Revelation (Written)

Monday, 9 November 2020

Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. Revelation 5:7

In the Greek, there is a changing of the tenses of the verbs which is skipped by most translations, and yet it makes the entire scene much more graphic. The Greek goes from the aorist to the perfect tense –

“And He came, and He has taken the scroll out of the right hand of Him who is sitting on the throne.”

With this understood, it can be analyzed more precisely. John begins with, “And He came.” One can imagine anyone approved to do so coming before the throne, just as is seen in any royal setting. For example, Esther was granted permission to stand before King Ahasuerus in the book of Esther –

“Now Esther spoke again to the king, fell down at his feet, and implored him with tears to counteract the evil of Haman the Agagite, and the scheme which he had devised against the Jews. ⁴ And the king held out the golden scepter toward Esther. So Esther arose and stood before the king.” Esther 8:3, 4

In this heavenly scene of Revelation 5, the Lamb came before the One on the throne. He has been granted this royal privilege. But there is a specific reason for His approach. It next says, “and He has taken the scroll.”

One can see the definitive nature of the act. Not only did the Lamb come forward, but when He came, He is shown to be worthy. The completed and definitive act of receiving the scroll – has taken – demonstrates that it occurred, and it is fully accomplished. Worthy is the Lamb!

At this point, some scholars devolve into over-speculation of what is being presented – “How can a Lamb that doesn’t have hands take a scroll.” From this, all kinds of fanciful analyses are whipped up and presented as tasty treats for the reader to consider. Such things are wholly unnecessary. John is using apocalyptic terminology, but that terminology is used to reveal the many aspects of Christ Jesus.

We are not to get bogged down in what is not said, but to mentally consider what is said. Christ is as a Lion. He is as a Lamb. He is the One on the throne. And so on. God is revealing Himself through His Christ, but the account is using apocalyptic symbolism to convey aspects of Him. A lamb, for example, speaks of innocence. A slain lamb speaks of sacrifice. The innocence and the sacrifice are what have made His coming forward and taking the scroll possible. Getting bogged down in unnecessary speculation is what will cause the reader to miss the overall point of what is being portrayed.

Next, this innocent One who was sacrificed (but who is obviously alive), is said to take the scroll “out of the right hand.” As has been seen, the right hand is the position of power and authority. Again, as cited before, this looks back to Jesus’ own words at the end of the book of Matthew –

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20

The scroll in the right hand has transferred from “Him who sat on the throne” to the Lamb who died and yet rose again. This is exactingly explained by Paul in Philippians 2 –

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶ who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷ but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. ⁹ Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:5-11

God has returned this title deed to Himself through the incarnation of Jesus Christ. He is the One on the throne, and He is the Lamb that was slain. The incarnation of Jesus Christ is on full view in this heavenly scene.

We can see that what is presented in Revelation 5 is a similar expression to what was already presented to Israel in Daniel 7 –

“I was watching in the night visions,
And behold, One like the Son of Man,
Coming with the clouds of heaven!
He came to the Ancient of Days,
And they brought Him near before Him.
¹⁴ Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,
That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
Which shall not pass away,
And His kingdom the one
Which shall not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13, 14

Life application: The right to receive and to open the scroll has been given to the Lion of the tribe of Judah who is the King of kings, and the right has been given to the Lamb of God who fulfilled the law on behalf of fallen man and then paid the penalty for their sins at the Cross of Calvary. His blood was shed as a substitution for those who are willing to accept Him. The guilt is transferred, and the sins are removed; the righteousness is thus transferred from God to man.

Jesus has won the victory and gained the right to the title deed and He has paid the price for those who call on Him. He offers mercy based on His paying this price, and He has provided the grace by exalting all who accept the call. The choice is made and now the scroll can be opened. When it is, the entire earth will be affected by the result. Get ready, big events are on the horizon. The Lion has prevailed, and the Lamb has been found worthy. He is great, and He is glorious. He is JESUS!

All hail the great and exalted name of Jesus. He is the Lord God Almighty who rules the universe; He is the Lion of Judah who rules the earth; He is the Lamb of God who provides atonement for His people; and He is the One to open the scroll and let loose judgment upon an unrepentant world. He is Jesus – Hallelujah and Amen… He is Jesus!

