Enter your e-mail address below to get Musing Upchurch sent directly to your in-box!

Past Ponderings

Saturday, February 5, 2022

What’s The Plan? (Revelation 5)

VIDEO

 What’s The Plan? (Revelation 5)

GIST: We need God’s rescue plan, and Jesus came to provide that, so we can and should rejoice.


Today, we’re coming to chapter 5 of Revelation. Like I said last week, chapters 4-5 are really one connected vision. Chapter 4 unfolded a scene in Heaven. We were shown the breathtaking throne of God with all creation worshiping the holy, eternal creator, and we were reminded that not only is life all about this marvelous God, but that we can trust Him. Chapter 5 has the same setting, and the events here build on that same message. Before we can hope to understand the rest of the book, we must understand who is completely in charge of these events. What we actually have here is a beautiful picture of the gospel—the good news, God’s rescue plan, the balance between judgment and grace. 

Rather than read the whole passage in opening here, for the sake of time, I’ll try to break this down as we walk through it, but here’s our gist: We need God’s rescue plan, and Jesus came to provide that, so we can and should rejoice. Let’s dive in!


I. We Need God’s Rescue Plan

1 Then I saw in the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 

Again, this is immediately following chapter 4's vision of the throne of God. John sees God the Father seated on the throne (in the place of majesty and authority) holding in His right hand (a sign of strength and power which further places an emphasis on the control He has over it) a scroll with a lot of writing on it. 

There are two points to note here about the scroll. First, from what I have studied, it was not typical to have writing on both sides of a scroll. The material used made it more difficult to write on the back side. The only times this was done were when the writer could not afford more scrolls to write on or felt the material so interconnected he did not want to divide it. The latter is likely being implied here. The scrolls are full and complete. This is all Jesus wants to say to us or all He plans to accomplish.

Second, the scroll is also sealed with seven seals. Remember, the number seven in Hebrew apocalyptic writing is symbolic of completeness. So this scroll is completely sealed. It’s formally and solidly locked up. So...what is the scroll?

This is the revelation. Jesus told John He would show him what "must take place after this" (4:1) — that which only God knows and has been sealed by Him, determined by Him, and is now and forever completely within His control (Gill). Put more simply, because that was probably anything but ☺️, this is God’s rescue plan. His plan to restore and deliver the world once and for all from the destruction of sin.


2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 

Here first we have a very loud angel. His voice is heard by all in Heaven, earth, and under the earth. His question is the focus of this chapter, “Who is Worthy?”. Deserving. Suitable. Who meets all the criteria or has all the right qualities to open this perfect and complete plan of redemption. In this case, the only one worthy would be one who is complete in excellence because who else could open, or even look into the ways of God?

The response, initially, of course, is no one. And John weeps. Why? I do not think it is because he had a chance to see some code-laden future and was going to miss out on it. This revelation is so much more than that. This future is God’s plan. God’s work of redemption and salvation, and opening the scroll is more than just giving us a peek; it’s executing the plan. Without the future God has planned, without redemption, what meaning is there in life but despair? That’s why he weeps. Would that make you weep? Or are we so caught up in our lives we’re not all that concerned with what He’s doing? We need His rescue. We should long to see Him at work. That’s why Jesus taught us to pray “your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” And one day this will be completely true because→


II. Jesus Came To Provide That Rescue 

5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that He can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

If you miss out on everything else, please hear this. Revelation shows us Jesus. It reveals His character, His heart, His purposes…etc. Therefore, woven all throughout are beautiful picture like this… of the gospel. Don’t weep; Jesus—the King, the Lion of Judah, the true David—  has conquered! He had overcome the world (John 16:33)! Like last week, this is a picture of His power, and strength, and authority. He is holding the whole world in His hands…and is more than up to the task! 

 The whole of creation led up to this point. Jesus defeated sin, so this reality could be fulfilled. Therefore, when we see the judgements to come, we can’t mistake their purpose. Why did Jesus come? John 1:29, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Jesus came not only to forgive our sins, but to defeat sin once and for all. 

Does that excite us as much as it should? Do we look forward to a sinless existence?


6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 

The lion is announced, but when John turns, he sees a lamb. A kind of crazy looking lamb actually. This isn’t a contradiction. John’s still painting us a picture of Jesus. The Lion is the Lamb. Jesus is the conquering king—the strong lion. Yet, He is also the only perfect sacrifice for sin—the slaughtered lamb. That’s the imagery connected to the word “slain”. It’s a picture of the cross. This is a further explanation of who Jesus is and why He is worthy to open this scroll. 

