Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Jan/76

Contributor - H. Van Essen

Title - The Sealed Scroll of Revelation 5

Topic - Future

Please read both chapters 4 and 5 of Revelations

There has been a change in the way the courts deal with people who have committed a criminal offense. It used to be a straightforward judgement on the facts of the case: Did the defendant pull the trigger? Yes. Did a bullet from that gun cause death to the victim? Yes. Then the defendant is found guilty of murder. There were hardly any if's or but's about it. Now, today, it usually is different: the court will want to know, or be told why the defendant did it. Many people realize that normally there are reasons why people act as they do.

Along the same line there has been a change in the study of history. It used to be more or less a learning of facts: 1492: Columbus discovers America. You were not told much about the why's and wherefore's Now there is social history. We have learned that a Hitler or a Lenin or even a Nixon just don't happen: there are social forces at work in a society which allow certain things to take place, and which make other things impossible.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

Therefore while living today, while much is happening around us, we must ask ourselves: "Do we understand what is happening? Does it make sense, all that is happening?" Most of us will probably say, "No, to be honest, it does not make sense at all!" We don't understand why they behave as they do in Northern Ireland, why the Lebanese fight, why the South Molukkans kill. The answer actually is quite simple: all these people want a future for themselves, a future which is kept from them by others. So after trying for some time by legal and non-violent means to unlock their future, they become impatient, angry, frustrated, and try to open up a future by violent means.

LOOK AROUND

When you look around, you will see that the labour unions and big businesses do the same. The teachers go on strike, while Bell Telephone promises poorer service, all because they are denied the kind of future they think they ought to have. And aren't we often involved in the same practice: trying to create a good future for ourselves? We may not use a gun or other violent means, but don't we try, nevertheless?

THE BIBLE AND THE FUTURE

Of this process, this effort, to open up a future and happiness for people the Bible also speaks. The scroll in Revelation ch. 5 contains the final future and judgement and blessedness for all mankind. That scroll is God's gift to all people, to His human creatures. In that scroll is found the goal and purpose of history, of all that happens. There is found the end as planned by tire Lord God as we can read in Revelation ch. 21 and 22. A new society, a new world, where there will be no more evil, sin, death, tears, or darkness; where people will live in the blessedness of God's presence and glory- without end, that is the end promised for all who believe. A terrible struggle between the forces of evil and the armies of the living God will take place before this blessed future becomes real. Of that struggle ch. 6-20 speak. All this struggle is necessary for the final victory and for the new heaven and earth to come about for all who believe. And this horrendous struggle together with the final judgement and victory are written up in the scroll.

THE SCROLL SEALED

But, the scroll is sealed, the papyrus is rolled up, and the end sealed to the rest of the roll. John sees the scroll, he sees the future history and the final happy state all rolled up" in the right hand of Him, Who was seated on the throne" in heaven (5 : 1), but the scroll is still sealed, which means: the future for mankind is still locked away. The Lord God Almighty is ready and willing to give the earth, the whole creation, its real future, when somebody can be found who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals. So the call goes out; a strong angel proclaims wit ha loud voice, "Who is worth it to have this package? Who is worth it to have this future, this blessedness? What man, woman, or child, is worth this blessed happiness in God's presence without end?"

SOME TRIED TO OPEN IT

Now it seems that at least some people tried to open the scroll, for we read vs. 3, ". . . no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look into it." And they could not, because they were not worth it! None was able. And John wept much, because he already thought the whole future of mankind to be out of reach. Here indeed was the only hope but nobody could bring it about.

THE LAMB

Then one of the elders said to him, "Weep not, lo, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals." vs. 5. The Lion . . , that must point to a very strong and royal man - we sometimes say that a lion is the king of the animals, feared by all when he opens his mouth and roars. Surely the Lion of Judah, the root of David, must be a very impressive figure. John looks around for such a man, but what does he discover? ,Between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb, standing, as though it were slain . . ." The Lion turns out to be a Lamb! A lamb is not mighty, does not impress anybody; a lamb is really the very opposite of a lion. Yet John sees here that the Lion of Judah is a lamb; the one who is worthy to receive and open the scroll is a lamb.

Normally it are the people who really have accomplished much, who are presented to the Queen. If anybody was worthy to open the scroll, it should be somebody who really had made something of his life, a giant among the children of men, to whom everybody would look up, a real lion. But it turns out to be a lamb that appears to have been killed.

THE LAMB DESCRIBED

John describes the Lamb so real, that we can see a real lamb with some deadly wounds go forward to the throne. The head of the Lamb is strange in that it has seven horns and seven eyes. Horns in the visions of the Bible always mean power, which you can push and batter down, this Lamb has seven horns, i.e., it is very powerful, while the holy number seven indicates that it has a holy power. The seven eyes, says John, are the seven spirits of 'God sent out into all the earth; that means that the Lamb can see all that is going on everywhere on the earth, and that not just from the outside; for the seven spirits will easily enter the dark hiding places of people and their hearts, so that nothing is hidden from this Lamb. This all powerful and all-knowing Lamb now moves forward towards the throne and takes "the scroll from the right hand of Him who was seated on the throne."

We are so caught up in the way John tells what he sees, that in our mind we actually see a real lamb go to the throne, somehow with seven horns and seven eyes - no problem - not at least until the Lamb receives the scroll; for then we think "How can a lamb handle a scroll?"

PRAISING THE LAMB

Did John really see a lamb? What did he see? He saw a lamb before whom the four living creatures and the twenty four elders fell down to worship, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints, and they sang a new song,

"Worthy art Thou to take the scroll and open its seals; for thou -was 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 earth."