Sunday, 8 November 2020

And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Revelation 5:6

In the previous verse, John heard the voice say, “Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” Expecting to see a kingly figure when he raised his eyes from weeping, it says, “And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures.”

Remembering the symbolism of the four living creatures, that of them representing the four aspects of Christ in the four gospels, one can mentally prepare for what is being depicted in this heavenly scene. Then John continues, saying, “and in the midst of the elders.” As noted in verse 4:4, these twenty-four elders signify heavenly government and worship. Again, this helps us to understand what will next be said. In the midst of the presentation of the four gospels, and in the midst of the heavenly government and worship, there “stood a Lamb as though it had been slain.”

Here, the word translated as “stood” is a perfect participle. It should say, “standing.” There is standing a Lamb, and yet it is as if it had been slain. The words are paradoxical. How can a Lamb be standing despite being as if it had been slain?

But this is the point. The focal point of everything presented in the gospels presented to man on earth, and the focal point of all governmental attention in the heavenly realm, is… a Lamb as if it had been slain. A moment before, He had been heralded as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and yet John sees a Lamb “as though it had been slain.”

The word translated as “Lamb” is the diminutive form of a sheep, thus it is a little lamb. There are two aspects to this then. The first is innocence. In the sacrificial system of Israel, this was what was required for the Passover lamb –

“Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year.” Exodus 12:5

Further, the same thing is said of the twice-daily offering at the tabernacle/temple –

“Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs of the first year, day by day continually. ³⁹ One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight.” Exodus 29:38, 39

Being of the first year, there is conveyed the idea of innocence. It is weak, cannot protect itself, and would normally anticipate each new day ahead as it continued to follow its mother along innocently. However, the description of the Lamb in John’s vision is an innocent Lamb “as though it had been slain.” The word translated as “slain” is sphazó. It signifies butchery for food or sacrifice.

Here, the Lamb is seen to have been sacrificed. The two thoughts together anticipate that an innocent lamb used for Israel’s sacrificial system was given in anticipation of the coming work of the Messiah. This Lamb in Revelation, then, is the fulfillment of those anticipatory pictures.

The focus of both the heavenly government and the earthly witness of God’s dealings with man is directed to this Lamb that was as if it had been sacrificed. And of this Lamb, John says it is “having seven horns and seven eyes.”

In the Old Testament, the horn comes from the word qeren. That is from the verb qaran, signifying “to send out rays,” meaning “to shine.” This then conveys the idea of prominence, exaltation, and strength. And this is how the horn is used in 2 Samuel (and elsewhere) –

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
³ The God of my strength, in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn of my salvation,
My stronghold and my refuge;
My Savior, You save me from violence.” 2 Samuel 2:22:2, 3

The eye, or in Hebrew ayin, is that which is outflowing, and thus that which gives appearance. For example, a spring or fountain is called “an eye” because it is where water issues forth from. Using this idea of appearance, the eye is used along with many descriptors – “an evil eye,” “a bountiful eye,” “the lust of the eyes,” “eyes full of adultery,” and so on.

In this case, the appearance of the Lamb is that of innocence and substitutionary death which is radiated out in power and exaltation.

Seven is the number of spiritual perfection (completeness). John takes these two things together, horns and eyes, and says that they “are the seven Spirits of God.” These seven spirits of God reflect His perfect power, exaltation, and appearance. In other words, this Lamb reflects those attributes of God perfectly. In His being a Lamb – innocent, and in His being slain -substitutionary death, these attributes of God are perfectly revealed.

One can see a reflection of what the Lord said to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12 – “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Just as Christ’s strength is made perfect in weakness,” through the apostle, the perfection of God’s strength is displayed in the humility of Christ, the Lamb. It is this depiction of Christ by which the seven Spirits of God are “sent out into all the earth.”

It is the innocence (sinlessness) and death of Christ by which God has most purposefully revealed Himself. Despite all of the power, wonder, and majesty of the created order, the highest representation of Himself, in all of time and in all of His handiwork, is in the innocent crucified Christ.

Life application: The scroll which is to be opened is a will or title deed and as was previously noted, Hebrews 9:16 says, “…where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.” Jesus Christ gave up His perfect life to establish the New Covenant and to regain the title deed to fallen humanity.

