Jesus Revealing Jesus

Revelation 5:1–14 NIV

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 open 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.” Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He went 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 God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons 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.” Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Introduction: 3-Year Plan - Leader is called to work the plan.

God Dreams - the Leader is called to work the plan.

When I was in Finance, my job basically for the companey was to analyze whether we were accomplishing the plan.

22 - God is directing human history to its redemptive conclusion.

The Scroll is reminiscent of the scroll that Ezekiel was called to eat in 2:9-10. God explains to Ezekiel that these will be God's words that Ezekiel will speak to Jerusalem, warning them of their destruction, but then of God's defeat of Evil Kingdoms, the coming of the Messiah, the gathering of the resurrected Israel, and the restoration of all creation.

According to the image, however, there is also an influence of the Roman testament with its seven seals. - Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.

Executor of Couples Will - A friend of theirs that was chosen, because they really trusted this man. And he was a great man for the job as he did everything he could to honor the wishes of his friend.

God is basically looking for the executor of His Will, not because he is dying, but His will for human history and salvation.

This is why John weeps, because he knows that if no one is found worthy than we get in essence the thought, then God’s will will not be done, and our world will not be redeemed.

Who is worthy?

23 - Only Jesus is Worthy to Lead History to its Redemptive Conclusion.

Both Scrolls reveal God's decrees for redemptive history, but Ezekiels scroll is only spoken when God empower Ezekiel to speak it. Ezekiel does is not necessarily able to read it. In Revelation, Jesus actually enacts redemptive history by opening its seals.

John 5:19 LEB

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, the Son can do nothing from himself except what he sees the Father doing. For whatever that one does, these things also the Son does likewise.

But how is Jesus described, first we hear that he is the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David...

1. Wright explains, “No first-century Jew would miss the reference, or fail to understand ‘the Root of David’, a phrase which, as in 22.16, echoes the great messianic prophecy of Isaiah 11.1–10. And, as we would expect of the true Messiah, we are told not just that he ‘deserves’ to open the scroll, but that he ‘has won the victory’. The Messiah, it was thought, would fight and win the decisive battle against the last great enemy of God’s people, and so liberate them once and for all. Well, says the elder to John, he has done it! Here he is!” (N. T. Wright, Revelation for People, New Testament for Everyone [Louisville: John Knox Press, 2011], 53).

The importance of what John hears vs. what he sees. We will see this principle a number of times in Revelation. What is heard is true, but what then is seen fills out that truth with greater meaning.

24 - Clip from the Bible Project

25 - Jesus is the Lion Conquerer (What is heard), but he conquered by dying on the cross as a sacrifice (What he saw)which....

Conquered Sin and Death - We are sinners and the wages of sin is death, but Christ died in our place to receive what we earned.

Conquered the Powers - Made a spectical of all of the myriad of gods, earthly rulers, demons, Satan by completely obeying God even unto death, and with power over death conquered it. God sees this pure obedience and hands Him authority over all creation.

The OT image of the sacrificial Lamb was just a pointer to Jesus.

1. again, Wright explains, “There have been, down the years, plenty of lion-Christians. Yes, they think, Jesus died for us; but now God’s will is to be done in the lion-like fashion, through brute force and violence, to make the world come into line, to enforce God’s will. No, replies John; think of the lion, yes, but gaze at the lamb. And there have been plenty of lamb-Christians. Yes, they think, Jesus may have been ‘the lion of Judah’, but that’s a political idea which we should reject because salvation consists in having our sins wiped away so that we can get out of this compromised world and go off to heaven instead. No, replies John; gaze at the lamb, but remember that it is the lion’s victory that he has won”

Jesus is Worthy than to receive All Authority in Heaven and Earth to enact history towards God’s will, which is the saving conclusion of creation restored (human rule over creation, creation in Shalom, Heaven and Earth in perfect relationship) - We will see it at the end of Revelation.

Meaning of Imagry:

John Sees the Lamb in the midst of the throne - Jesus is fully God, and Fully Man - The perfect mediator between God and Humans - Jesus is where Heaven and Earth meet.

Fully God, H.C. Q&A 17 - So that by the power of his divinity, might bear the weight of God’s wrath in his humanity and earn for us and restore to us righteousness and life.

Fully righteous human, H.C. Q&A 16 - God’s Justice demands that human nature, which has sinned, must pay for sin; put a sinful human can’t pay for the sins of others.

Seven Horns - Horns represent in Scripture in Ezekial, Daniel, and actually throughout the OT, (too many references to mention) Power and Authority. - We will see this imagry being used for Kings, Emperors, Earthly rulers. That there are seven (a number of wholeness and perfection) is to Say, this lamb, Jesus has all power and authority

Seven Eyes - New imagry so it is explained. This is the sevenfold Spirit, first mentioned in Chapter 1:4, and last week in Chapter 4:5 where the sevenfold spirit is symbolized by seven torches.

Isaiah 11:2 - Of the Lord, of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of might, of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord. These are torches that correspond to the lampstands (the churches)

Trinity - God is on the throne with the seven torch Holy Spirit, Jesus is in the midst of the throne with the seven eye Spirit, and Jesus sends that Spirit out into the World. These are images that helped the early Church form the the Teaching of the Trinity.

So what does this mean for us?

26 - Jesus and Not Ceasar Should be Worshipped.

1. It is in Jesus—who is Lion and Lamb—that victory is to be known. In Jesus and Jesus alone. This should bring a note of confidence to the believer. The key to victory in this life is not simply in the idea of Jesus, it is the person of Jesus. The victory of Jesus is not simply that of the Lion who overcame but also the Lamb who was sacrificed.

This scene prepares us for what history looks like from God’s point of view, and It reminds us that Jesus has already won, If Jesus is able to conquer sin and death, and had the power to be raised from the dead, no matter what happens on earth, no matter what happens to us, Jesus is fully capable of winning and turn things back to his redemptive purpose.

The Crazy Creatures Worship with the Elders

Representatives of all creatures in heaven and earth, and Representatives of the Church Universal.

Elders with harps - remeniscent of the 24 units of worshipping priests in David’s tabernacle,

The bowls of incense - These will come up later in Revelation, but the meaning is given, they are our prayers. Which means that God always hears our prayers. - and as we will see later, he will use our prayers.

The innumerable Angels - Supranatural beings recognizing that Jesus alone is saving not just humans, but also all of creation, and will unite heaven and earth.

Finally - All Creation Worships

Remember we are in Eternal time hear - Time is suspended - 3 Dimensional Time illustration.

Before we get back to history.

Amen - Yes, Yes, and Yes - Truly, Amen

Application Point: We Should Worship Him and Learn about Him and enter into a relationship with Him.

We Worship Jesus Not Ceasar

Jesus alone can direct God’s will towards its salvation - All other authorities - Kings, presidents, governors, congresses, scientists, angels, demons, diseases, natural disastors, economies, weather, are all underlings. They are of benefit, they may or may not align with God’s will, but they are not Jesus, they are not worthy to execute God’s plan to save all creation.

Only Jesus through his sacrifice can save you, can pay for your sin, and can provide a relationship with Jesus.

Jesus is restoring Genesis 1 by saving a people who will rule all of creation, and lead all of creation in worship of God.

27 - 30 - Conclusion: