Title Deed to Everything

Who is worthy of owning everything? Who is worthy of claiming the title deed to the earth? Jesus Christ, of course.

Revelation 5:1 starts, “I saw in the right hand of Him the sat on the throne.” That’s significant because we know that at the resurrection of Jesus Christ, according to Psalm 110:1, where was Jesus seated? “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” So, the Lord Jesus is going to have to go very far to receive this from the Almighty, because He’s right there. “In the right hand of Him who sat on the throne, a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.” What is the significance of being written inside and on the back? It was typical of a title deed in the ancient world that it would be written front and back and then it would be sealed. The fact that it’s sealed with seven seals shows something very important. To break the seal, back then, you had to be the person to whom the deed was given.

While weeping and as John admits, he reports in Revelation 5:5 that “One of the elders said to him, “Behold the lion of the tribe of Judah has prevailed.” When did Jesus prevail? Obviously, on the cross. “It is finished.” That was Christ’s victory. “He has prevailed to open the scroll and to lose is seven seals. “And I looked,” John says in Revelation 5:6, “and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders stood a Lamb.” Jesus, The Lamb of God, is standing “as though it had been slain having seven horns and seven eyes.” Once again, symbolism is being used. It’s not always describing the actual appearance of the person is describing something about them. And the horn in Scripture is a symbol of strength, power, and authority. And the eyes, intelligence. “So it had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God set out in the earth. And he came and he took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne when he had taken the scroll. The four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the lamb, each having a harp and golden bowls of incense which are the prayers of the saints.” Did you ever stop and think that every prayer you pray is on record? And it says here that the prayers are incense offered before God. Before the veil separating the Holy of Holies, the assigned priest would light the altar of incense and the smoke of it would go up. And what was it a picture of? It was a picture of the prayers of the saints.

In Revelation 5:9,” they sang a new song.” Who is singing the new song? Well, it’s the elders and those who are with it, and I include us in that group. They sang a new song. “You are worthy to take the scroll and open a seal for you were slain.” The idea of redemption when it relates to people has the slave market in mind. You’re a slave. You’re standing on the slave block. Redemption means to pay the price to set you free and then you were let go. That’s the idea of redemption. “You have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue.” No group not represented. And notice in Revelation 5:10, “you have made us kings and priests.” Who again are these people? Church age believers. No Old Testament believer was King Priest. 1st Peter 2:9 says, “we are a royal priesthood.” The very fact that these people are singing and saying, “You redeemed us and you have made us kings and priest,” tell us, those are church age believers. Are any believers in the tribulation going to be royal priests? No. Church age only. That’s one of the privileges we have that no one of any other time of history is going to enjoy among many, many of the things that we have in Christ.

Revelation 5:10 concludes, “…and we shall reign on the earth.“ One day I believe each one of us is going to be a lot of certain responsibilities in the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. And we’re going to exercise authority. John says in Revelation 5:11, “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was 10,000 times 10,000 saying with a loud voice say, ‘Worthy is the lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.” Now we’ve had the first chorus church sing, second the second chorus is angels. Revelation 5:13 says, “and every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and as are in the sea and all that are in them. I heard saying blessing and honor and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne under the Lamb forever and ever.” There is a day coming when every created thing is going to be singing praises to Jesus Christ. In fact, the Old Testament tells us that when the kingdom begins, the mountains and the hills and the trees and the rivers will begin to sing. You might think that this is just imagery. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem and the Pharisees rebuked his disciples, to stop speaking messianic prophecy. Jesus replied, “I tell you of these keep silent the rocks of the earth would cry out. I believe it’s going to happen one day. I can’t wait to see all creation, just joining in and singing, “blessing and honor and glory and power to Him who sits on the throne in the land forever and ever. Revelation 5:14, ends the chapter, “The four living creatures said, ‘Amen!” and the 24 elders fell down and worshiped Him, who lives forever and ever.” That is the last beautiful picture that you’re going to see until Chapter 20.

Gene Cunningham - August 18, 2022

"...they were eating and drinking..."

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Matthew 24:37 says, "But as the days of Noah, so also will be the coming of the son of man. For as in the days before the flood they were eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage." Let me ask you a question. What is wrong with those activities? This is not self-indulgence. They were eating. They were drinking. They were marrying. What's wrong with that? Now, the point here is not how nasty they were, although no doubt they're going to be nasty. In the days before the flood they were really nasty people, but Jesus is making a point here. It is not how sinful they were, but how deluded they were to think that everything was going to go on as it always had. Peter said in 2nd Peter chapter 3, "...scoffers are going to come with their scoffing, saying, 'Where is the promise of his coming forever since the fathers fell asleep? All things continue as they were until this present time.'" The people in Noah's time thought time was going to go on forever, and it was not. And then what happened? "...until the day that Noah entered the ark." By the way, who closed the door? God closed the door. God sealed the family in. That's a picture of us being placed in Christ and sealed in Christ. When judgment falls on the earth, we rise up above the judgment. This is another analogy of the rapture of the church.Matthew 24:39. "And they did not know." Could they have known? They should have known. Noah was preaching for 120 years and they did not know "until the flood came and took them all away. So also will be the coming of the son of man." Let me ask you a question in Matthew 24:39 who got taken away? Unbelievers. What does "took away" mean? They died in the flood. Read the parables and ask yourself how how if at all they can be applied to the church. They cannot be applied to the church. Matthew 24:40 says, "then two men will be in the field. One will be taken and the other left." Taken in the rapture? And the other one is left? That's not what Jesus is teaching. "Two women will be grinding at the mill. One will be taken, and the other left." And these are taught as if they refer to the Rapture. But remember, Jesus is not talking to the church. In Matthew 24 and 25, He's talking to Israel. And "the taken" is based on those that were "taken" at the flood, and that were "taken away" in judgment. The ones who are taken here in Matthew 24:40-41 are unbelievers at the end of the tribulation period when Jesus Christ returns with the armies of Heaven. They are taken away in judgment They are removed from the Earth. They are killed in the Battle of Armageddon. Matthew 24:42 says, "Watch. Therefore, for you do not know when our Lord is coming." In other words, be vigilant. Be alert. "...Know this that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come he would have watched and not allowed. His house could be broken." If you knew that tonight at 2:30 in the morning a thief was going to attack your house, what would you do? You wouldn't go to sleep. You'd be armed and ready, and you'd be waiting for him. You maybe even leave the front door unlocked. What is the point? The point is, you "don't know the hour" and therefore you have to watch all the time. Be vigilant. Matthew 24:44 says, "Therefore, you also be ready for the son of man is coming at an hour when you are not expecting." How do you get ready if you were living in this time; how do you get ready? Number one, you better "believe" (Acts 16:31) that's the first thing. You better make sure that you are a child of God by faith in Jesus Christ. And then number two, you make sure that you're in the Word and in the will of God doing what he's called you (2Pe 3:18). Do stay alert. Stay vigilant. You're looking and you're waiting.