The theme of John's vision in the Book of Revelation is the "Kingdom of God" - God's active rule in His world. Before John begins in Ch. 6 to show us how God exerts His authority over human affairs, He shows us first Who He is. Ch. 4 supplies a vision of God, the world's creator, and Ch. 5 a vision of His Son, the World's redeemer, Whom God has exalted to His own right hand to have the exercise of His power.
As ch.5 begins, John tells us that though it was impossible to see the face of Him Who sat upon the Throne (for no man has seen God at any time), he saw, so to speak, His right hand and what He held in it.
v. 1 He held a scroll, every bit of which was covered with writing. It was the scroll of human destiny, for as its seals are broken open one by one, the salient features of life on earth, as seen from heaven, are one by one unfolded, reaching their climax with the vision of the great company of the redeemed in heaven; that is the goal toward which history moves.
John is telling us that God "holds the whole world in His hand," from the beginning to the end of time.
The scroll is sealed with seven seals: that is to say, it is fast shut, completely closed. Not a syllable of it can be read, for who can foresee or tell what the future holds?
v. 2 A strong angel with a loud voice now challenges the entire universe to put forward any creature who can be found worthy to break open the seals - that is, to unfold and control the future of life on earth.
"And no-one," says John, "no-one in heaven (no angel, that is), no-one on earth (no man) or under the earth (none even from among the dead) - none was able to open the scroll, or even to look into it!"
v. 4 "And I wept ... I wept to see that no-one out of all creation was found worthy either to comprehend mankind's future, or to direct it."
Was there then no hope at all of any clue to the riddles of life? The problem of pain and evil that throw a pall of gloom over all life's joys and splendours - the problem of futility that casts its blight upon all man's striving - were these problems to have no solution for ever? Is there no hand strong enough to master human life on earth and resolve its dreadful contradictions?
Ruler after ruler has arisen in the past - Kings and popes and presidents: and none has been found worthy of the dread responsibility they took into their hands to guide the world's destiny and remedy its ills. All have failed at the last. Their little systems have their day; they have their day and cease to be, their power corrupted, their empires ruined. Where will it all end? Is the world's history, after all, a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, but signifying nothing, and going nowhere?
I tell you, John's weeping is a symbol of the world's anguish, its immemorial grief in the face of life's unexplained and tormenting mysteries. He knows the hunger in the hearts of men for an answer to them. He knows life's mysteries, and its pain and its evil defeat us all.
The angel is
spokesman for humanity which cries out of its distress and
bewilderment, "Is there anyone here with an answer?"
"Is there none with a remedy? Is there no-one worthy?"
v. 5 But now, John is bidden to end his weeping and lift up his eyes, and look - for see?! - there is One Who is not defeated, One Whom life with all its mystery and pain and evil has not overwhelmed as it overwhelms all men else, so that He is worthy to break open the seals of time, and guide the course of this world's life.
He is the "Lion of the Tribe of Judah" - a lion-heart, who enters the lists on behalf of our whole stricken race. He is strong.
And He is the "root of David." That means two things:
1. It means first
that He is truly man
... "descended from the line of David according to the flesh" as
Paul expressed it in Romans 1:3; He whom God appoints to rule our
destiny is no alien, but a real child of race, bone of our bone, and
flesh of our flesh. He belongs among us. He came up from the
ranks.
2. It means,
second, that like David, He is a man after God's own heart
... who will interpret rightly all that is in God's mind for us.
In Him, the dreams of men, and God's dream for men, become our dream.
(Son of a king, born one of us, and of flawless
character).
So John dashes away his tears and strains his eyes to see this noble giant who shall bestride history.
v. 6 He looks - he looks and he sees ... but what extraordinary and unexpected sight is this? He sees, not a lion ... not a lion at all, but a lamb, a little lamb ... a lamb like the sweet innocent creatures offered in sacrifice, with indeed the mark of sacrifice upon it.
Here is no kingly creature of power, no mighty man of valour, but a wee, weak thing. Is this heaven's answer to the world's need ... this picture of gentle innocence and apparent weakness?
"Yes," John answers, "Yes. This is indeed God's answer to the world's need. The love that suffers and is not defeated; that is God's answer to man's need. O, it wears all the appearance of weakness, does love; but this 'weakness of God' is stronger than men." (I Cor. 1:25). It looks foolish, like a silly sheep, does the love by which God would rule the world. But "the foolishness of God is wiser than men."
The weakness and the foolishness of love are an appearance only - the reality is altogether otherwise. For the "lamb in the midst of the throne" is not stretched out in defeat there. He stands erect there; He has withstood evil in its day of power so as to sustain a mortal wound in His striving with it, and having done all, He stands, still.
