The Scroll and the Lamb
Notes
Transcript
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Intro:
Intro:
AG:
TS: In , we see a heavenly worship scene.
First, we see a scroll which couldn’t be opened due to nobody being qualified.
Then we see Jesus being worthy to take and open the scroll.
All rejoice and worship Him in response.
RS: Passages like this can remind us of what an awesome Savior we have. He alone is worthy. He alone brings redemption and offers us hope.
The Scroll
The Scroll
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.
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.
Scroll written on both sides
Typical of contracts in the ancient world
examples:
deeds, marriage contracts, rental agreements, & wills
They would contain details of the contract on the inside, and on the outside (“back”) a summary
Many view this as the deed of the earth.
Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.’
Sealed with 7 seals
Roman custom was to seal a will with 7 seals on the edge of the roll
This prevented unauthorized entry
Hebrew titles required 3 witnesses and 3 seals minimum
More important transactions required more.
Mighty Angel
This angel isn’t named, but the description reminds us of Gabriel, whose name means “strength of God”
And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”
Gabriel, and other angels, are often seen carrying out their mission of delivering God’s messages and carrying out His will on earth.
This angel raises the question, “who is worthy to open the scroll and seals?”
He is asking who is the one the seals were reserved for?
Who is one with authority.
The Answer
No one was able to open the scroll
“in heaven or on earth, or under the earth”
all of the universe is included.
No created being had the authority to open the scroll
John’s reaction:
he began to weep loudly
He was heart broken that there was no opening the scroll
He longed to know the contents of the scroll
The inadequacy of all in the universe moved John
This is much like Isaiah’s reaction to God’s holiness in
And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”
Isaiah and John had the same experience
They were overwhelmed by their inadequacy
Their sinfulness left them marred
The results of the fall left them far lower than God’s standard.
AP: We are reminded here of our inadequacy.
None of us are worthy to claim the deed of the universe.
None of us have the right within ourselves to claim
If the text ended here, we would be sad and lack hope
I’m glad that it continues!
The Lamb
The Lamb
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.”
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.
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.”
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.
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.
And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,
saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
The Worthy One
The Worthy One
Lion of the Tribe of Judah
This is one of the oldest titles for Messiah
It speaks of fierceness and strength
In the coming chapters which display the glorified Christ in His 2nd advent, we see this fierceness and strength on full display.
Root of David
Another Messianic Title
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den.
They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.
He is a descendant of David and with devastating force He will compel the wicked of the Earth to bow to His authority.
Conqueror
He has overcome Satan and has the right to rule.
It is His birthright as God’s son
It is His right as conqueror.
He is worthy to open the seals.
Lamb
lit. “a little, pet lamb”
much like the Passover lamb which had to be brought into the homes for 4 days
They would grow close to it before it was slain
Here in Heaven, John sees the true Passover Lamb
God’s Son
as if slain
Scars from slaughter would still be visible
Seven Eyes and Seven Horns
horns- symbolize power
7 horns speak of Jesus’ complete and perfect power
He is both a meek Lamb who went silently to the slaughter and Sovereign God full of power and authority.
eyes= 7 Spirits of God (4:5)
The Worship
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.
And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,
saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”
And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Elders’ & Creatures’ response
bowed down, played harps and sang praise
Bowls of incense
prayers of the saints
Incense bowls were part of the OT Temple worship
they were golden, wide-mouth saucers
incense would be burned twice a day before the veil which separated the holy place from the most holy place in the temple.
In OT, the incense represented the prayers of the people.
Here, it represents our prayers in heaven
New Song
People in the Bible often responded to God in song
Many times, it focused on the experience of God’s redemption and deliverance.
Here they sang:
“Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
This song focuses on:
Christ’s worthiness
worthy are You
Christ’s redemptive work
You were slain
By Your blood You ransomed
Christ’s Sanctifying Work
made them a Kingdom and priests
They shall reign
All Creatures in the universe join in Praising Him
AP: Jesus is the focus of our worship.
He alone is worthy and has done great things
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
Worship the only worthy Lord today!