Revelation 5

Introduction

I am glad to be back with you guys once again with the opportunity to go through one of the most amazing chapters in the whole Bible, Revelation 5.

Last week Travis went over Revelation 4, and this chapter is closely related to that one in that they wouldn’t make much sense on their own or without each other.

In tonight’s message, we will be looking at the work of a great hero.

Everybody loves a good hero right?

It seems that every good story we read about or watch on T.V. has one.

What would have come of the world Harry Potter lived in if he had not acted as a hero and defeated Voldemort?

What would have happened to little baby Grogu had the hero Luke Skywalker not rescued him from the enemy?

What would have come of the Bennet’s if it were not for their hero Mr. Darcy?

Would the Chicago Bulls have been as successful without their hero Michael Jordan?

Would the Lakers have as many championships if they had never known a hero named Kobe Bryant?

In all these situations, the hero is someone who accomplishes something great and most of the times nearly impossible that benefits others.

As great as these hero’s are and as great as the things they accomplished are, even though some of them are fictional, I am here to speak about a way greater hero that has accomplished something way more important that impacts absolutely everything.

Transition

In last weeks message, Travis explained some important things about our scene in which Revelation 4 & 5 take place that would be good for us to review tonight.

Revelation 4 starts off by John going through an open door into heaven to see what must take place.

John enters and at once sees a throne symbolizing Gods sovereignty and is amazed by his glory.

Around Gods throne were 24 more thrones with 24 elders seated on them, symbolizing the whole church.

Also 4 living creatures, one on each side of the throne symbolizing Gods creation.

All of heaven in this scene is praising God for his work in creation.

The 24 elders or the whole church are praising God for his work in creation.

The 4 living creatures or all of creation is praising God for this work.

What an amazing an awesome thing God has done in creation.

This brings us into Chapter 5.

Read with me starting in verse 1.

English Standard Version Chapter 5

The Scroll and the Lamb

5 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. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 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.”

6 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. 7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 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. 9 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,

10  and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,

and they shall reign on the earth.”

11 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, 12 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!”

13 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!”

14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

The Work

Looking at our passage, I have divided it into two sections we will look at.

The first being the work, the second being the praise.

So as we continue from Chapter 4 to chapter 5, we are still in heaven right back at the throne of God.

John sees in the right hand of God a scroll.

The right hand is a symbol of power and authority, so under Gods power and authority, he is seen holding a scroll.

Whats unique about this scroll?

Not only is there writing on the inside but there is also writing on the outside.

This scroll is also sealed with not one seal but seven seals showing that it is something of extreme importance.

We see a mighty angel who is asking with a loud voice who is worthy to open this scroll and break its seals?

It appears that no one or no thing is able to open this scroll.

John begins to weep because nobody is worthy to open the scroll or look into it.

Not even the mightiest of angels.

We spoke earlier of how hero’s are known for doing things that are impossible and it seems like this story is in need of a hero.

There is a scroll of great importance that nobody can open or look into.

One of the elders then says

English Standard Version Chapter 5

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.”

We have found our hero.

It is none other than the one prophesied by Israel in Genesis, this Lion from the tribe of Judah.

Born of the seed of David but also the root of David because he is God himself.

It is our Lord Jesus Christ!

What nothing on earth or in heaven is capable of doing, God is able.

You are probably wondering now what exactly is this scroll?

William Hendriksen describes it well by saying that this scroll represents Gods eternal plan, His decree which is all comprehensive.

Remember that the scroll had writing on the front and back which means that....

God has everything in this world planned out from the one who will save the world to the people who will be saved in it, down to every little single detail, nothing is missing.

So God on the throne has this eternal plan, an all comprehensive decree and the only one worthy to take the scroll and carry out this plan is our Lord Jesus.

What makes this plan so important that John weeps because nobody is able to carry it out?

All of creation, which was spoken of in the last chapter, was under a curse due to Adam eating the fruit in the garden.

This creation was in desperate need of a hero that would redeem them from this curse.

It looks to John in heaven that nobody is worthy or able to do this until our Lord Jesus comes and takes the scroll showing he will carry out this eternal plan of God.

Next, we see at the center of the throne and among the 4 living creatures, in the midst of elders a lamb standing as though it was slain with seven horns and seven eyes.

What is John talking about here?

This scene is showing us that Gods sovereignty is the most important and center of all the universe, hence the throne in the middle of creation and the church.