The scroll which is to be opened will contain judgments upon the world, and the One who opens it will be the executor of those judgments. When they come, the people of the world will not be able to ask why the executor isn’t also participating in these judgments. His scars testify that He already has. He already took the judgments that the world can now expect, and He prevailed over what He was given.

He gave His life in the task before Him and, being sinless, He was resurrected. Those who call on Him will likewise be given eternal life. Those who don’t will receive what they deserve for rejecting His gracious offer.

The slain lamb that comes forward has “seven horns and seven eyes.” These are explained as being “the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”

In verse 4:5, we read, “Seven lamps of fire were burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.” In other words, these “seven Spirits of God” that burned before the throne – illuminating the splendor of God – have now become the active agents of the Lamb that will go forth in judgment.

The eyes see every hidden thing and the horns will execute the judgment upon the unrepentant world. This Lamb will no longer be the meek and mild suffering Servant. He will become the One who comes to bring destruction on all who have rejected Him. He is the Lion and the Lamb. He is Jesus.

Lord God, when we think on the slain Lamb, innocent and spotless, standing in the heavenly throne, we can’t help but praise You. In humility and kindness, You came to this world, and in love, You have offered peace and restoration. And yet the world has mocked, ridiculed, and rejected You. Surely, You are righteous in the judgments to come. Amen.

Saturday, 7 November 2020

But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” Revelation 5:5

John, overcome with anguish at the unworthiness of all created beings, and their inability to open the scroll or even to look at it, is now given the greatest of encouragements. While standing there and mourning, it says, “But one of the elders said to me. Do not weep.”

The identity of the elder is not stated, and it is thus irrelevant. The various possibilities of who these elders are were evaluated in verse 4:4. Regardless as to his identity, he is aware of something that John needed to know. And what that is contrasts to the state of mournful emotion that John was overwhelmed with – “Do not weep.” If the unworthiness of those in creation to open the scroll is what brought John to his current state, then the words “Do not weep” must provide a remedy to that state.

And so, he conveys the most magnificent of words to the mournful apostle, beginning with, “Behold, the Lion.” The lion is used at times as a symbol of kingly authority in Scripture, such as in Ezekiel 32:2 (and elsewhere) –

“Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him:
‘You are like a young lion among the nations,
And you are like a monster in the seas,
Bursting forth in your rivers,
Troubling the waters with your feet,
And fouling their rivers.’”

Further, the Lord (Yehovah) of the Old Testament is equated to a lion in Jeremiah 25:38 (and elsewhere) –

“He has left His lair like the lion;
For their land is desolate
Because of the fierceness of the Oppressor,
And because of His fierce anger.”

But more to the point, the words of this elder are certainly tying the title ascribed here in Revelation to the prophecy made in Genesis 49 concerning the coming Messiah –

“Judah is a lion’s whelp;
From the prey, my son, you have gone up.
He bows down, he lies down as a lion;
And as a lion, who shall rouse him?
¹⁰ The scepter shall not depart from Judah,
Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes;
And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.” Genesis 49:10

Understanding this symbolism, the elder continues with, “of the tribe of Judah.” This clearly identifies the One being spoken of as the fulfillment of the prophecy from Genesis 49. It then ties in with other messianic prophecies seen in the Old Testament, such as the promise of an everlasting throne being bestowed upon the line of David in 2 Samuel 7. It is to Judah that these great promises were made. Thus, this Lion of the Tribe of Judah is the fulfillment of those prophecies.

He is further described as “the Root of David.” This term is wrongly applied by scholars to say that Christ is a root which springs out of David. This is incorrect. A root is the basis for what springs out of it. A seed first goes down into the soil to find anchoring and moisture. From there, the roots are established, and the plant then proceeds upward.

