THE SCROLL, THE LAMB AND THE WORSHIPERS

THE SCROLL, THE LAMB AND THE WORSHIPERS Revelation 4-5 February 11,  2001 Given by: Pastor Rich Bersett [Index of Past Messages] The Scroll Chapter 4 of Revelation "sets the stage" for what will happen in chapter 5 -a great vision, set in heaven, in the very throne room of God Short note about book of Revelation: it is history through God's eyes, and it is written in apocalyptic language I often use the illustration of when you find a young guy who has fallen head over heels in love with a young gal. You say to him after he's dated her for a few weeks, "How's your relationship going?" And he says, "Well, it's uh, gee, boy, man--it's great! It's better than that; it's, oh, man ..." You think he's stuttering and babbling, and he is, because he is trying to describe a feeling or an experience or a quality of relationship that doesn't seem to be able to be adequately described with the tools we communicate with: words. The biblical writers under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit were given the task of trying to use linguistic tools to describe for you and me what heaven is like. It was a tall order, and they used a lot of symbolic language. Citation: Bill Hybels, "Your Ever After: Heaven," Preaching Today, The strange symbols are given to us, not so much for us to fully understand them or dissect them, but to give us a feel for the truth. Revelation 5:1-5 "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. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?' But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to pen the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, '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." ***DEMONSTRATE SCROLL*** Scroll contains all of history, divided up into 7 periods. It was all pre-recorded by God and was the plan of all of history on earth, but it was being kept a secret-a history mystery. In apocalyptic literature, to REVEAL anything was to actually make it happen. The Christians in Asia, including John, were most interested in getting their questions answered: what was the purpose of the persecution? What was going to happen? What was next? Especially, what was hidden away behind the seventh seal? So the big question becomes, Who is worthy to open up the seals on the scroll (the seals keep the message hidden)? John wept because, to break these seals required someone of high rank, but there was no one there worthy in the sight of God to break the seven seals on the scroll and reveal God's ultimate plan in history! You see the question isn't just Who is qualified to open a scroll. The one who opens the scroll is the one who makes the events of the last days happen according to the will of God! So John weeps because in the middle of his vision he is momentarily convinced that there is no one who is worthy to reveal and carry God's plan for history forward to completion! Then the elder says, there IS one who is worthy.it is the Lion of Judah In Genesis 49 - Jacob prophesied his son Judah and all his tribe would be a lion's cub. It is from the tribe of Judah that the king, the Messiah, will come. Jacob says, the scepter will not leave the tribe of Judah. Judah is called a lion because when the time was right the King would come from the tribe of Judah. Verse 9 also refers to the Root of David that has triumphed. This language appears in Isaiah 11:1 where the prophecy is of a new branch that comes up out of the seemingly dead stump of David. In Isaiah 11:10 this new shoot is also the root of Jesse. In Revelation 22:16, Jesus says, "I am the root and the offspring of David." The root of David is also the shoot of David. Jesus' kingly existence for all eternity preceded David, yet as God incarnate he is also a descendant of David. By His death and resurrection He has triumphed. And He is now the only one worthy to take the scroll and break the seals. ***WORSHIP SEGMENT*** The Lamb Out of nowhere appears another animal-not a lion, but a Lamb, and not just any lamb-this is a slain lamb. In fact his entire appearance is obviously an apocalyptic amalgam. "Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints." Revelation 5:6-8 But, we thought that the one who was able to open the seals of the scroll was a Lion! Now he is a lamb! All of these symbols are steeped in biblical prophecy. The Lion is the Lamb. "The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David has triumphed and He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals" - "Then I saw a Lamb." It is as much a surprise in this apocalyptic dream as it was in the eyes of the first century Jews that the Messiah would be slaughtered. Who wouldn't be reminded of the prophecy of Isaiah 53: "He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth." This is the most astonishing thing about the crucifixion of Jesus-that He did not respond. He was the living Lord of all, and could have brought to those who perpetrated injustice on Him immediate divine judgment, but He opened not his mouth. And "he was pierced for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him and by his wounds we are healed." The strong Lion became the helpless Lamb for us. The number 7 in apocalyptic literature always symbolizes perfection. Horns always symbolized kingly power. The Lamb with the seven horns was the perfect, all-powerful king. Seven eyes teaches us that this king is all-seeing, all-knowing, omniscient, filled with the spirit of God. This Lamb does not have to beg his way into the presence of God's throne room. He is perfectly at home there. He is standing in the center of the throne, because he is the Son of God; He is the eternally co-existent Lord. "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities: all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." Colossians 1:15-17 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made, without him nothing was made that has been made." John 1:1-2 Verse nine of Revelation 5: "And they sang a new song: 'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth." Revelation 5:9-10 ***WORSHIP SEGMENT*** The Worshipers Who are these strange worshipers? The 24 elders Heads of the 24 sections of Aaronic priesthood? Representation of 12 sons of Jacob and the 12 apostles? Special group of elders in heaven - they had thrones? Exalted angelic order? Whoever they are, we know these things: they are God's created, they are created beings, they know their creatureliness and are delighted to humble themselves (cast down their crowns) , and they are committed to worshiping the Lord. The Four Living Creatures One author lists 21 different interpretations Representatives of the four gospel writers? Special group of exalted angels? Extension of Ezekiel's vision in Ezekiel 1 or the seraphim of Isaiah's throne room scene (Isaiah 1) Best suggestion: represent the entirety of the created order They are creatures who understand their status They willingly bow low and humble themselves before God They recognize who the Lamb is and what He has done Out of the sheer wonder and joy of salvation, they worship WHO ARE THE WORSHIPERS? WE ARE! We are the creatures who know their place in the throne room of God. We, with the onlooking apostle John, fully understand the significance of what the Lamb has done for us, and we cannot help but worship. Like John, if there had been no sacrifice for our sins, we could only weep. Like John, the whole spectacle is a thrilling peek into eternity for us, where we will be absolutely free to bring our praise to the throne. ***WORSHIP*** In the 1993 hit film In the Line of Fire, Clint Eastwood played Secret Service agent Frank Horrigan. Horrigan had protected the life of the President for more than three decades, but he was haunted by the memory of what had happened thirty years before. Horrigan was a young agent assigned to President Kennedy on that fateful day in Dallas in 1963. When the assassin fired, Horrigan froze in shock. For thirty years afterward, he wrestled with the ultimate question for a Secret Service agent: Can I take a bullet for the President? In the climax of the movie, Horrigan does what he had been unable to do earlier: he throws himself into the path of an assassin's bullet to save the chief executive. Secret Service agents are willing to do such a thing because they believe the President is so valuable to our country and the world that he is worth dying for. Obviously they would not take a bullet for just anyone. At Calvary the situation was reversed. The President of the Universe actually took a bullet for each of us. When we look at the slain Lamb we understand the love of God for us, and our only appropriate response is to cast our measly crowns down and worship Him.   [Back to Top]