Chapter 5:1-14
We were never told to go and preach the Bible. We just weren't.
We were told to "Go into all the world and preach the gospel." (Mark 16:15)
The Word of God (the Bible) is designed to point us to the
person of the gospel, Jesus Christ. Jesus, Paul and the other New Testament
writers used the Old Testament to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. No matter
where you are reading, teaching or preaching in the Bible, it is about the
life, death and resurrection of Christ.
Christianity is not about rules, history, science, social
ills, or some philosophical concept of God. Christianity is about Jesus Christ.
He is to be the in-all, of-all, by-all and through-all of everything we are,
do, say and think.
Paul wrote, "For I have resolved to know nothing
while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." (1 Corinthians
2:2)
Here in the Book of the Revelation Christ is magnified
beyond imagination. He is shown to be worthy of praise, adulation and worship.
Verse 1 - The Book of the seven seals. The scene here is
the same as in chapter 4. The cherubim, the 24 elders, the crystal platform,
the diamond and ruby glory of God, the emerald rainbow, the lightning and
thunder, the Holy Spirit and all the hosts of heaven praising God are still
there.
God, the one on the throne, Holds a scroll (GK: biblion) written on both
sides and sealed seven times, indicating that it was a perfect contract; a
title deed to the earth and the universe. It is the same scroll Ezekiel saw in
Ezekiel 2:9. It is a scroll of doom and of redemption.
Verse 2 - Only a qualified, authorized person could open
the scroll. An angel whose voice could be heard by the entire universe and
Heaven cried out for someone qualified.
Verses 3-4 - Nobody qualified and worthy could be found.
This caused John to weep bitterly.
Verse 5 - The elder proclaims that his weeping was
unnecessary. He instructs John to look and see the Lion of Judah, the root of
David...Christ, Himself. He has triumphed and is worthy and able to open the
scroll.
Verse 6 - When John looked he saw a Lamb that looked as
though it had been slain. This, of course, was the perfect Lamb of God slain
for your redemption and mine!
Verse 8 -
The instant the Lamb took the scroll, every being present fell down and
worshiped Him. Christ is worthy to be the center of our worship. He should be
the focus every time we meet to worship. In worship, it is Him or nothing.
Verses 9-10 - All of those gathered sang the third stanza
of the song that started in chapter 4 and concludes in chapter 5. Here it is a
stanza proclaiming that Christ is worthy to open the scroll and that His blood
was shed for the redemption of every tribe, language, people and nation. It is
a stanza that tell us we are a kingdom of priests whose job it is to serve God.
Verses 11-12 - Now the chorus is joined by an uncountable
number of angels. They circle the throne and sing the 4th stanza. It repeats
Christ's worthiness and ascribes to Him power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor,
glory and praise!
Verse 13 - The final chorus of the song is sung by every
living thing ever created. That must be very loud. The singers proclaim
Christ's power again and proclaim that His attributes will last forever and
ever. That's not only a long time, it is beyond time. It is eternity.
Here is
the song in its entirety:
Verse 1 (sung by a quartet) -
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God
Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come!
Verse 2 (sung by a large
ensemble) - You are worthy, our Lord and
God to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by
your will they were created and have their being.
Verse 3 (sung by a large
choir) - You are worthy to take the
scroll and to open its seals,
Because you were slain and with your blood you
purchased me for God from every tribe and language and people and nations.You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to
serve our God,
And they will reign on the earth.
Verse 4 (sung by uncountable
thousands) - Worthy is the Lamb who was
slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory
and praise.
Verse 5 (sung by every
creature ever created) - To him who wits
on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power for ever
and ever!
Verse 14 - The four living creatures (KJV: beasts) of 4:6 proclaimed AMEN, meaning LET IT
BE SO! And the elders (a picture of the raptured church) fell down and
worshiped Christ.
Church,
let us remember that we gather every Sunday to celebrate a risen Savior and to
WORSHIP HIM! Let us stay our minds on HIM. Let us sing of HIM. Let us bow
before HIM. Let us exalt HIM.
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