He is not weak, but strong. That is what John means by saying He has seven horns, for the horn is an Old Testament symbol for strength, and seven is the number of completeness and perfection. The Lamb of God is the perfection of strength; for love is strong, though it suffer. Indeed, only love is strong enough to suffer and know no defeat. He was crucified in weakness, this Lamb of Love Who was wounded for the world's transgressions and bruised for its iniquities - but He lives by the power of God. Only love is strong so as to endure.
And love's appearance of foolishness also is an illusion, for the Lamb has seven eyes which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. What does this mean?
The prophet Isaiah (11:2) supplies the answer: "The Spirit of the Lord rests upon him - the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the lord"... the Spirit of Truth. The Lord, the Lamb of God, is the Spirit, the perfection of whose knowing ranges over the whole realm of time and the world, perceiving the secrets of all hearts, and judging all things by the wisdom of God. He stands, remember, between the Throne and the four living creatures and among the elders - His wisdom is the wisdom of God as it directs the powers of creation and the life of the whole people of God.
Love is not foolish. The very opposite is the truth: only love is wise.
v. 7 Now as John watched, the Lamb Who had entered the lists for mankind advanced toward Him Who was seated on the Throne and took the Scroll from His right hand. John sees the counterpart in Heaven of what transpired on earth when Jesus announced to the eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee, "All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to me." (Matt. 28:19)
The course of human history was delivered into the hands of the one man found worthy - the Man of Bethlehem - the Man of Galilee - the Man of Calvary - the Man of Olivet - the Man Christ Jesus - the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world, Who takes away the sin of the world.
All human interests are in the hands of Him Who gave Himself for men.
v. 8 Immediately, heaven and earth burst into song, for the world's deep need was met. The worship of heaven and the worship of earth were mingled; the praise of the elders' harps in heaven, and the incense of the prayers of the saints on earth went up together in one song of wonder, love and adoration that swelled around the throne of God.
v. 9 The song that was raised was a new song. It was outside the set forms of praise. No old song could contain or express the transcendent joy of redemption it was the song of the world set free ... like the new song that was sung by Moses and the People of God on the farther shore of the Sea when they knew their slavery was ended, their enemies destroyed behind them and the blessedness of the Promised Land before them.
"Worthy art Thou to take the scroll and open its seals, for Thou wast slain, and by Thy blood didst ransom men for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and hast made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth."
v. 11 And what an infectious song it was! For not only the redeemed of earth sang it, their hearts bursting with joy and gladness, but the angels found themselves caught up in the singing of it too; for in the forgiveness of sins man has been given a thing he can teach even angels.
So the song was taken up on every hand and swelled to a crescendo of sheer exultation.
As in some concerto recital, the familiar silver hammering of the solo piano is joined, unobtrusively at first, by the orchestra, the strings singing softly in the background, growing stronger and warmer, then the woodwind, bubbling and chuckling, joining in, and later the brass, strident and assertive, until with the drums exploding, the whole orchestra swings into glorious and unbridled harmony with the piano's crashing chords - so the lonely solo confession of Thomas in the Upper Room, "My Lord and my God," was joined by the singing of the goodly fellowship of the prophets, the glorious company of the apostles, the noble army of martyrs, and the holy church throughout all the world: a growing company drawn from every kindred and tribe and tongue and nation, whose chorus swells with every passing generation until, augmented by the trumpeting of angels, the whole creation sings aloud in unbridled exultation that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
v. 12 "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might (those are qualities He possesses in Himself) and honour and glory and blessing (those are the attitudes to Him expressed by redeemed Creation)."
Words are not adequate to describe the honour, the sheer glory that belongs to our Lord Jesus.
"By His blood, He ransomed men for God."
Jesus suffered and died to serve God's eternal purpose to provide the remedy for all our sin and defilement. In His human person, in the body of His flesh, He carried the burden of God, which is the pain, the offence, of the world's sin. He bore all it does to God: He bore all God does to it. So perfect was the obedience Jesus gave His Father that in the manner in which He came to die, suffering His life-blood to be poured forth, He brings God Himself before our eyes, so as to become in truth the visible image of the invisible God.
So from the Cross of His Son, God is able to say to us, clearly and forever, "In the love that here bears your sin there is forgiveness for you, and in that forgiveness an eternal release from all the guilt of your sin, and the strength of my everlasting love for your life."
For our Lord Jesus gave Himself up wholly to the Father.
And for this, God honoured Him ... raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory ... exalted Him to His own right hand - to the highest place in the whole created universe, giving full authority over all life into His hands. "As the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man." (John 5:26)
Once catch a sight of the part Jesus has played in God's vast undertaking to cleanse and heal the whole life of humanity, and we must thrill to God's edict that "at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord of all." (Phil. 2:10).
