Prophecy 6

The Six Seals –
Revelation 4:1-6:17

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Revelation 5:4

And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.{4} Looking at the service taking place in Heaven’s temple, it broke my heart to think that the Father needed a savior! The realization that no one was found worthy to exonerate Him cut like a knife into my heart and I began to weep. Was there no one who could clear His holy name?

This scene is paradoxical in a way. John saw an omnipotent God sitting on a glorious throne. Even with all His might and power, Almighty God needs someone to exonerate Him and His government from Lucifer’s lies. The interplay between God’s power and wisdom, His vulnerability, and His love is astonishing. The Father has more than enough power to destroy and recreate the whole universe in a split second, but His incredible love for His children prevents Him from violating the will of the weakest being. He never controls us for His personal benefit. What an amazing God! In Revelation 5, we learn the Father needs a savior to prove that His foreknowledge and the “sudden death” law are governed by love instead of tyranny. What the Father needs is someone who can successfully lead the universe into the light of this profound truth.

Sin has created a basic problem between man and God. Sinners naturally distrust God and even born again Christians find it difficult to trust in God at all times and in all circumstances! God’s infinite ways are vastly superior and often seem mysterious because His ways are not our ways. This makes God especially vulnerable to suspicion and distrust if anyone chooses to be suspicious and distrusting. This vulnerability explains why faith and love are the essential building blocks of God’s kingdom. How does a person worship, adore, obey, and live in the present with an infinite God whose actions and ways will not be completely understood for several thousand years? Until understanding arrives, faith and love are required. This is why Lucifer was able to make headway against God and one-third of the holy angels made a big mistake. Faith in God, when seen in reverse, always makes perfect sense.

When the angel asked, “. . . . Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”[36] the question really contains three parts. Who is qualified to open the book and prove that the Father will not use His foreknowledge and His “sudden death” law to protect Himself and His throne? Who can prove to the universe that the Father is selfless and righteous? Who can prove that His actions and laws are based on love? The four living creatures, the twenty-four elders, or the seven angels who stand before God were not qualified and no one was found on Earth, dead or alive.

I wept and wept because I, too, was unworthy to help the Father. I could not exonerate the character and government of my God and Father, even though I would count it an honor to die for Him.

Revelation 5:5

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.{5} One of the twenty-four elders noticed my weeping. He came over to me and said, “John, do not weep anymore! Look, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has been found worthy! He is qualified to break open the seven seals and reveal the contents of the book.” I immediately thought, how wonderful is this? Jesus will save the Father! And why not? He is my Savior, too!

Revelation 5:6

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.

{6} I had been so absorbed with the angel’s explanations and my own grief that I did not see Jesus come forward and offer Himself to the Father. As I looked through my tears I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne. He was surrounded by the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders.

In Heaven’s economy, supreme acts of love are given highest honor and recognition. Actions speak louder than words in Heaven’s currency. Jesus is represented in this scene as an innocent lamb “looking as though it had been slain” because this caricature highlights a profound truth: No one in all of the universe has demonstrated the height, width and depth of love more than Jesus. In Heaven, the worthiest is the loveliest, not according to appearance, but according to action. Jesus was willing to forever cease to exist to redeem sinners. There is no act or sacrifice in the universe that equals what Jesus did. Jesus was willing to forfeit His eternal life so that it could be given to sinners. On the basis of demonstrated love for sinners and perfect love and submission to the Father under the most distressing circumstances possible, Jesus was found worthy to receive the book sealed with seven seals. The Father needed someone who had fully demonstrated the dimensions of love to exonerate His government of love. This is why the Lamb is described as “looking as though it had been slain.” The reciprocity between the Father and Jesus is interesting. Jesus totally surrendered Himself to the will of the Father to save mankind and now, the Father will totally surrender His throne to Jesus to exonerate His government! Because Jesus provided the greatest example of love ever witnessed, Heaven’s court agreed, only Jesus was worthy to receive the book with seven seals.

When Jesus was declared worthy, a great coronation celebration followed. The Father stepped aside and gave the Lamb sovereign power over the whole universe (represented by the seven horns).[37] The seven angels who stand before God bowed down before Jesus. From this time forward, they will serve as servants of Jesus/Almighty God and do all that He commands.[38]

Revelation 5:7

And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.{7} Jesus approached the Father and received the book from His right hand. From this point on in the book of Revelation, the book with seven seals is called, “The Lamb’s Book of Life.”

Revelation 5:8

Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.{8} The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before Jesus and gave Him praise and every honor. As representatives of the human race and beneficiaries of Christ’s salvation, each elder was given a harp and a golden bowl full of incense. The harps are used for singing praises and the bowls for burning incense. When the twenty-four elders put special incense on the live coals that were in the bowls, a wonderful fragrance filled the courtroom.

Imagine being there, enveloped in the glory of God and hearing the inexpressible music of Heaven’s choir jubilantly singing with gratitude and joy. This glorious assault on the senses must evoke visual, auditory, olfactory, intellectual, and emotional overload, all at once! Words cannot describe this magnificent state of heightened awareness and joy.

Revelation 5:9

And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;{9} Then the elders and the four living creatures sang a new song. New songs occur in Heaven whenever a new experience occurs. I was amazed that everyone already knew the words of the new song as they sang! It was so inspiring to realize that the Holy Spirit gave everyone the new words to sing at the same time! Words cannot describe the thrill of watching the elders and the living creatures play their harps and sing to the Lamb: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were slain, and with Your own blood You have redeemed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have proven that you love others more than you love Your own life.

Revelation 5:10

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.{10} Even more, You will soon receive those on Earth who love you and obey you. You have ordained them to be priests to serve our God forever so that sin will never happen again.” Amen!

Revelation 5:11-12

And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.{11} As I looked around the huge room, I heard the voices of that vast throng, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne along with the living creatures and the elders.
{12} And in a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain. He has been exalted above every name.[39] He is worthy to receive the seven attributes of divine sovereignty: Power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise!”

Revelation 5:13-14

And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

{13} Then Heaven seemed to explode again with singing and rejoicing as every creature in Heaven was singing and praising God. In unison they sang: “To God be the glory, to the Father who sits on the throne, and to His Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever! We honor the humility of the Father to be openly examined. We honor the sacrifice and victory of Jesus over sin and we agree that He alone is worthy to break open the seven seals and exonerate the Father.”
{14} The four living creatures ended the song by saying, “Amen,” and again, the twenty-four elders fell down on their faces and worshiped the Lamb and the Father.

 

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