In this song we recognize the Lord Jesus. Was the Lord Jesus a real lamb at that time? Does it matter? Not really - let's go on, for John saw and heard more: he saw and heard around the throne the living creatures and the elders and thousands of thousands of angels all saying with a loud voice,

"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing."

Think of that, millions of voices all saying that together to praise the Lamb. And still there is more; for John then "heard every. creature in heaven (angels and birds) and on the earth (creatures on land) and under the earth (rather in?) and in the sea (think of the dolphins) and all therein saying,

To Him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might for ever and ever!" And the four living creatures said, 'Amen!' And the elders fell down and worshipped."

WHAT DID JOHN SEE?

John saw in pictures: 1. the greatness of the Lord Jesus; 2. the tremendous worship of the Lord Jesus by the creatures of all creation, by the elders of the church and by the millions of angels; 3. the worship of God Almighty and of His Son by the whole of creation.

Do read this chapter over and over, and you will find that your eyes and understanding are opened for the greatness and the glory and the power of the Lord God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. The pictures are given us by the Holy Spirit through John, that we may not be stuck in the muck all of our lives; that we may not be limited by what we see and think down here on earth. The pictures are the message.

THE LAMB IN THE STABLE

Now this Lamb with the seven horns and the seven eyes was born in Bethlehem. There in the stable lay the Lion of Judah! He came so that the scroll could be taken and opened, so that the Lord God's future and blessing would not remain locked up, sealed for ever. Remember, no one else in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and look into it. Nobody was able to break open the real future, truly glorious. The Lord Jesus came to give people from every tribe and tongue and nation a true future by dying for them, by giving His life for them. It was a lion's job, but it could only be done as a lamb, because it called for perfect obedience and for suffering utter darkness and forsakeness.

COMPARE WITH TRUDEAU AND OTHERS

Compare this with Prime Minister Trudeau who in 1968 promised all Canadians a just society. He, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, as leader of the Liberal Party, would break the seals and open for us the scroll of the just society. A kind of lion's job. But the seals still are not broken, even though the leader is still around. Look around and see how ten to twelve people want the leadership of the federal Progresssive Conservative Party, how seven people want the leadership of the Ontario Provincial Liberal Party, how they all know how to knock the seals of the scroll, how to unlock the future. Of course, then they will have to be chosen and elected and remain in power. All over the world it is the same; everywhere people who have hopes, methods,, schemes, by which the future may be unlocked.

But John saw 1900 years ago that no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. No one except the crucified and risen Saviour.

WITHOUT THE LAMB NO FUTURE

Today it is still true. Outside of the Lamb there is no future, no hope, no life. Outside of Him all planning and efforts and hope accomplish nothing. Outside of Him life is without purpose. History becomes nothing more than a record of what happened. History is proof that man cannot and does not control his own destiny and lot. Man is not the master of history, for no man is able to knock the seals of the scroll.

That does not mean that no one is trying; many do! The inside postal workers tried, the Post Office tried, but they both lost. That is the frustrating part: everybody loses. That is what makes it all such a crazy world.

But John saw the One who is to come, the lion of Judah, the Lamb with the seven horns and the seven eyes. He was worthy - He was worth it, to be the Lord of history. The Lamb holds the scroll and is busy fulfilling all that is written therein.

WHO KNOWS THE TIME-TABLE?

We do not know where we are in the time-table of the Lord. In chs. 6-10 we hear from John's mouth what happens when the seven seals are broken. In chs. 11-20 he tells us in pictures other things which are to come. We do not by far understand all of these things. But the general meaning is clear: things will not get better and better. The battles between the forces of evil and of the Lord will affect and hurt many; but the Lord with the seven horns will conquer! He has received the glorious future from the Lord God; he received power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing. And this He desires to share with all those who trust Him, who believe in Him and cling to Him. "I Go," he said, "to prepare a place for you, and when I have done that, I will come back, that where I am, you may be also!" Think of that. You and I amongst the great crowd before the throne, amongst the millions of angels in the presence of the glory of God praising the Lord?

Let that sink in. That is something which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him. That He has revealed by his Holy Spirit through His servant John, and now also to you.

YOUR FUTURE

When the meaning of this hits you, you will realize that you do not have to be concerned about your future, when you are Christ's. For your future is safe with the Lord Jesus, with the Lamb with the seven horns. You will relax, because you do not have to try to take the scroll and look into it; you do not have to go to fortunetellers or horoscopes; you do not worry about tomorrow not that you are careless (that is wrong), but now you are carefree!

You will understand somewhat the great confusion and battle today about the future; everybody trying to push others aside to have the best chance; but you will know: it won't work. And you will try to show all these thousands of people, especially by your calm way of life: Look, there is One who already has unlocked the future, and He is willing to have you share it. Believe in the Lamb that was slain and -arose again. Confess your own unworthiness, that you are not worth it, that you are, as it stands now, condemned to death, that your life ends when you die here, that this life is it, and that it isn't much of a life at that. Confess that, and then look again at the living scene described by John: the throne, the scroll, the Lamb, the worship, the glory, power and blessing! Then you will cry and confess: my own future is dark, living death, never ending blackness. But Thou art the Lord of history, the Ruler of the nations, Thou art worthy. Let me by thy grace enter into thy future, for I cannot unlock myself from this prison house of sin.

To live in the blessed assurance of the coming of the future of the Lamb is to be born again to a living hope. And it is to see so clearly why so many people are getting desperate about their own future, since they are not able to open the scroll.

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