Our Lives are In Jesus’ Hands (we are Safe)
Intro: Well morning friends and visitors. My name is Matt Johnson and today we are pushing deeper into Revelation – the last book in the Bible. Revelation is the book in the Bible that fascinates everyone because it talks about the antichrist, the end of the world and Jesus’ return.
PRAYER:
Well friends, today we see God pass Jesus A SCROLL or BOOK that is sealed. This scroll is mentioned 7 times in Revelation 5. What is this scroll and why is it sealed. Well as I am preparing sermons for Revelation – I am drawing on three commentaries. Two written from an A-Millennial perspective and one written from a pre-millennial perspective. Yet, all three commentaries believe the scroll in Revelation 5 is linked to a scroll in Daniel 12.…
So turn with me in your Bibles to Daniel 12:1-4, 8-9 page____ (PAUSE/Slide 2/ READ). As you can see Daniel is told TWICE to close up and seal his scroll – until the time of the end. Only at the time of the end will Daniels scroll be opened. Now we’ve already seen that the description of Jesus in Revelation 1 is exactly the same as the description of the person who appeared to Daniel in Daniel 10. So Jesus gives Daniel a revelation and he gives John a revelation. But Daniel’s scroll is sealed and Revelation 5 has Jesus opening the scroll. Many Christian scholars think something is going on here.
So what is sealed in Daniel’s vision? Well Daniel 11 records all the major events that will happen to Israel between 536BC and 165BC. It’s a prophecy foretelling the future of Israel. Now I’ll send you an email this week to explain how each event in Daniel 11 was fulfilled in history. Basically, the Persians, the Greeks, the Ptolemies and Seleucids all attacked Israel and things happened to the Jews as Daniel predicted. But it all comes to a climax with a terrible antichrist figure destroying the Jewish temple in 167BC. IN HISTORY this antichrist figure was Antiochus Epiphanes IV and his desecration of the Jewish temple led to a Jewish revolt recorded in the books of 1 & 2 Maccabees.
But at the end of Daniel 11, Daniel has one more vision of a terrifying king – that doesn’t align with any King we know of in human history. This is what it says in Daniel 11:40ff (Slide 3). Now who is this king doing stull in and around the land of Israel?
Well 2 Thessalonians 2 – describes the antichrist in similar language to this King in Daniel 11. Look with me at 2 Thessalonians 2 (Slide 8; 2 Thess.2:3-4). NOTICE, the man of lawlessness is going oppose and exalt himself above everything that is called God – proclaiming Himself to be God. Daniel 11 said the same thing. Daniel was told the King would exalt and magnify himself above all gods, making himself god. So is the King at the end of Daniel 11 an antichrist like Antochus Epiphanes IV – only worse?
Well lets looks again at Daniel 12 (Slide 9-10, with commentary). Now Daniel really knows very little about these things. But what is sealed in Daniel 12 seems to be opened after Revelation 5. After Jesus opens the scroll we are going to hear about the antichrist, the angel Michael, the great tribulation, the general resurrection and the final judgment. What has been sealed about the end times is about to be opened…
Point 1: Jesus is Worthy to Open the Scroll as Great High Priest
Show: Rev.5:1-5 (READ)
Explain: Well God is on his heavenly throne and in his right hand is a scroll. (No its not toilet paper because it’s not that sort of throne). The scroll in Gods right hand – has writing on both sides. That is very unusual. So it reminds us of the scroll God gave to the prophet Ezekiel (in Ezekiel 2) which also had writing on both sides – of mourning, lament and woe. Like Ezekiel, Jesus has to be the faithful witness – who declares Gods judgment to a rebellious world. So Ezekiel 1-2 gives us some context for understanding Revelation 5 and what is about to follow.
But immediately we have a problem. No one can open the scroll. But an angel says to John – “Do not weep, the Lion of Judah, the root of David has triumphed he is able to open the scroll.” Now please notice the word TRIUMPH is literally OVERCOME. Remember in Revelation there are two key words; overcome and testimony. All seven churches were told they need to overcome. (Rev.3:21). But now we are told Jesus – has overcome. We know it’s Jesus because the Lion of Judah and the root of David are well established concepts to describe the Messiah. So the angel tells John that Jesus Messiah has overcome AND he is worthy to open the scroll.
Now last week I explained the heavenly throne-room in Revelation 4 is a picture of the JEWISH TABERNACLE (Slide 13). The laver for washing in the Tabernacle is a picture of the sea of glass in heaven. The Jewish menorah lamp represents the seven-blazing torches before Gods throne. The ark of the covenant and mercy seat represents Gods throne. Also, as I explained last week the FOUR living creatures and 24 ELDERS seem to correspond to the Jewish priestly divisions spoken of in 1 Chronicles 24. But the two things that are missing from the heavenly Tabernacle in Revelation 4 is a great high priest and a sacrifice for sin. These come in Revelation 5. In the Old Testament the GREAT HIGH PRIEST had to first offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people (out here). This is where the 24 divisions of priests worked.
Then the high priest would wash in THE LAVER before entering the Holy place. Now four special priests would help the high priest in this area – where there was the Menorah Lamp, a table with special bread and altar for incense. But once a year – the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies and approach Gods mercy seat (or throne).
So John weeps because there is no human being who can act as high priest in the heavenly throne room. But then John is told don’t weep – “Look, Jesus has overcome”. You may recall Jesus OVERCAME Satan’s temptation to apostasy in the wilderness. Satan tried to get Jesus to worship him. But Jesus refused. Jesus was a true OVERCOMER. Also in Philippians 2 Paul says “Jesus humbled himself becoming obedient to God to death, even death on the cross”. This is also overcoming. Revelation 12; says overcomers do not love their lives so much as to shrink from death (Rev.12:10).