He’s not just a sacrificed lamb in this picture though. He is the sacrificed lamb who has seven horns and seven eyes. Yeah, don’t try to draw that ☺️. This isn’t meant to be taken literally. In Hebrew apocalyptic writing, the horn always represents power or authority. Likewise, as we’ve discussed before, seven symbolizes completeness. Thus, He has complete… power & authority, even as the lamb. The seven eyes which also represent the Holy Spirit (see previous notes on the seven spirits of God) represent His perfect knowledge, and, since the Holy Spirit is working throughout creation for salvation, His perfect work in salvation is also implied here. 

John wept because there was no one worthy to execute God’s plan…and then Jesus showed up→ 

7 And He went and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne. 

There is a pretty cool picture of the trinity here, but don’t miss this. Jesus chose to do this. I know I say this so often, but it’s a truth of which I need reminded. Jesus didn’t have to save us, but He wants to. A dear Christian friend of mine was talking to me this week. We were actually talking about the situation in Ukraine and my parents having to evacuate, and she said something along the lines of: “I know the world is crazy right now, but I trust my heavenly Father because I know how much I love my kids, and I know the lengths I would go to to do what’s best for them, and He’s a much better father.”


III. So We Can & Should Rejoice!

8 And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 

And this is how the rest of the chapter goes. We have a need. Jesus alone can meet that need. He also wants to do that. So we rejoice! The creatures and the saints fall down worshiping Him with prayers and harps. I’m indebted to D.A. Carson for help in understanding some of the imagery here, and it is really beautiful. 

First, we have this harp imagery. This ties into what we talked about last week. Our society has long been plagued by misrepresentations of Heaven as a boring place where we all sit on clouds and strum harps. I know I hit this hard last week, so for this week I’ll just recap quickly: Heaven is going to be vibrant and amazing. Nothing about any of the imagery should make it seem like it would be boring harp strumming. Even this mention of “harping” here doesn’t do that because Old Testament harps were used as instruments of joy. Harp music got your heart pumping. It was exciting, and that’s the picture here—captivating excitement.

As for the bowls of incense that represent prayers. This isn’t a call to burn incense in our services. It’s just a picture of prayers as a pleasing aroma offered up to God. Again, D.A. Carson helped me a lot here when he pointed out that in a very real way it seems like John is being reminded that the only reason we can have any kind of confidence in our prayers is precisely because Jesus came as the worthy lamb!


9 And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."


This is a new song. In chapter 4, they praised Him as creator. Now, they praise Him as savior. And He’s the savior… of the world! Souls will be saved from every tribe and language and people and nation. No one is outside the reach of His love. 

We are then made a kingdom of priests. That is, our lives become all about serving Him and bringing His message of hope to the world. It also says we will reign on the earth. So many speculations about this have been made, but I think the key truth here is that we will be in His presence. He reigns sovereign, so any authority we have is inseparable from our will conforming to His, and our lives being transformed by His grace. This is not our “chance to rule”; it is our chance to finally be what we were meant to be where we were meant to be.


11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!" 13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, "To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!" 14 And the four living creatures said, "Amen!" and the elders fell down and worshiped.


How does this Gospel image end? As everything will→ all of creation worshiping the God who is, well, completely worthy! (Notice the seven-fold description underlined above ☺️.)


TAKEAWAYS

There is a lot that could be drawn from this passage, but these are the points that stuck out most to me.


  1. We need someone to open the scroll and should want to see this! Without Jesus, there is no hope. We are destined for Hell because we’re not worthy. We have not only sinned, but choose sin over God as our natural/default mode. We need His incredible rescue. I know I’ve quoted this before, but I love John Donne’s Holy Sonnet 14. Here’s a modernized paraphrase of its ending.  

I would embrace Your love gladly

But I’m betrothed to Your enemy

Take, loose, oh break the tie!

Deliver me. Lord, for I

Except You enthrall me will never be free

Nor ever truly pure until You ravish me.

  1. Jesus is worthy. He is the defeater of sin. His sacrifice didn’t just gloss over the problem of sin. He didn’t sign a waiver—He solved the problem. Heaven is going to be marvelous because of this…because of Him.

  2. Trust Him to open the scroll. No, we cannot prevent Jesus from being God and fulfilling His purpose. He holds all time (now and forever) firmly in His hands. And…I guess that’s kind of the point. All of history is controlled, guided, protected…by God. It’s held in His powerful right hand, and He has a plan and a purpose that He is executing to redeem this brokenness and restore His creation…because He loves us. I think I can trust Him with my life.

No comments:

Post a Comment