THE WORTHY ONE -- REV 5:1-7 IN BOTH CHAPTERS 4 AND 5, THE SCENE IS IN HEAVEN. CHAPTER 4 is the worship of the Creator. CHAPTER 5 is now the worship of the Lamb who was slain. CHAPTER 6----the scene turns to happenings on earth. God is now sitting on the throne of heaven with a scroll with seven seals. 1
2. THE SCROLL A SCROLL IS A DOCUMENT ON ROLLED PARCHMENT God sequentially secured this scroll so that no one can change its contents. As one unrolls the parchment, he comes to successive seals. The seals must be loosed or broken one by one. With the breaking of these seals, God s judgments pour out upon the unbelieving world. ONCE SOMEONE BEGINS TO OPEN THIS SCROLL, THEN THE TRIBULATION WILL BEGIN. 2
3. WHO IS WORTHY? -- Rev 5:3 NO SAINT OR ANGEL IN HEAVEN OR EARTH WAS QUALIFIED TO OPEN THE SCROLL AND READ IT. John felt a sense of hopelessness Somehow, John knew that this scroll contained the coming final judgments upon the world--rev. 10:7 This scroll answers the questions of War, Famine, Suffering and Crime--and why human beings cannot solve these problems. How can God be perfectly righteous and absolutely omnipotent and allow the atrocities that take place in the world? 3
4. WHO- # I. THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH BEGINNING IN REV 5 WE HAVE THREE PICTURES OF THE COMING MESSIAH OF THE OLD TESTAMENT 1. FIRST THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH- Gen. 49:8-12 The royal family tribe of Israel was Judah Hebrews 7:14; Luke 3:33; 1 Chronicles 28:4 In 2 SAMUEL 7:13 God explains to David that He will set up one of David's descendants as king. The fulfillment of the promise to Judah is when Shiloh comes GENESIS 49:10c-12 4
5. SHILOH- THE LION WHO BRINGS REST The Hebrew word Shiloh comes from shalah, to have rest. The Messiah is the bearer of rest and peace. The sovereignty of Judah s rule reaches its highest point in the Messiah. WHO IS THIS GIVER OF REST? The Scriptures are consistent on who gives His people rest----he is the Prince of Peace in ISAIAH 9:6 JOHN 14:27 THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH 5
6. WHO- # II. THE ROOT OF DAVID But that is not all---messiah is also The Root of David --- ISAIAH 11:1-11 A Shoot from the Stem of Jesse There is only one Jesse in the Scriptures, and he is King David's father. The Humble Branch of lowly beginnings is Christ. "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" John 1:46 Yes indeed. 6
7. THE ROOT FROM DRY GROUND- ISA. 53:2 THE LINEAGE OF THE MESSIAH Royalty runs through the veins of Joseph and Mary, who are both of the lineage of David. Joseph is not a king, but a carpenter. Salvation did not come from the pomp and splendor of the elite royal family of Herod, but from Nazareth. God will prove Himself faithful and create a royal house from a peasant family in David's lineage. Jesus falls as heir to the Davidic Covenant through Mary -----2 SAMUEL 7:10-12 7
8. WHO # III. THE SLAIN LAMB- Rev. 5:6-7 THE FINAL MESSIANIC PICTURE The Slain Lamb Jesus is our sacrificial lamb---our Passover sacrifice The prophet Isaiah foretold that he would be as a lamb led to the slaughter -- ISAIAH 53:7 Jesus looked like he had been killed, but he was not lying on an altar, in bed, or in a casket. He was standing in the center of the throne, surrounded by the four living creatures and twentyfour elders A VERY SPECIAL LAMB 8
9. THE LAMB WITH 7 HORNS AND 7 EYES. PERFECTION OF THE CHARACTERISTICS DESCRIBED. HORNS symbolize strength and represent authority and power --DANIEL 7:24; REVELATION 13:1 The EYES represent Logos intelligence Wisdom The SPIRITS - the Presence of the Holy spirit in full measure These sevens are the qualities of OMNIPOTENCE, OMNISCIENCE, and OMNIPRESENCE; and all three are attributes of God. 9
10. WHO IS THE WORTHY ONE? FIRST, Messiah---THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH! SECOND, Messiah--THE ROOT OF DAVID! THIRDLY, Messiah---- THE LAMB WHO IS SLAIN! The Old Testament question, Where is the lamb? GENESIS 22:7 Was answered by John the Baptist who cried, Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29 WHO IS WORTHY TO LOOSE THE SCROLL? THE SLAIN LAMB ---God the Son, Christ Jesus our Lord! 10