The Worthy Christ
Introduction
Holy is the Father, Holy is the Son, and Holy is the Spirit.” This is followed by the emphasis on the unity of the Godhead, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.” Further, the eternity of God is expressed in the words, “who was, and is, and is to come.”
This seems to mean that the scroll lay on the palm, not that it was held in the hand. A scroll would be made up of sheets of papyrus joined edge to edge until the length required for the book was reached. The papyrus sheet was made by placing thin strips of papyrus in two layers at right angles to one another, and joining them with glue, Nile water and pressure. The side with the horizontal strips provided a better writing surface than that where they were vertical. Generally this side alone was used. But if space was important it was quite possible to write on the other side also. This was the case with the roll John saw, for it was written on both sides. It was as full as it could possibly be
What John appears to be telling us in his different symbols is that Christ, of the tribe of Judah and the line of David, is supremely powerful and all-knowing, and that he has won his victory by his atoning and sacrificial death. There is a striking combination of the utmost in power and the utmost in self-giving.
3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
14 And the Word became flesh, and cdwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Heb 1:1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power
“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
9 And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,
12 saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,
“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”
14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.