in chapter 4, we sawaifchurch.publishpath.com/websites/aifchurch/files/content/570482… · tragic...

In Chapter 4, we saw

John caught up to the

throne room of God,

where He is preparing to

unleash his wrath upon

the earth.

This chapter ends with

God receiving the praise

of His created ones and

of His redeemed ones in

a beautiful worship

scene. Heaven throbs

with the voices of those

caught up in their love for

Almighty God and His

creative power.

In Chapter 5, John once again continues describing the

heavenly scene in the courtroom of heaven where the

stage for God’s wrath and judgment to come upon the

earth during the tribulation period are being set.

1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat

on the throne a book written within and on

the backside, sealed with seven seals.

This book is not one to be read,

but actually a scroll of either

papyrus or lamb’s skin. A portion

would be written, and it would be

rolled up and sealed. This

process was repeated until the

book was completed. This scroll

had seven seals on it similar to a

Roman will that contained seven

seals also. The will could only be

opened by the heir.

This scroll is about redemption!

In the New

Testament, ye were

saved from your sins

and bought with a

price!

“For ye are bought

with a price: therefore

glorify God in your

body, and in your

spirit, which are

God's.”

(1 Corinthians 6:20)

1. Slave – lost servant returned

to master

2. Wife - husband’s inheritance

restored by kinsman if a

woman was left as a widow

with no male children

3. Land – if a man lost his

inheritance, he could get his

property back.

In the Old Testament, three things could be redeemed or

saved! All could be restored or bought back for a price!

In Jeremiah 32, Jeremiah’s uncle had lost a piece of property.

Jeremiah’s cousin comes to him when he is in prison and he

asks Jeremiah to buy back the property, (v. 8). Jeremiah does

this and records the transaction on a scroll and seals it up.

(v. 10) Two copies of this transaction were kept; one was

open to the public for all to read and another copy was kept

sealed up. ( v. 10-11) These scrolls were laid up in

the Temple, in earthen jars for safekeeping. (v. 14)

Information relating to the redemption would be recorded on

both sides of a scroll. On the inside they would write the

reason the land was forfeited. On the outside they would write

the terms of the redemption.

What we are witnessing

in Revelation 5 is the

heavenly version of what

men did in Old Testament

times. This scroll in the hand

of God is written within and

without. On the inside is the

tragic story of sin, tragedy,

death, failure and defeat.

On the outside are the terms

of redemption. If we could

read these terms, we would

find that the redeemer must

be one who is willing to

redeem and one who is

worthy to redeem.

When God made man and placed him in the Garden

of Eden, God gave man dominion over all of

creation, Gen. 1:27-28.

When man sinned in Eden, he gave away his

dominion and Satan became the god of this world,

2 Cor. 4:4. God’s creation came under a tragic curse

as sin entered this universe.

When God sent Jesus to redeem mankind on the cross,

the blood of Jesus redeemed fallen sinners. But, it was

and is also sufficient to break the bondage of sin over

creation. The Second man or Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ,

bought back everything the first man, Adam gave away.

This book contains the title deed to the earth.

It also contains the sealed judgments that God

will outpour upon Satan’s domain until his Second

Coming to defeat Satan in battle.

2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud

voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose

the seals thereof?

The loud voice of

the angel announces

this challenge to the

whole universe.

The book could not

be opened until the

seals were broken.

3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the

earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

Heaven above,

Hell beneath and

earth in between

was meticulously

searched. There

was no saint in

Heaven, no

angelic host, no

one living on the

earth, no one in

Hell found worthy

to take the book.

4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy

to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

John knew what the contents of the scroll

represented. He wept for all mankind with

uncontrollable sobbing because he knew if the

book were not opened all creation would be

doomed to feel the effects of sin for eternity.

5 And one of the

elders saith unto

me, Weep not:

behold, the Lion

of the tribe of

Judah, the Root

of David, hath

prevailed to

open the book,

and to loose the

seven seals

thereof.

The elder points John to the Lord Jesus Christ, the

“Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David.”

In Old Testament

times, the

noblest son of

the tribe was

called “the Lion

of the tribe,” thus

the title, The

“Lion of the tribe

of Judah.”

When John hears the title, “The Lion of the tribe of Judah,”

he knew the elder was referring to the Messiah, the Lord

Jesus Christ, because in Genesis 49: 8-10, the Jews are

promised a great ruler who would arise out of Judah,

conquering their enemies and giving them freedom.

“The Lion of the Tribe of Judah has conquered”!

“Root of David”

means that the

Messiah would

come from the line

of David. Jesus

Christ came of the

line of David of the

tribe of Judah.

(Matthew 1: 1-17;

Luke 3:23-38)

Mary was descendent of David through Nathan. Jesus’s earthy

father, Joseph, was a descendent of David through Solomon.

Jesus won the victory that gives Him the right to open the

seven seals through His redemptive work by the shedding

of blood on the Cross, that saved all mankind of sin!

Hebrew 1:2 says that Christ is heir to all things.

6a And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and

of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders,

stood a Lamb as it had been slain.

A Crucified

Lamb – When

John turns around

to see this mighty,

conquering Lion,

he sees a “lamb

as it had been

slain.” The Lion is

the Lamb.

6b having seven

horns and seven

eyes, which are

the seven Spirits

of God sent forth

into all the earth.

.

The seven horns

represent Omnipotence,

power and strength.

The seven eyes

represent Omniscience,

all knowing.

The seven Spirits

represent Omnipresent,

complete fullness of the

Spirit everywhere.

The Lamb is worthy to take the

book and open the seals. If this

scroll really is the title deed to the

planet earth, what right does He

have to open it? There are at

least three reasons why He has

this right.

• The world is His by right of

Creation – He made it!

• The world is His by right

of Calvary – He redeemed it!

• The world is His by right of

Lineage – He is from the Root of

David and the Tribe of Judah.

• The world is His by right of

Conquest – He will retake it!

7 And he came and took the book out of the

right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

Notice that this Lamb was standing – When Jesus ascended

back to Heaven, we are told that He sat down at the right hand

of God, Heb. 1:3. He sat down because His work of

redeeming sinners was complete. He is no longer acting as our

Intercessor, but will be standing ready to begin His work of

restoration and renewal of the earth!

8a And when he had taken the book, the four

beasts and four and twenty elders fell down

before the Lamb,

8b having every one of them harps, and golden vials

full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.

9a And they sung a new song, saying.

9b Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the

seals thereof:

9c for thou wast slain,

9d and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of

every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

10 And hast made us unto our God kings and

priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels

round about the throne and the beasts and the

elders: and the number of them was ten thousand

times ten thousand, 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

strength, and

honour, and

glory, and

blessing.

13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the

earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea,

and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and

honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth

upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four

and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him

that liveth for ever and ever.

Jesus Himself has

taken His rightful

place; glorified and

exalted in Heaven

for His redemptive

power. Christ is now

ready to break the

seals that will begin

the seven year

tribulation period on

earth.