Revelation 5:5-8 The Book is Taken
Notes
Transcript
Revelation 5:5-8
In our last study, we were left in the throne room of heaven, with John weeping. His tears are of sorrow, because a proclamation has been sounded. Is any one worthy to come and take the book from God and open it. The fate of the earth is sealed in this document. In it, is the freedom from the curse. It is the judgment of the Holy God, and it is the document that declares who the earth really belongs too.
The question of who owns the earth has been one of debate in the spiritual realm. Once belonging to man, it fell into the hands of Satan, when man gave in to sin. But was regain by son of man, Jesus Christ, when he went to the cross.
So, as we are here in heaven, and we are seeing the wonder of this document being displayed. The cry has gone out throughout the heavens, earth, and under the earth. Who is worthy to open this book?
Verse 5 – “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”
· John is witnessing the hope of the earth, slowly slip away. It appears that no one is worthy to come and open the book.
· John realizes the sinfulness of man prevents them from being able to claim this book. And even in the heavens, in the midst of strong spiritual beings. None of them are able to open this book.
· This is a powerful document, and can only be open by a person who has legitimate right to it.
· So, John begins to weep. This sorrowful cry, is not a cry of just watery eyes. But this is a sorrow of the heart as well. This is an emotional moment, and sadly it appears there is no hope.
· John’s weeping doesn’t go unnoticed though. One of the 24 elders comes to his side. And begins to share with him these words of comfort.
· “Weep not, the Lion of the tribe of Juda”
· The elder begins to share with John, information that John should know. That there is one who is worthy to open the book, and the elder begins to share with him who this person is.
· God had shared in his word, all the way back in Genesis, that the ruler of this world would be like a lion, and of the tribe of Judah.
· In Genesis 49:9-10 “9 Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
· Often times we fail to see the importance of the genealogical records that are found in the chapters of the Bible. Hard names to pronounce, and the repetitiveness of the verses, causes many to skip these sections. However, within these records, gives the proof that Jesus Christ is the rightful heir.
· Now why was it important for Jesus to come through Judah? Why not one of the older siblings? Reuben was the first born, why isn’t it the Lion out of the tribe of Reuben? Reuben had been deprived of his rights concerning messiah because of sin.
· In Genesis 35:22 “And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine: and Israel heard it.”
· Well, then a person might would say it would fall to the next in line, and indeed that is correct. But just like their older brother, Simeon and Levi were also excluded from the blessing on the account of their bloody deed at Shechem.
· Genesis 34:25 “And it came to pass on the third day, when they were sore, that two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brethren, took each man his sword, and came upon the city boldly, and slew all the males”
· These horrendous acts caused these three men, to forfeit their blessing.
· Now here is a quick point we need to apply to our lives even today – giving in to sin, will cause you to miss a blessing from God. There are consequences to sin. And even when we are forgiven the sin, there is still a consequence that must be dealt with.
· So, since these three men, had missed this blessing because of sin, Judah was next in the line.
· Now it is interesting to know, that in 70AD, the genealogical records of the tribes of Israel were list in the destruction of the temple. This poses a problem for Judaism, which reject Jesus as their Messiah. And if the comes now, how will they determine that he is the Lion from the tribe of Judah?
· So, since the records were lost, the Jews lost their identity, no longer being able to be identified with the tribe they were associated with. It was lost with time. So, the messiah would had to come before 70AD. And indeed, he did.
· The elder continues with his words of comfort to John, and also says that there is a person who is of the root of David.
· Now this is quite significant, because if you look today at Israel, there is no king. There government is similar to ours. They have a prime minister. But he is an elected ruler.
· The Root of David, is not someone who is elected, but has the rightful claim to the land. Jesus fulfills this. Being of the line of David, he has the right to the hewn down throne.
· I don’t know if you have ever noticed, but when you cut down a tree, the trunk and foliage of that tree may come down, but that doesn’t mean that the tree is dead.
· Because the roots are still in the ground. They are the foundation, and the life. And even though the main part that is visible may be gone, doesn’t mean that the tree is through. In fact, a tree will begin to have shoots that will come from the stump, come from the roots.
· Jesus was from the line of David, but he was also the beginning of the line as well.
· The elder’s words come to John in his grief to let him know of this wonderful answer to the problem.
· Listen, Jesus is the answer to all of life’s problems. You have a situation, look to Jesus. You have sorrow, look to Jesus. He will wipe away the tears, and bring joy into your life.
· The elder confirms this to John, and he tells him this one, hath prevailed to open the book.