Elsewhere, the Messiah is called a Branch, signifying One who would come from a plant, extending out. This would be a descendant. In this case, however, the Root refers to One who comes before. Thus, not only does this One descend from Judah (and obviously from David who was given the kingly promises), but He is the Source of David – the Root. This is confirmed later in Revelation 22 where Christ says He is both “the Root and the Offspring of David.” It is what is referred to in Matthew 22 –

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ⁴² saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”
They said to Him, “The Son of David.”
⁴³ He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:
⁴⁴ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’?
⁴⁵ If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” ⁴⁶ And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore. Matthew 22:41-46

Jesus was showing that not only was the Christ to come from David, but He is also the Creator of David. It is of this One that the elder then says that He “has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”

Here, in these words, the fifth chapter of Revelation corresponds to the fifth letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet. The fifth letter, he, signifies “to reveal.” The opening of the scroll will reveal its contents. The One referred to by the elder “has prevailed.” The Greek word signifies to overcome, overpower, stand victorious. It is a word that implies the fighting of a battle. This One has been in a battle, and He has prevailed (see Revelation 3:21). In His prevailing, He has earned the right “to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”

That which was sealed and inaccessible can now be made manifest. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has been found worthy!

Life application: What appeared to be a loss for humanity has become a victory – but only because of the intervention of God. The incarnation of Jesus Christ was the only hope for man because all men are conceived in sin through Adam, receiving his fallen nature. All of the other beings in creation – be they spirit or animal – are in a different category, and they are unworthy to accomplish for man what man had to do.

And so, Jesus came through a woman (He is fully Man) and by the Holy Spirit (He is fully God). In this, He did not inherit Adam’s sin. He was qualified to accomplish the task set before Him. From there, the gospel shows that He was also capable of doing so. He was born sinless, and He lived without ever sinning. In this, He prevailed. He is the great King. He is JESUS!

Lord, when things seem out of control in our lives and we are at our moment of greatest sadness and despair, You are there and in complete control. What have we to fear when You have gained the victory? You not only conquered death and defeated the devil, but You have promised to include us in Your great plan for the ages to come. Praises belong to You alone, O God. Amen!

Friday, 6 November 2020

So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. Revelation 5:4

In response to finding that none were worthy to open the scroll and loose its seals, John literally burst into tears. As he says, “So I wept much.”

In the Greek, the pronoun is emphatic, and the verb is in the imperfect tense. One might say, “And I, even I, just kept weeping exceedingly.” When he realized the state of man before the holiness of God, he understood the eternal disconnect that stood between the two. What seems like an easy walk in the presence of God while on the earth is found to be a catastrophic, unhealable wound when standing before Him in heaven. As such, John wept uncontrollably “because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll.”

The contents of the book are hidden from the eyes of all men. Not even one is worthy to reclaim the inheritance lost by Adam. Thus, only life in a fallen world, followed by death and separation from God, is the result. The contents of the scroll are to remain forever out of the reach of the fallen sons of Adam. So great is this barrier that John finishes the thought with, “or to look at it.”

Not only are all unworthy of opening and reading the scroll, not even a momentary glance will ever be offered. Even the most pious, humble, God-fearing man who ever lived will be denied a mere glance at the contents of the scroll. The infection of sin precludes even this. Woe to man without God’s Christ.

Life application: John was overwhelmed at the reality of what he was being presented with through this heavenly vision. He had been told in verse 4:1, “I will show you things which must take place after this.” But now that he was in the heavenly throne room, it appeared that what must take place is simply eternal condemnation for all humanity.

The effects of sin permeated every person who was ever born. Only a sinless being would be qualified to replace the failings of Adam… but no one came forward. No one else was worthy. Even John who was “in the Spirit” (4:2) wasn’t found worthy. But John, in his overwhelming grief, had forgotten the glory of what Christ came to do. He was so consumed with the misery of fallen humanity, that anguish was all he could feel. And yet, the words of Paul as recorded in Philippians 2:9-11, tell us of the glory John had momentarily forgotten –

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

There is a name that is above every other name and One to which all of creation will bow. This One came and fulfilled the Law on behalf of Adam’s seed. Being born of a virgin, he didn’t inherit sin as other humans do. He is, therefore, qualified to face the devil head-on. He prevailed where Adam had failed and so He can now speak on behalf of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth. Don’t weep John; there is an answer to your immense grief. He is coming and His name is Jesus.

That Name above every other name fills our souls with joy. When we think on our sin and fallen state, we can also look around and see that everyone else is just like everyone else. We all fall short of Your glory, O God. And it makes knowing Jesus all the more precious. In all of human history, only One has gone without sin, and it is to Him that we shall direct our praise, honor, and thanks. He is Jesus. Amen.

