When a president of a nation is to be elected, the obligatory question arises: "Who is worthy? Who is worthy to occupy this high office? "After all, the presidency is a position of great power and authority, and the person in this office will have a significant impact in determining the direction of our immediate future. So who is worthy of this great honor and this great responsibility? Maybe nobody.
There is a bigger company than to lead a country and it is the one of the world to come. Who is worthy? It is still the question to answer. Today's times do not differ much from the times of the first century church subjected to persecution by Jews and Gentiles, as was the case of the Roman Empire.
Revelation 5: 1-14
In that kind of situation, then and now, Christians ask themselves: "What will happen to our world? What will happen to us and our children in this world? Is God still in charge?
Well, this is where this chapter of Revelation has its validity and importance. Notice that now John is not on earth, he has been taken away. Now he has a new vision to see things from the perspective of heaven. This changes your vision of things. From there he is told to transmit the vision of what he is seeing. Let's remember that Juan is old.
GOD IS IN COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE FUTURE (5: 1-4)
- A scroll in the right hand of the one who is seated and sealed vers. 1.
There is no better way in all the Scriptures to represent God's sovereignty over history than through this written and sealed parchment. The final destiny of humanity is not in the hands of Satan, but in the right hand of the one who is seated on the throne. This is where the final destiny of men is.
2. A roll in the hand as a focus of attention.
His right hand refers to his authority. In this case his authority to show the one who opens it the results of the judgments that will come on earth. This scroll is full of words that John could see written both inside and outside the scroll (Ezekiel 2:10).
The writing on both sides indicates the detailed and important nature of the judgments. Can the book represent the prophecies that God instructed Daniel to seal until the end of time (Daniel 12: 4, 9)? The perfect number of stamps ("seven") can also indicate the absolute sanctity of the scroll.
3.The seals inform us that while this plan has been resolved in the eternal counsels of God, it has been hidden and only one, duly authorized, can open it to read and execute it. The period of grace and the long patience of God has come to an end.
4. The strong question that silently put all of heaven.
Who is worthy to open the book and break its seals? Who gave the announcement? Why was there no response? John understood that if the purposes of God fail, then all life is meaningless. If no one can open the scroll, none of God's purposes will come to pass. The sad truth is that without Christ there will be only weeping. There must be someone who can.
** JESUS CHRIST WILL CARRY OUT THE FINAL PURPOSES OF GOD ON EARTH (5: 5-7).**
1. He is the lion of the tribe of Judah vers. 5.
We have already said that the 24 elders represent the church redeemed and raised in heaven. The church knows very well the fulfilled prophecy in the life of Jesus as the expected Messiah that would come from David's lineage.
While it is true that Jesus is revealed to us as an immolated Lamb, he is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He had achieved victory over all of God's enemies and therefore had the authority to open the scroll and release its contents.
The title "the root of David" means that the Messiah would come through David's lineage as an older son of David (Luke 1: 32-33).
He who came after David as a descendant of David was also before him as the Root (Revelation 22:16). As the Last Anointed of God, only Jesus possessed the necessary authority for this task.
He defeated Satan, sin and death so that He could implement God's purposes for the future that this scroll revealed. Only Christ can carry out the final purposes of God on earth.
2. A lamb instead of a lion vers. 6
Imagine the scene in heaven. With great expectation Juan expects to see a majestic lion come out to confirm what the old man said, but suddenly he sees something totally different. He does not see a lion but a lamb. Both figures tell us that the Lamb is omniscient and omnipotent. This is a lamb that can not have the wool thrown over its eyes!
There are no more frightening thoughts than having to face the "Lion" in the judgment because you have rejected the "Lamb". The purpose of the first coming of the Lord was humble. He came to "seek and save the lost" (Luke 19:10).
But the purpose of His second coming is different.
Then he comes to deal with his enemies and to fulfill His promises of blessing to his own. Do not refuse the grace of God, my friend.
There comes a time when all men must deal with the "Lion", either as the One for whom we have seen and worked and prayed or the One we have rejected.
Now, in a dramatic moment, Jesus Christ, the Lamb, boldly approaches the throne of God. In 5: 7, Jesus exercises his sovereignty by coming and taking the scroll from the Father's right hand.
This symbolizes a transfer of authority from the Father to the Son to reveal the future and execute judgment. Finally we see worship throughout the universe (5: 13-14). Like a "wave" in a football match, it extends to all creation.
** EVERYTHING EARTHLY PRAISING THE ONLY WORTHY OF HER (5: 8-14) **
- Prostrate in your presence vers. 8
We often forget that the first thing that my praise to the Lord should produce is to prostrate myself in his presence. This concept is used in an indiscriminate way, and although we motivate people to manifest their prostration through some physical act, the truth is that the greatest motivation must be from the heart.
Of course prostration has its vehicle of expression through praise. In the specific case of the elders they performed their praise through the unmistakable sound of the harp (Psalm 150: 3-6, 71:22).
The prayers offered are probably all the unanswered petitions that people have prayed asking God to judge injustice, including: "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (5:10, 6:10, 8: 3-5, Matthew 6:10, Luke 18: 7-8).
2. Sing in your presence verss. 9-10.
Because you were dead and bought, to God with your blood, men of every tribe, language, people and nation. You have made them a kingdom and priests for our God; And they will reign on earth. "As a result of the authority of the Lamb of God to advance God's plan of the ages, living creatures and elders sang a" new song "38 (Revelation 14: 3). This song represents a new praise for the liberation that is about to happen. In this song, the Lamb receives the honor as worthy in view of four things. The first is His death. Was murdered".
- Sing to the Lamb for what we are now.
The death of Christ not only saved men, but also made them priests and kings to participate in His kingdom (1 Peter 2: 5, 9). The priesthood implies immediate access to the presence of God for praise and worship, as well as the privilege of priestly service. This is man's ultimate goal; He will worship God by fulfilling God's ordained responsibilities in a new earth, for all eternity.
** THE HEAVENLY RECOGNITION TO WHOM IT IS WORTHY (verses 11-12). **
- All heaven unleashed in praise (5:11).
Myriad is the largest number in Greek, and this phrase literally means 10,000 times 10,000. Here it means thousands without number, an uncountable crowd. So there are millions multiplied spilling over the billions of faithful already counted. This amazing number exceeds the limits of human language and our ability to understand.
Thousands of billions are in this heavenly choir worshiping the beloved Christ in heaven. These characteristics of which Jesus is worthy (power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, blessing) are things He already possessed in heaven.
Therefore, the song of praise, which the angels are singing, implies that it is worth breaking the seals and opening the scroll. As I understand this song, it is the earthly power, wealth, wisdom, power, honor, glory and blessing that our Lord is worthy to receive.
Reflection
A child once captured two small birds and put them in a cage. A man saw the boy carrying the cage and asked him what he was going to do with the birds. "Oh," the boy replied, "I'm going to play with them for a while and then I'll feed them to my cat."
The man looked at the caged birds and took pity on them. -Dime, I'd like to buy you the cage and the birds. How much do you want for them? "The boy thought for a minute and then named his price. The man paid for it and the boy handed over the cage, after which the man immediately opened the cage and freed the birds. That is what Jesus did for us.
Satan had caged us and was going to feed us in the jaws of eternal death. But Jesus Christ bought us, cage and everything, and set us free. We are going to adore him for all eternity because He paid that price. We need to start practicing our worship here below because only He is worthy.