<< Previous | Index | Next >>"THE BOOK OF REVELATION" Worthy Is The Lamb! (5:1-14) INTRODUCTION 1. The scene that began in chapter four continues in chapter five... a. The theme of chapter four can be stated as "God is on His throne!" b. The theme of chapter five may be called "Worthy is the Lamb!" 2. Both chapters appear designed to set the stage for what follows... a. That God is ultimately in control as He sits on His throne b. That the Lamb (Jesus Christ) is worthy to reveal to His servants what God has given Him - cf. Re 1:1 3. As we read this chapter, we do well to consider... a. What is revealed about the Lamb (Jesus), and what His death accomplished b. The impact this scene would have had on the persecuted Christians in Asia Minor [And so let us begin with...] I. THE SCROLL AND THE LAMB (1-7) A. THE SCROLL IN GOD'S RIGHT HAND... 1. Written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals - Re 5:1 2. The proclamation by the strong angel - Re 5:2 a. "Who is worthy?" b. "To open and the scroll and to loose its seals?" 3. The initial response - Re 5:3 a. No one, in heaven, on the earth, under the earth! b. No one, able to open the scroll, or to look at it! 4. John's reaction: "So I wept much, because no one was found worthy..." - Re 5:4 -- John sensed that whatever was written in the scroll was of great importance! B. THE ONE WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL... 1. Comforting words of one of the elders to John - Re 5:5 a. "Do not weep" b. "Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David" c. Who "has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals" 2. John's description of the Lamb - Re 5:6-7 a. Standing in the midst of the throne, the four living creatures, and the elders b. A Lamb as though it had been slain 1) Having seven horns and seven eyes 2) Which are the seven Spirits of God sent into all the earth - cf. Re 3:1 c. Who takes the scroll out of God's right hand -- Though not mentioned by name at this point, clearly this is Jesus, the Lamb of God! [The scroll clearly represents "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants things which must shortly take place." (Re 1:1) When the seals are loosed, the things which must shortly take place will begin to be revealed. But first, John describes an amazing scene in which...] II. THE LAMB IS PRAISED (8-14) A. BY THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES AND TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS... 1. Each having: a. A harp - Re 5:8 b. Golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints - ibid. -- Note: this does not justify the use of instrumental music and incense in the worship of the church, any more than it would be to offer slain lambs in our worship. The incense clearly represents the prayers of the saints; perhaps the harps represent the melody in our hearts - cf. Ep 5:19; Col 3:16 (for more on this, see Music In New Testament Worship (Part I) and (Part II) 2. They sang a new song (the living creatures and elders singing on behalf of those redeemed to God) a. The Lamb is worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals - Re 5:9 b. For He was slain and has redeemed them to God by His blood out of every tribe, tongue, people and nation - Re 5:9; cf. Mt 28:19-20; Mk 16:15-16 c. He has made them kings and priests to God, to reign on the earth - Re 5:10; cf. Ep 2:4-6; Col 1:13; 1Pe 2:9; Re 1:9; 2:26-27; 3:21; 20:4-6 -- In Christ we are a "royal priesthood", a kingdom of kings and priests! B. BY 100 MILLION ANGELS PLUS... 1. Their voices heard around the throne, along with the living creatures and the elders - Re 5:11 2. Saying with a loud voice - Re 5:12 a. "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain" b. "To receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing" -- If such heavenly creatures praise the Lamb as worthy, how much more should we! C. TOGETHER WITH HIM (GOD) WHO SITS ON THE THRONE... 1. John then hears every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the sea praising both God on His throne and the Lamb who was slain - Re 5:13 a. "Blessing and honor and glory and power..." b. "Be to Him who sits on throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!" 2. Upon which John describes - Re 5:14 a. The four living creatures said "Amen!" b. The twenty-four elders fell down and worshipped Him who lives forever and ever -- If every creature offers God and Jesus blessing, honor, and power, how much more should we! CONCLUSION 1. This awesome scene would certainly encourage faithful Christians. As stated by Ray Summers: "Such a scene was calculated to bring new courage and new hope to the hearts of John's first readers, the persecuted Christians of Asia; it brings the same cheer to Christian hearts in any age. Believing in the power of God (Ch. 4) and the redeeming love of God (Ch. 5), there is no enemy or force of evil which Christians need to fear. They can enter the conflict or endure the evil knowing that God is still on His throne; He has not laid aside His scepter; He has not abandoned His throne to any other." 2. What will the scroll reveal when the seals are loosed? a. I believe it divulges God's righteous indignation upon those who reject His Christ and persecute His people, and how His suffering saints would eventually overcome b. As long as the scroll was sealed, the workings of God was still a mystery. But as the seals are broken (Re 6:1-8:1), we have: "the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants -- things which must shortly take place." (Re 1:1)<< Previous | Index | Next >>
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