

Just as we find some hope…it gets more bizarre and yet…more glorious!

Imagine the scene…the Throne…7 torches…sea of glass…24 elders…and 4 living creatures…

Maybe John expects to see the Lion…but in the background…a Lamb standing…amidst the elders.

The Lion actually turns out to be a Lamb! The Lion is the Lamb!

That’s what Revelation is all about…

How can Jesus be both a Lamb and a Lion?

This is what John sees…symbols, images rich with meaning…makes for a glorious scene.

Lamb=arnion=means “little lamb”, pet lamb (Exodus 12:4-6)

The Lamb is standing…Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world…suffered and died

Notice where He is standing…among the elders…the church triumphant/overcomer’s

As if slain…mortally wounded…the Passover Lamb sparing God’s people from judgment. Seven horns…7=perfection…represent strength power and rule…He is not a weak sheep/lamb!

Seven eyes…which are the seven spirits of God…God in all His fullness sent into all the earth…

BTW…do not take literally…try drawing it if you want…it won’t be pretty

Jesus Christ is the Lamb…

But He is no ordinary Lamb…the Passover Lamb…that spares God’s people from His judgement.

He is the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world! Jesus!

Jesus suffered and died to vindicate His people…(Isaiah 53 Jesus still bears the scars)

Jesus is the Lion…He is the king of Kings…He will vindicate the righteous…He will judge the wicked…

Because He suffered and died and rose again!

Our victory comes through His defeat and our life comes through His dying in other words…

The Lion is the Lamb…we worship a slaughtered Conqueror. Now look…what is He doing?…the Lamb is going to the Throne.

Revelation 5:7 (ESV)

And He went and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne.

The Lamb went from where He was standing…past the elders, the living creatures…to the throne

He takes the scroll from the right hand of God seated on the throne.

This is no ordinary Lamb!

Slain, mortally wounded yet very much alive standing and He takes the scroll

Satan and his demons had conspired against Him and killed Him…

But He rose from the dead…He defeated sin death and the grave…

He triumphed over His enemies!

The point is …The Lamb that was slain is powerful…

He is omnipotent…

He is all knowing…omniscient and…

He alone is worthy to approach the throne and take up the scroll and break its seals. That brings us to v.8

Revelation 5:8 (ESV)

8 And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

They worship Him.

The Worthy One…Jesus the Lamb of God…has arrived to take back what is rightfully His!

Obvious Thing #1

The Lamb is worshipped…an amazing picture!

The 24 elders…white garments, crowns, their own thrones…they have overcome… Church triumphant!

The 4 creatures with face like ox eagle six wings strange glorious creatures.. They fell down before the Lamb…stand hover flap...

They are all on the ground before the Lamb…who was killed and the amazing thing…

the Lamb takes it…He doesn’t say “Stop or don’t worship Me…”

He takes it as His rightful glory and honour…all the church triumphant would bow before Him and praise Him…for He alone is worthy.

Obvious Thing #2

The Lamb is worshipped…separate from Him who sits on the throne…

Some do not believe in the trinity…this text points us to the trinity…

Leads us to Jesus…the Son of God the Lamb of God Jesus is clearly worshipped as God…

No one bows down to the mighty angel, or to the elders v.13. or the cfeatuires

Jesus is distinct from the One who is on the Throne.

Points of Application…

Believer…if you are a believer…maybe you find yourself discouraged…there is a lot to discourage…

But as long as there is Jesus there is HOPE.

He is the same yesterday today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

He will never fail us…encourage others with the same truth.

Focus on the diverse excellencies of Jesus.

Some focus on His strength, the Word of God His power…focus on His mercy and his grace and his love for the outcast.

Some are drawn to His mercy, grace and love…He is your best Friend, confidant, comforter…

Then I’d encourage you to worship Him as the righteous almighty omnipotent King of the universe.

Seekers…if you are wondering about this Jesus…the Lion and the Lamb…

You need to know that Jesus is the Lion…He has all rule and authority…in all of creation…He is God.

You need to know…as the all conquering righteous judge…King from David’s line…to tear up & destroy enemies.

He will satisfy His holiness by doing justice to sin.

His justice will either be done against your sin in Hell forever…

That is why you also need to know Jesus as the Lamb

Place yourself under the protection of Jesus…the Lamb of God…the one mediator between God and man.

If you flee to Christ, if you trust in Jesus and place yourself under His cross…the penalty He paid for sin in His death…on the cross…will count for you.

If you don’t trust Jesus, you’ll pay that penalty for yourself, and it will never end.

So I urge you to trust Him today, right now? Why would you refuse him?

He has shown such gfreat love for you, and God is showing you such mercy in right now granting you this opportunity.

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Won’t you call on Him right now?

He is the Lion…and He is the Lamb…you must accept Him as both. you hurt you suffer…you need more than a king to rule over you.

Jesus is the God you need!

A Lion who is strong and tender.

A Lamb who took your punishment…

Hear Jesus calling…the voices of one who is strong and tender…the voice of the God

you need only found in Jesus Christ who is both the Lion and the Lamb.