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 - June 18, 2022
Expedient
The focus shifts to the Pharisees in John 11:46 John 11:45 tells us, "Many of the Jews that came to Mary and had seen the things Jesus did believed in Him." Wonderful result, but the Pharisees don’t take it that way. John 11:46 say, "But some of them walked away to the Pharisees and told them the things that Jesus did. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered and said, 'What shall we do for this man works many signs’.” You might remember in John chapter three, Nicodemus came to Jesus saying, "No man can do the signs you do unless God sent him." They didn't see it that way. John 11:48 says, "Everyone is going to believe in Him." In effect they are saying "We can't let that happen." Why? Because it would deprive them of their power, their prestige, and their wealth. "If everyone believes in Him," they said, "the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. And one of them Caiaphas being high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all. Neither do you consider that it's expedient for us that one man should die for the people. Not that the whole nation should perish." An evil man with evil designs saying evil things. Do we really believe that the Lord is in control? When we look at the leadership of this country? When we look at the criminals that want to rule over us, do we really believe that God is still on the throne? Do we believe that He has a plan and a purpose for everything that happens? Do we really trust that God works all things together for good? Do we really believe as Joseph said, "you intended it against me for evil, but God intended it for good?" We need to lighten up and we need to trust God. John 11:53 says, "Then from that day on, they plotted to put him to death. Therefore, Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country, near the wilderness to a city called Ephraim, and He remained there with His disciples." Do you know why he did that? Because He may wake, but He's never late. He had an appointment. His appointment came on Passover, the day the Jewish nation would reject their Messiah, and put Him on a cross and in the eyes of God, cease to exist as a nation. God would begin working with a new entity called the Church -- the Body of Christ. Soon to be the Bride of Christ. Not having rejected the nation of Israel, but having grafted the church into Israel to breathe life into her, to give her time to be brought back to that saving faith with which they had rejected. One day, as a nation, they will all respond to that faith. "Now both chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command that if anyone knew where he was, he should report it, that they might seize Him." We learn going on into the next chapter that they also plotted to kill Lazarus. And the reason they wanted to kill Lazarus and to kill Jesus is because this sign, this resuscitation. This miracle, this sign was so great. It produced such a hatred, such a violent reaction. The Jesus doom was sure from the standpoint of these people. Wouldn't it have been better if He just hadn't done it? I mean if He hadn't done this and hadn't done so many other signs, they might let Him live? Wouldn't that have been a good thing? Absolutely not. From the moment of His birth, through the duration of His life, He had his eyes fixed on the goal. The goal was the cross. The reason the cross was the goal was you and I. Has it ever struck you that when they scourged Him, they did it so brutally -- far more brutally than they would do any other prisoner -- It's the reason He could not carry His own cross. The world has no place for Christ. The world has no love for Christ. If Jesus Christ came back today, you know what they do it crucify Him again. But He has a place in your heart. He has a place in our lives. My friends, everything we have moves back to the cross. Could I also suggest that everything done at the cross relates to where you are right now? We may not know all we ought to know Martha certainly did not. We may not be completely surrendered, as we ought to be. With all her surrender even Mary was not. But we can trust in our brokenness and our frailty. We can increase our faith and our trust and our dependance on Him. Jesus Christ -- Glorified. Jesus Christ -- Resurrected. Jesus Christ -- Coming Again. The next time you ask, "Why?" Those are your answers – that God may be glorified and that we may believe.