Who better could we ask to be given the rule over us than this Jesus Who so loves us, and gave Himself for us?
Whom could God more justly appoint to be our judge than this Jesus, who knows what it is to be tempted as a man is tempted?
Has there ever been a grander cause than His to serve in?... the redemption of the world for God? And Who more worthy than He could have accomplished it ... He Who visited sin and kept His purity to the very last?
Who has ever triumphed with more valour, or covered Himself with more glory than He? Is He not the finest hero of them all?
He has triumphed where every creature else has failed, and His victory lies, not alone in His achievement of power and authority, He has overcome the temptations that defeat all men.
He has overcome the temptations of the flesh.
He has overcome the temptations of the world.
He has overcome the temptations of the devil.
He has overcome the temptations that attended upon His own Sonship.
He has overcome the corrupting lure of the power He wields.
He has overcome.
He alone is worthy to be trusted with the rule over us.
He has won the right to control the destinies of men, and to Him it has been given.
"The God of our fathers raised Jesus whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Saviour, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins." (Acts 5:30-31)
"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all men everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all men by raising him from the dead." (Acts 17:31-32)
Jesus Christ of Nazareth has been exalted to be co-equal with God in His Lordship over all life.
This is a conviction we must recover; for when we lose our faith in the Lordship of Christ, we lose faith ... and our strength fails.
That was the creed of the first Christians. But it was more than a creed: it was a rousing certainty; they lived in the experience of His risenness and the conviction of His Lordship as men live in a new land. The whole world was for them made new. In that faith, they were strong and did exploits.
Too often, today, the Saviour is regarded as a mere option - a sadly overlooked and under-rated alternative to humanism, or hedonism or socialism or Buddhism or Mohammedanism or Communism as remedies for this world's ills - as though you may opt for any of these as you choose, and if you do, you pass out of Christ's jurisdiction altogether.
That is an illusion. It is a lie.
The whole of created life is subject to His rule. There is nowhere you can go to escape it. In the Name of God, He rules in every area of life. You cannot pass Christ by. You cannot escape from Him into any area of life that is not already under His control - not the world of politics, not the world of pleasure, not the world of power and wealth, not the world of religion - any religion - not any world. Turn as you will to any area of life as a means of escape from Christ's lordship and all you do is move into an area where He already rules. And you enter that territory which is already under His jurisdiction as a rebel - you stand to perish there as all His enemies must ultimately perish.
There are no alternatives open to any man but to acknowledge Christ as Lord, and fling himself at Christ's feet now, while repentance and forgiveness and a place in His Kingdom are still an option. Those are our only options.
Jesus is Lord. Only He has the right to be.
He is co-equal with God in the sovereignty He exercises, as He is co-equal with God in the worship He receives.
This is what John means when he says that the Lamb alone was found worthy to take the scroll of human destiny from the hand of Him Who sits upon the Throne of universal sovereignty, and when he tells us ...
v. 13 "That every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea and all therein cry aloud, 'To Him Who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb, be blessing and honour and glory and power for ever.'"
v. 14 To all this the four living creatures (symbolising all the powers God has built into His creation), utter their solemn "AMEN."
That means that the power that goes forth from the Throne of God into all the world accords in all the exercise of it that will now in the ensuing chapters be unfolded, with the Spirit of the Lamb Who once was slain. Remember that!
He rules in the Spirit of His Cross, where He once and for ever uttered His resolute "NO" to sin, and His total "YES" to God. Both!
His Cross was God's "No" to sin, for Jesus there died to it - chose rather to die than yield to it - "resisted it unto blood."
Never, into all eternity, will God compromise with it. The Cross tells us that.
Our Saviour's cross was also God's "Yes" to sinners, for He there bore their sin away so that the obstacle it presents to our fellowship with Him might be removed. He suffered the death of them in Himself.
But that means that we must either suffer the death of our sins in His death - or in our own. If we will not suffer Him to bear our sins away by our repentance and our faith - by resting our souls in Jesus and all He has wrought for us in His saving passion - then we must suffer the death of them in ourselves.
Our sins must die -
in Him or in ourselves.
We must die - if not in Him, then in our sins.
And this is the tragic and inexorable truth that gives shape to all the exercise of Christ's rule in this world. Sin, and the retribution that attends it, is only ever done away by forgiveness or by judgment, by salvation or by destruction. That is the truth that gives to the book of Revelation both its gloom and its glory, both its darkness and its light, both its judgments and its promise, both its doom and its hope ... and not only to this book but to life itself.
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