Revelation (Written)

Wednesday, 4 November 2020

Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” Revelation 5:2

A scroll has just been openly presented to whoever could take it from the hand of the One seated on the throne. This was certain because it was “on” His right hand. Thus, it could be taken without hindrance. But now, a caveat is brought into the heavenly scene. John says, “Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice.”

This angel may, likewise, be a presentation of Christ Jesus. The reason this is so is that the word aggelos, or “angel,” simply means “a messenger.” The word corresponds directly to the Hebrew word for messenger which is used when speaking of the Angel of the Lord in the Old Testament, including that of Jesus – the malak, or “Messenger” – in Malachi 3:1 –

“’Behold, I send My messenger,
And he will prepare the way before Me.
And the Lord, whom you seek,
Will suddenly come to His temple,
Even the Messenger of the covenant,
In whom you delight.
Behold, He is coming,’
Says the Lord of hosts.”

There, the same word is speaking first of John the Baptist – “My messenger” – and then of Christ Jesus – “the Messenger of the covenant.” The reason this “angel” may be another revelation of Christ is because of the description of another angel in Revelation 10:1-4 that reflects the attributes of the Lord. However, as nothing more is said of this messenger here, it could simply be a created angel that makes proclamations before the Lord, such as the angel Gabriel.

And, indeed, it has been surmised that this is the angel Gabriel who has been the bearer of God’s revelation to certain people throughout redemptive history. He specifically appeared to Daniel, Zechariah, and Mary, and may have appeared at other times as an unnamed herald of God’s message. Gabriel means something like “mighty one of God,” and this would fit the description here of a “strong angel.” The matter, either way, stands as speculative.

What is of great importance is what this angel proclaims with his loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” The idea here is of moral entitlement. Who is morally fit to open the scrolls? This is reflective of John the Baptist’s statement in John 1 –

“John answered them, saying, ‘I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. ²⁷ It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.’” John 1:27, 28

The reason it is certain this speaks of moral entitlement is because the offer is made from the Most Holy One sitting upon the throne. He is pure and undefiled, and in Him is only righteousness, justice, and holiness. As this offer is made from Him, anyone that approaches Him must be, likewise, in such a pure and undefiled state.

The offer is made. Who, if any, will come forward to accept it?

Life application: In the previous verse, we were introduced to the scroll sealed with seven seals in the “right hand of Him who sat on the throne.” This scroll had writing on both sides and is the will or title deed to which Adam lost the right when he disobeyed God. Since that time there have been many billions of humans on the earth. The question is now put forth asking if any are found worthy to come forward, accept it, and open its seals. Is anyone who has lived since Adam qualified to restore and accept responsibility for that which he willfully lost?

The words are waiting to be unsealed. This implies that they were at one point sealed, that they have been sealed since then, and that someone is expected to unseal them at some point. In Daniel 12:9 there is a parallel thought concerning sealed words – “And he said, ‘Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.’”

This statement was precipitated by the following words –

“At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book.
² And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
³ Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever.” Daniel 12:1-3

Daniel was told about the events of a coming day that would be centered on the nation of Israel, but which would encompass the entire world in mass destruction. This time is known as the Tribulation Period, and it comes more clearly into focus throughout the rest of the Bible…if only someone is worthy to open the scroll and loose its seals. Stay tuned.

Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals? Lord, we – Your people – know that we are not. Where Adam failed, we continue to fail. We have come short of Your holiness and have not been perfect. But thank You, O God, that our sins are covered by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. We know that because of Him, our sins are forgiven. Thank You, O God, for Jesus! Amen.

Tuesday, 3 November 2020

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Revelation 5:1

Chapter 5 begins with a scene that reveals an instance that was previously described in Chapter 4. There it said –

“Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne…” Revelation 4:9, 10

As noted then, the word “Whenever” signifies “at the time when the condition is met.” Thus, this doesn’t indicate a rote form of worship, but rather it comes at different occasions. Also, it indicates that it occurs periodically but continuously. All of Chapter 5 is such a scene, fulfilling the meaning of “whenever.” This is seen in the last verse of Chapter 5 –

“Then the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever” (5:14).