Thursday, 5 November 2020

And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. Revelation 5:3

The scroll has been presented (5:1) and the call has gone forth, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” (5:2). With that accomplished, the answer is given. John mournfully says, “And no one in heaven.” The Greek contains an article, “And no one in the heaven.”

This means that in the highest heaven, even those with direct access to the throne of God, none is found worthy. This would include Enoch and Elijah who were both translated to heaven, and who minister before the Lord as is revealed in Zechariah 4 –

“I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. ³ Two olive trees are by it, one at the right of the bowl and the other at its left.” Zechariah 4:2, 3

&

“These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.” Zechariah 4:14

This would also exclude even the great angels that stood before the Lord, such as Gabriel –

“I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. ²⁰ But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.” Luke 1:19, 20

These, and any other beings who occupy positions in the heaven, are found to be not worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals. As a point of doctrine, the KJV says, “And no man in heaven.” Saying, “no man,” instead of “no one” or “none,” could leave open the door for the allowance of Mary being considered a co-redemptrix as argued for by certain cults (such as the RCC). Using “no one” will also avoid any error of theology concerning angels being qualified. It will also ensure that the state of Christ, being the God/Man is understood as such.

Next, John says, “or on the earth.” No being on the earth is found worthy. As this is a heavenly scene, time is irrelevant. From Adam until the last human to be conceived within the stream of time, none are found worthy who dwell upon the earth. This is confirmed in the next words, saying, “or under the earth.”

This would be speaking of Hades (or Sheol of the Old Testament Hebrew). It is the place where the souls of the dead go. In that place, none are found worthy who have ever existed. Their lives were lived, they died, and they were set to remain in Hades for all eternity, unable to undo what Adam had done. As John says, “no one was able to open the scroll.”

The word translated as “able,” signifies having power, and thus ability. Even the most noble person, the most moral person, or the most intelligent person who ever existed would still not have the sufficient power to come forth into the presence of God and undo what had been done to cause the scroll to be rolled up and sealed. And further, John adds in the final words of the verse, “or to look at it.”

These words signify total unworthiness. Not only could they not take it into their hand, nor loose its seals, but they were unworthy to even take a momentary glance at the scroll. The state of either positional or moral unworthiness of all beings in creation excluded their even looking at it. Angels, for example, may be morally qualified, but their position as spirits excludes them. Humans may be positionally qualified, being of the seed of Adam, but their moral state as fallen beings who have inherited original sin excludes them. None are found worthy.

Life application: (1) No one in heaven – No human being who has ever lived and who is currently in the heavenly realms is qualified. Enoch, the seventh man from Adam, was translated directly to heaven because he “walked with God” – unworthy. Elijah, the great prophet of Israel, also went directly to heaven in a chariot of fire – unworthy. No angel in heaven as well. Due to their state in creation – unworthy.

(2) No one on the earth – Think of the people on the earth today who you may admire. Billy Graham – unworthy; the US president – Unworthy; some other noted pastor or politician – unworthy; you – unworthy; me – unworthy. Repeat this for the other 7 billion people on earth – all unworthy.

(3) No one under the earth – Every human who has ever existed since the creation of Adam and who is now resting in the dust from which they came… just think about it! Great men of God; great world leaders; missionaries; evangelists; heroes of the Bible – all unworthy.

And not only are all unable to open the scroll, we aren’t even worthy to look at it.

All humans have inherited Adam’s sin directly in three ways: Legally – we are legally in Adam because He is our federal head. Potentially – the very fact that we could exist as human beings brings us into direct contact with Adam. Seminally – all humans who actually exist (from the very moment of conception) are stained with Adam’s sin, having inherited it as a result of the fall. Death, which is the wages of sin, proves this. Even infant babies aren’t excluded.

As an important note, this verse disproves the immaculate conception of Mary. If Mary were born and had remained in a sinless state, then she would be worthy. But no one, including Mary the mother of Jesus, is worthy. This frightening passage should leave all of us humbled. We have no claim to boast before God because we are unworthy.

Lord, when we get thinking too highly of ourselves, simply looking into Your word reminds us that we are unworthy – wholly and completely. Our very existence testifies against us and we stand condemned. That You would send Jesus to cleanse us has all the more significance when we see our own fallen state. Thank You, O God, for Jesus. Amen.