· Jesus prevailed with he died on calvary. It was in his death, that victory came. We sing the song, victory in Jesus, and indeed that victory is real!
· When John hears this, it was perfectly time. Isn’t that how Jesus is, right on time.
Verse 6 – And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
· John’s eyes are now fixed on a perfect being. A person that John has seen earlier in life. A person who John didn’t see when he first arrived, but has been there all along. John says, a Lamb.
· Now this is not an animal, notice in your Bible, that the wording is capitalized. This is another name for Jesus.
· John says, as it had been slain. Here is a being that has faced death. There are characteristics that show he had died. Now we know that this Jesus. He faced the whipping, he faced the crucifixion, he faced the spear to his side.
· Now John notes some interesting characteristics about this one who is there. He has seven horns.
· Seven is a number of perfection. It is God’s number, it is completeness. Now to identify the horns.
· Horns are a symbol of power. It is the ram’s horn that is sounded in Israel. These seven horns then denote the perfect almighty power of Jesus Christ.
· Horns are designated with kingdoms and their strength. There have been other horns that have risen and fallen on the world stage. But the kingdom of Christ will be an everlasting kingdom.
· Now an interesting tie-end here is back again in the Old Testament. Now Israel used ram’s horns as trumpets. When Israel was coming into the promise land, they came across the city of Jericho. And God told the Children of Israel to march around it seven times, now listen to what this verse says:
o Joshua 6:8 “And it came to pass when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams horns passed on before the Lord, and blew with the trumpets and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.
· So, we see that the seven horns is the power of God, and there is no kingdom that can stand against the Lord’s.
· The next thing we see, is the seven eyes. Now this again is symbolic language. Because it is referring to is the seven spirits of the Lord, as it follows up the statement.
· Now this is a reference to the omniscience and the manifold intelligence of God. Listen to this verse in Zechariah 3:9
o “For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua, upon ne stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.”
· Listen the seven spirits of God are manifested in the Spirit of God, we call the Holy Spirit.
· Now the Lord’s Spirit isn’t in just one place, it has been sent throughout all the earth. Those in the remote parts of the world will have the Holy Spirit yearning on their heart. Those in communist societies will know the spirit of God. And even us here, can feel his presence.
Verse 7 – And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
· Here as we read this short yet verse, we find perhaps the second only to crucifixion in its importance.
· It is the act which includes all that suffering creation, and the disinherited saints of God have been sighing, and crying, and waiting for, for all these long ages—for six thousand years of grief and sorrow.”60
· “His taking of the scroll marks the initiation of proceedings to convert its contents into reality and eventually usher in the promised kingdom.
· What this verse signifies is the beginning of the end of the groaning.
· This verse, that we so casually read, is the verse that changes everything. If the book was not taken, there would have been no hope. If it remained there unopened, it would have been over for us.
· Praise God, Jesus was there to take that book, and begin the process of ushering in his reign.
Verse 8 – “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, have every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints.”
· We see that when the Lamb takes the book, there is an immediate response in heaven. These that have been in the throne room of God, immediately begin to give worship.
· There worship is with falling down before the Lord. Let me just say, that worship is more than something that happens within us, it is also an outward expression. Falling down, is a way of showing ourselves to be humble.
· Listen we need to humble ourselves before the Lord, these elders and beasts are wonderful examples of how we need to be even right now.
· They worship him with music. Heaven will be a musical place. It is pictured here with the harps that each one of these elders and beasts have.
· Now, what will that sound like?! A orchestra has two harps and they play the melody and harmony, but could you imagine a whole orchestra of nothing but harps? It is going to be amazing!!
· Now I believe the Lord has a passion for the harp, it is quite an unique instrument, and very moving. The Lord has these playing and he has his 144,000 witnesses from the 12 tribes playing as well. We know this by looking ahead in Revelation 14:1-3
· So is there harp playing in heaven, yes. But it is so much more than just that!
· Now this verse says that they have golden vials of odors, which are the prayers of the saints.
· All of this prayers, that you have lifted up. They have never been thrown away. They still resonate there in heaven.
· Never forgotten, they are a pleasant smell unto the Lord. Each one of them are there among these vials.
· The prayers of forgiveness, the prayers for healing, the prayers for guidance, the countless prayers that have been lifted up are right there, before the Lord. He loves them!
· Listen, we need to be praying for the Kingdom of God. We need to be praying for this to happen. What was the model prayer given by our Lord saying?
o Our father, who are in heaven, hallow be thy name, thy kingdom come, they will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
· Do you pray for the kingdom to come? We all need too.
· I’m so thankful that God has my prayers, and they bring pleasure to God.