Understanding this, the heavenly scene begins with, “And I saw in the right hand of Him.” The Greek reads epi, or upon. “And I saw upon the right hand of Him.” One can think of someone with a scroll in their hand. As an offer to another to take it, the hand is extended forward, and the fingers relax from holding it. Thus, it is now “upon” the hand and offered without restraint.

The imagery of this is important for what will continue to be said in this heavenly scene. That which is offered is open and accessible to be taken. This is in the hand of the One “who sat on the throne.” This is God in Christ making an offer available to be taken. There is nothing from His aspect that will restrain what is in His hand. The scroll is upon the hand, and all that needs to happen is for someone to take it.

And that which is offered is “a scroll written inside and on the back.” This scroll is what is known in the times of John as an opisthograph, meaning a scroll written on both sides. This is reflective of what is stated in Ezekiel 2 –

“Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. ¹⁰ Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe.” Ezekiel 2:9, 10

For other options besides this being an opisthograph, and for some of the possible meanings of what this scroll is, Reading Acts provides a detailed analysis of it at this link – https://readingacts.com/2018/04/15/revelation-5-what-is-the-scroll/

Of this scroll, it then says that it is “sealed with seven seals.” Of this arrangement, Vincent’s Word Studies notes –

“Sealed (κατεσφραγισμένον). Only here in the New Testament. The preposition κατά denotes sealed down. So Rev., close sealed. The roll is wound round a staff and fastened down to it with the seven seals. The unrolling of the parchment is nowhere indicated in the vision. Commentators have puzzled themselves to explain the arrangement of the seals, so as to admit of the unrolling of a portion with the opening of each seal.”

In the link provided above from Reading Acts, several viewpoints on what the scroll and what its contents signify are given. The important point to consider is not merely the seals themselves, nor what is written upon the scroll, but equally so is what is stated about it here in Chapter 5. In taking in what is said concerning it here, the symbolism becomes evident.

This is especially so in the doxology of praise found in verses 5:9, 10. It explains what is contained within the scroll, and its significance goes back to the Garden of Eden itself, but the typology is beautifully revealed in the book of Ruth. To understand that book, and what it is typologically picturing, you are invited to watch the 13-part series (written or on YouTube) presented by the Superior Word. In understanding that, the contents of the scroll are made clear. In short, and as an acceptable explanation, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown states –

“The roll, or book, appears from the context to be ‘the title-deed of man’s inheritance’ [De Burgh] redeemed by Christ, and contains the successive steps by which He shall recover it from its usurper and obtain actual possession of the kingdom already ‘purchased’ for Himself and His elect saints. However, no portion of the roll is said to be unfolded and read; but simply the seals are successively opened, giving final access to its contents being read as a perfect whole, which shall not be until the events symbolized by the seals shall have been past, when Eph 3:10 shall receive its complete accomplishment, and the Lamb shall reveal God’s providential plans in redemption in all their manifold beauties. Thus the opening of the seals will mean the successive steps by which God in Christ clears the way for the final opening and reading of the book at the visible setting up of the kingdom of Christ.”

Life application: As noted, the One seated on the throne – the Lord God Almighty, is Jesus. It is He who continuously reveals the unseen God to us. As we continue, other representations of Him will be interacting with each other, but all of them are Jesus. There is no contradiction here. Rather, each is simply one aspect or another of God revealing Himself to us through Him.

The scroll being in the right hand of the One on throne signifies the position of authority. It is where Jesus rules from (see Acts 2:33 for example). This indicates that He has the authority over what is in the scroll. The scroll is “written inside and on the back.” Normally, scrolls only had writing on one side, especially if they were papyrus scrolls. This is because of the way they were made. The pen used for writing would easily catch on the vertical cracks of the back side of a scroll. This scroll then is of great importance because John specifically notes that it has writing on both sides.