At the center of Gods throne, there is a lamb showing that this lamb is God, this lamb is sovereign, and this lamb is very important.

7 horns symbolizing he is completely powerful.

7 eyes which are 7 Spirits of God showing he is completely filled with the Spirit of God.

First we heard about the Lion of Judah but then when John looks he sees this lamb as though it was slain, so what in the world is going on here?

It is the lion of Judah who was worthy to take the scroll because he has conquered.

It is the lamb who carried out this plan and was slain to redeem Gods creation.

Both the same person, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Because Jesus has taken the scroll or accomplished his work in redemption, all of creation and the church worship him.

We worship him in song and with our prayers.

The Praise

This leads us into the praise section.

It says they sang to him a new song.

This song explains a great deal of this chapter to us.

Worthy are you to take Gods plan and carry it out because you were slain, and by your blood ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom of priests to our God and they shall reign on the Earth.

All of heaven is going crazy!

They are extremely excited about this work that Jesus has done in redemption.

It is such a magnificent thing.

It tells us the living creatures, the elders, and myriads of myriads and thousand of thousands of angels all sang together with a loud voice:

English Standard Version Chapter 5

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might

and honor and glory and blessing!”

And then every creature says:

English Standard Version Chapter 5

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

All of creation agrees to this and the church falls down and worships.

Reflection

What a glorious scene we have here in Revelation 5.

This is the story of the whole book of Revelation, the victory of the Lamb of God.

Jesus was found worthy to take Gods eternal plan of redemption and carry it out because although he is the bold and fierce Lion of Judah,

He humbled himself as a Lamb led to slaughter to pay for the sins of his people.

He shed his blood to redeem a people for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

Because of this, not only the church praises him but all creation, angels and people alike.

Application

If you have been redeemed by the Lamb, you are joining in this praise and worship as well.

If you have not been redeemed by the Lamb, you will still bow down before him.

The Scriptures tell us that every knee will bow before the name of the Lord Jesus.

There is no need to weep loudly as the apostle John did in this scene because we have a hero, one worthy and able to take the scroll.

What makes this hero so great?

Consider the message of the gospel, or the good news, which is basically what Revelation 4 and 5 are.

We are all sinners in need of the grace of God.

We have all broken Gods law and the book of James tells us that if we break one of Gods laws, we are guilty of breaking them all.

God is the ultimate judge and he will come back one day to judge the world.

On or own we stand before this judge guilty of breaking his whole law.

There are only two different places we can go.

Heaven or hell.

Where do you think the person guilty of breaking Gods whole law will go?

This is why John wept in heaven that nobody was able to take the scroll and carry out this plan.

If Jesus never took the scroll and ransomed a people for himself, there would be no hope for anybody.

But because he has, although you are guilty of breaking Gods whole law and deserving of eternity in hell, a hero has saved the day.

Those of us who are born again who have placed our faith in the lamb who was slain for us, the Lord Jesus, will no longer answer to God on judgement day for breaking his whole law.

Why is that?

Because the lamb was slain for us and took the punishment for us that we deserved for breaking this whole law.

Our sin has been paid for.

We are forgiven of this major debt that we could have never paid.

There is now no longer a reason for us to weep because one has been found worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, only let us trust in him and his perfect work as the lamb who was slain for us.

Now that we are saved, how can we not join in this worship?

The worship of the lamb who has conquered.

It is important for all of Gods redeemed to join in this worship.

Church should be a glorious thing for us because we gather together with others who were redeemed by this blood of the lamb.

I know it was an exciting thing when Luke Skywalker rescued Grogu or Harry defeated Voldemort but all of that is fiction.

This is real life and should be extremely important to us.

If there are people in our lives that need this hope and you are unsure how to bring the gospel to them, tell them the story of the Lion of Judah who was worthy to take the scroll and open its seals.

He has made us a kingdom and priests to our God, which means we have work to do.

Do you know what the work of a priest is?

Eerdmans Bible Dictionary PRIEST

In the Old Testament the function of a priest was that of a mediator between God and mankind. As God’s covenant people, Israel was to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” among the peoples of the earth

We are a kingdom of representatives of God before this world called to live a holy life.

He has not redeemed us for no reason but for a purpose and it is important that we pursue that purpose as members of his kingdom.

Sharing the good news of the gospel

Repenting of our sin and living holy lives.

Praising our savior all the day long.

This is what Revelation 5 is calling us to do.

Prayer