Revelation 5:1-14
John had been transported to heaven and
personally witnessed the throne room where God made His dwelling place
(Revelation 4). The redeemed of the church (represented by the 24
elders) were present with four creatures (angels) who worshipped God day
and night. Believers also joined the angels in worship of God who was
the Creator of all things and proclaimed His worthiness to receive
glory, honor, and power (4:11). The scene continues when God takes a
"scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals" (5:1).
Some have concluded that the scroll represents the title deed of the
earth. An angel cries out, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to
loose its seals?" Revelation 5:3 reveals that there was no one found in
heaven or earth worthy to loosen the seals of the scroll. John begins to
weep, but one of the 24 elders tells him not to weep because "the Lion
of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the
scroll and to loose its seven seals" (5:4-5). These names were in
reference to the Messiah whom God promised would defeat sin and death
and set up a kingdom ruled in righteousness (Genesis 49:8-12; Isaiah
11). John looks up and standing before him is a "Lamb as though it had
been slain...then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of
Him who sat on the throne" (5:7). This Lamb is Jesus Christ who had been
slain in order to pay the penalty for sin. Hundreds of years earlier
the prophet Isaiah described the future Messiah as the one who would
take "our griefs and carried our sorrows...He was wounded for our
transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities...by His stripes we
are healed...the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah
53:4-6). When Jesus Christ takes the scroll, the four creatures and
elders fall down and sing "You are worthy to take the scroll and open
its seals; for you were slain and have redeemed us to God by Your blood
out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us
kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth" (5:8-10).
Jesus' death on the behalf of sinners makes Him worthy to take the
scroll! In reaction to Jesus taking the scroll, an innumerable group
begins proclaiming the worthiness of Jesus to take the scroll (5:11-14).
Jesus Christ is the Messiah and came to earth to take our sin upon
Himself. Paul writes to the church at Corinth, " For He made Him who
knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of
God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). God the Father demanded righteousness
from man but through Adam sin and death entered the world passing over
all men (Romans 5:12). The penalty of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and
ultimately is necessary to satisfy the wrath of God upon sin. Sin cannot
be forgiven unless the punishment for it is carried out. God loved man
so much that He sent His only Son, born of a virgin, to earth in order
to take the punishment every man deserved because of their sin. Paul
says that Jesus took our sin and gave us His righteousness, which is
what God demands. Paul writes in Romans 5:8-9 "But God demonstrates His
own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be
saved from wrath through Him."
Dear God, thank You for Jesus who paid for my sin on the cross. He is worthy to be praised!