Concerning the scrolls, ancient Roman wills were sealed with seven seals, and this is certainly what is being referred to here – a will or title deed. A parallel from the Old Testament comes from Jeremiah 32 where Jeremiah is told to purchase land and the deed is recorded on a scroll –

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is sealed and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days.’” Jeremiah 32:14

This account occurred when the land of Israel would be lost due to their rebellion and the forces of evil Babylon would take control of it. But Jeremiah was given a sure promise –

“For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.’” Jeremiah 32:15

Just as fallen man lost the right to the title deed of the land he was given, Jesus regained that right, having purchased it with His own death after fulfilling the Law in Himself (the earthen Vessel where the law was kept). “For where there is a testament, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. Hebrews 9:16

O God! That You had a plan, even from the very beginning to restore us to Paradise through the life, death, and resurrection of Your own precious Son, our Lord Jesus – it is beyond marvelous. He came and dwelt in an earthen vessel so that we might be reconciled to You. How amazing are Your ways, O God. Glory to You in the highest! Amen.

Monday, 2 November 2020

“You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:11

The words here are those uttered by the twenty-four elders noted in the previous verse. When the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the One on the throne, the elders fall down before Him in worship, cast their crowns before the throne, and utter these words, beginning with, “You are worthy, O Lord.”

Here, some manuscripts say, “our Lord and our God,” instead of “O Lord.” Others say, “the Holy One.” Despite the variations, the attention is focused on the One on the throne. This is Christ Jesus – fully God and fully Man. He is worthy because He is God. As such, it is right and proper that He “receive glory and honor and power.”

It is true that there are heretics who deny the deity of Christ, and thus deny that He is the one being referred to. However, the contents of this verse, and those of verses ahead in Chapter 5, will refute that notion.

First, the words here change from those of verse 4:9, which said, “glory and honor and thanks.” Instead, “thanks” is changed to “power.” God has all power. And yet, here it is said that the one on the throne receives power. That is reflective of the words of Matthew 28:18, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

With authority comes the power to exercise that authority. Likewise, Paul says in Ephesians 1 –

“which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” Ephesians 1:20, 21

The idea here is that the humanity of Christ is exalted above all things in the creation that He in His deity created. He never stopped being God, and yet in the incarnation, He united with creation in order to redeem. That will be seen in Chapter 5. For now, the focus is on the creative aspect of God in Christ. As it next says, “For You created all things.”

The New Testament evidence of Christ the Creator is overwhelming. But two citations are enough –

“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 were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” John 1:1-3

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ¹⁶ For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” Colossians 1:15, 16

Understanding that God in Christ is the Creator, the elders next proclaim, “And by Your will they exist and were created.” Here, the creation is said to “exist.” The verb is in the imperfect tense. It is a way of saying that a state of existence (or an action) was still going on in the past. As Cambridge translates and explains it, “Read they were: not exactly ‘they came into being,’ but ‘they had their being.’”

In the fact that these things came into existence by Him, and because they still exist now, it indicates that not only were they created, but they continue to be sustained by Him. In other words, there is implied in the doxology the thought of continuance. That is reflected in what is said of Christ Jesus in these verses –

“And *he* is before all, and all things subsist together by him.” Colossians 1:17 (Darby)

“who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Hebrews 1:3

It is God in Christ Jesus that accomplished the creative effort, and it is He who continues to sustain the creation now and forever. As the Creator, He is before all things, and therefore all things owe Him the acknowledgment of this. We are wholly dependent on His will, and to Him alone is praise and honor and glory and power to be ascribed.

Life application: As noted above, this verse forms the first doxology of praise from the twenty-four elders, and it encompasses the concept of creation. In the next chapter, there will be a doxology referring to redemption.

These same concepts form the reason for the fourth of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 and then in Deuteronomy 5. Further, they are given in the same order. Thus, these doxologies are tying the Lord (Jesus) of Revelation in with the Lord (Yehovah) of the Old Testament. He is the Creator, and He is the Redeemer.

Reviewing those verses will show us this –

“For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:11

“And remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.” Deuteronomy 5:15

Jesus is the One who was there at the beginning – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). If He created these things, then He was there before they came to exist. He created what is from what was not (creation ex nihilo) and therefore He was before they came to be. Everything was in His mind and then He spoke it all into existence. Because of this, everything belongs to Him and the purpose of His act of creation is to bring Himself glory.

And not only did He create all things, but He is currently and continuously sustaining all things. Man doesn’t need the Bible to understand the necessity of a Creator and a Sustainer. These concepts can be thought through, understood, and supported by reason and intellect alone.

Once these things are grasped, then all mankind needs to do is to search out where this infinite Mind has revealed Himself. There is only one text that accurately defines what we can know about this glorious Creator – the Holy Bible. Reason alone excludes all other religions and religious texts on earth and confirms the God of the Bible as the One true God. Jesus Christ is the full, complete, and only proper revelation of this Creator. He is the Lord God Almighty… He is JESUS.

Oh God! To plumb the depth and riches of Your word, the Holy Bible, is something that we will be able to do forever. There is no end to the wisdom and beauty of what You have given us in its pages. You are worthy, O God, to receive glory, and honor, and praise, and power. Amen!

Sunday, 1 November 2020

the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: Revelation 4:10

The verse here should be taken together with the previous verse, but – like the previous verse – all of the verbs are actually in the future tense. They will be underlined to reflect this –

“Whenever the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰ the twenty-four elders shall fall down before Him who sits on the throne and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne, saying:” Revelation 4:9, 10

At the intervals where the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the Lord, John tells us that “the twenty-four elders [shall] fall down before Him who sits on the throne.” As Ellicott says, “The future tense (shall give glory, &c.) implies the eternal repetition of the act.” And again, as Bengel states, “Each future expresses a simultaneous act of giving of glory on the part of the beasts and on the part of the elders: and, at the same time, it has a frequentative force: As often as the beasts give glory, immediately the elders fall.”

It is to be noted that the homage paid by the twenty-four elders is directed to the same One as is the glory and honor and thanks given by the beasts. Both verses refer to “Him who sits on the throne.” The four beasts (symbolically representing the four gospels) direct their worship toward Jesus Christ. He is the one on display throughout them. The twenty-four elders (the heavenly government and worship) respond in accord with the attention focused on by the gospels.

In other words, what the gospels proclaim and call out for in glory, honor, and thanks is then confirmed by the heavenly government in worship as well. Jesus Christ is the God/Man who possesses all authority in heaven and on earth, and all worship is to be directed to Him. Understanding this, John next says, “and worship Him who lives forever and ever.”

Again, the same phrase is repeated from the previous verse. The gospels testify to the eternality of Christ, and the heavenly government and worship are directed to this One who is eternal. Everything centers on the fact that Christ is this eternal being. As He said in Revelation 1:18, “I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen.”

It is He who came from the eternal realm, it is He who prevailed over death, and it is He who lives forevermore. This is testified to in the gospels, and this is what is acknowledged by the heavenly government. Because of this, the response of the elders is that they “cast their crowns before the throne.” What they will say is found in the coming verse. For now, the note of them casting their crowns signifies that this is understood and acknowledged as such.

The casting of these royal crowns signifies that the honor of the heavenly authority belongs to the One on the throne. There is the sense of humiliation before the King. No creature, even the heavenly government, possesses any glory apart from Him, and to Him it alone belongs.

Life application: The elders in this verse have been given golden crowns, signifying their right and authority to rule, but they defer the honor to the One who seated them. In like manner, Jesus is the One who bought each person back from a state of spiritual deadness and restored to him the blessing of eternal life. Therefore, whatever crowns we shall possess are gracious bestowals from a gracious King. In the end, any honor we possess – from now and throughout all eternity – is because it was granted to us by the Lord.

In all ways, what we have comes from Him. He gave us life as the Creator, He gave us freedom from the law as our Redeemer, He gave us the power to grow in holiness as the One who sanctifies us, and He has given us the future promise of glorification.

Jesus was there at the beginning, He is here now, and – being eternal – He will always be before us. Some commentaries state that the One on the throne to whom the elders cast their crowns is God the Father, but as noted before (and as will be noted again in the coming chapters) Jesus is the One who reveals the unseen God. Therefore, every manifestation of God that we see is Jesus (the Son) continuously revealing what the Father has ordained.

Lord God, we stand amazed at who You are and in what You have done. The marvel and intricacy of the universe displays Your glory, and yet You were willing to unite with humanity in Christ, lowering Your station to redeem us from our sins. How can such love exist? What is it about man that brought this to pass? Our hearts are full of wonder at Your workings, O God. Amen.

Saturday, 31 October 2020

Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, Revelation 4:9

John just said that the four living creatures do not rest, both day and night, as they praise the Lord God almighty. Now, it says, “Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks.” The Greek is in the future tense. It more rightly says, “Whenever the living creatures shall give…” Taking the thoughts from the two verses together from English versions, it seems to say that this is an endless cycle – praise and then result; praise and then result.

And it is true that this is something that will occur forever, but the wording in English translations fails to give the full sense. The word “whenever” is the Greek word hotan, (at the time when the condition is met). Thus, this doesn’t indicate a rote form of worship, but rather it comes at different levels, and it occurs periodically but continuously.

Whenever these living creatures give glory – at any time, be it day or night – then the words here will come to pass. They shall give (future tense) doxan, or “glory.” This word forms our word “doxology.” Thayer’s Lexicon says this is to “give or describe glory to God, why and how being evident from each case in the context: thus by declaring one’s gratitude to God for a benefit received.”

They also give timen, or “honor.” This is described as “the honor which one has by reason of rank and state of office which he holds.”

And, they also give eucharistan, or “thanks.” This forms our word “Eucharist.” The case in which this word is used indicates “the giving of thanks for God’s grace” (HELPS Word Studies).

Each of these is directed “to Him who sits on the throne.” The verb “sits” is a present participle. For all eternity, meaning the ages of ages, what is described here shall come to pass. As was previously explained, this is speaking of Jesus. He stated it in verse 3:9 –

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

To confirm that this is speaking of Jesus, John adds in another descriptor, saying it is He “who lives forever and ever.” That is explained by Jesus in verse 1:18 (and elsewhere) –

“I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.”

Life application: A similar phase to the one in this verse is used several other times in the book of Revelation. The point being made is that God has determined that Jesus Christ is to be the focal point for all of humanity to praise Him. Jesus Christ is the one who makes all things new.

We normally have the human form of Jesus firmly fixed in our minds, and when we hear that glorious and exalted name, it is this human form that we tend to mentally reflect on. But Jesus Christ is also fully God and He is the “image of the invisible God.” In other words, all of the glory of God is revealed through the Person of Jesus Christ. Every good and wonderful thing we see with our eyes came from God, and it is therefore only a minute reflection of the infinite glory of our Creator – the Creator who is our eternally glorious and worthy Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

May we never fail to remember that He is wholly worthy of our glory, honor, and thanks. He is great. He is glorious. He is JESUS.

What an amazing and glorious King of the Universe is revealed to us in the pages of the book of Revelation. If the heavenly creatures stand in awe of the splendor of the Lord, how much more should we. Let us never forget that the One who washed the dirty feet of the disciples is also the Lord of all Creation. He is Jesus. Hallelujah and Amen!