Apply: So the angel tells John – Jesus has overcome and he is worthy to approach the throne as our high priest. (GOSPEL) WHAT’S MORE, by being obedient to death – Jesus offered the perfect sacrifice for our sin. In love, Jesus offered his perfect life in exchange for our sinful lives. At the cross – Jesus paid the PENALTY for all your sins. So in Revelation 5 – we see Jesus now approach – Gods throne – 1) as our perfect high priest and 2) as the Lamb who was slain for our sins.
Now remember – Jesus is WORTHY to approach the throne because he has OVERCOME. This word overcome mainly occurs in books written by the apostle John and it’s not particularly common. But interestingly we find this word “OVERCOME” just before Jesus prays his HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER in John 17. This is what Jesus says to his disciples. (Slide 13 – Jn.16:33). Now straight after Jesus tells the disciples he is an overcomer – we get in John 17 – what is known as Jesus’ HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER. If you want to know what Jesus kind of says to God in Revelation 5 – you get a pretty good idea in John 17. The word “OVERCOME” links Revelation 5 to Jesus’ priestly prayer.
SO HERE’S THE SUMMARY: 1) Jesus prays that God will glorify him with the glory he had before creation of the world. 2) Jesus prays that God will protect every single Christian that has been purchased with his blood AND 3) Jesus prays :Lord let’s bring them all to heaven with us.” Now if Jesus is the perfect high priest, with a perfect sacrifice then Jesus’ request must be answered positively.
So in Revelation 5 – God gives Jesus the scroll? What is this scroll? Well – let me say the word scroll is actually biblion in the Greek. Biblion can mean book or scroll. So some think God hands to Jesus what is called “the book of truth” (that contains in it all the events of world history before they happen). Jesus tells Daniel what is in “the book of truth” and then Daniel writes his prophecy in Daniel 11 (Dan.10:21). So Jesus could be about to open the end of the book of truth and tell us what it contains. Others believe God has just given Jesus “the book of life” – that contains the names of everyone who is going to heaven. God has a book that contains the names of everyone going to heaven – past, present and future. NOW TWICE in Revelation we are told “the book of life” is the Lambs book of life (Rev.13:8; 21:27). The book of life belongs to the Lamb presumably because Jesus’ blood saves everyone in the book of life. So in context – both options are very plausible. 1) If God is giving Jesus the book of truth – it means God is entrusting Jesus with ushering in the end of the world. 2) If God is giving Jesus the book of life – it means God is asking Jesus to act and intervene in such a way as protect everyone in the book – in the great tribulation. Either way the picture is that of CHRISTIAN SECURITY and SAFETY. Our lives (and perhaps even history itself) is safely in Jesus hands and as Jesus says in Johns gospel “no one can snatch us from his hands.” (Jn.10:28) That is great news if you are a genuine born-again Christian.
Point 2: Jesus is able to Protect His People as Messianic King
Show: Rev.5:6-8 (READ)
Explain: Well remember this is still a tabernacle scene. But the line between Jesus being GREAT HIGH PRIEST and Jesus being MESSIANIC KING is beginning to blur. FIRST, we are told the Lamb who was slain – has SEVEN HORNS and SEVEN EYES. Now do you really think that Jesus is standing in heaven today – looking like a slain lamb, with seven literal eyes and seven literal horns? C’mon. I think every Christian has to admit that some things in Revelation are symbolic. No one interprets everything in Revelation literally…
THE KEY to interpreting Revelation CORRECTLY is not to interpret everything literally, but to allow Scripture to interpret the symbols in a way that is consistent with other parts of Scripture. We know from books like Daniel, Zechariah and Revelation that the NUMBER 7 is Gods number. The number 7 represents perfection and/or Godness for want of a better word. We also know HORNS are usually symbols of kingship and power. So the fact that Jesus has seven horns is a picture of absolute or perfect Kingship. JUST AS God was the King of Kings in Revelation 4, so seven horns shows us Jesus is also King of Kings in Revelation 5. But the lamb also has SEVEN EYES. As we saw last week – the four living creatures were covered with eyes – reminding us that God is all seeing and all knowing. Nothing is hidden from God. So Jesus having seven eyes is saying the same thing. Jesus has perfect sight and knowledge of everything happening in the world. Like God, Jesus is the all powerful, all seeing King of Kings…
This is a really important picture – to show again that history and/or our souls are SECURE IN JESUS’ HANDS. God hasn’t given the book of truth or the book of life to some weak, nobody slightly effeminate high priest in pretty robes. No! God has given the book of truth or the book of life – to none less than THE LION OF JUDAH. Our lives and history itself is secure in Jesus’ masculine hands because he is king of kings.
But this passing of the SCROLL OR BOOK from the Father to the Son is also symbolic of a transfer of responsibility – that we get hints of elsewhere in Scripture. In the great commission – Jesus says “all authority in heaven and earth has been given to me, therefore go and make disciples…” ALL AUTHORITY is somehow given to Jesus post his death and resurrection (Matt.28:19). ALSO, in 1 Corinthians 15 – Paul says that Jesus must reign until he brings all dominion and authority and power under his feet. Then, when all things (including Satan, the antichrist and the kings of the earth) have been brought into submission to Jesus – Jesus will then hand the Kingdom back to God the Father (1Cor.15:23-25). So what we are seeing in Revelation 5 – as the 1) book of truth or 2) the book of life is given to Jesus he is being entrusted with ruling history for the sake of Gods people and Gods glory.
Now this raises the possibility – that the EXALTED Lord Jesus Christ does now know the exact time of the last day. Although, Jesus says in Matthew 24 that “no one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matt.24:36) we need to remember Jesus said those words in his pre-exalted status. If Jesus really has been given the book of truth or the book of life – then he is the one determining when and how to come to the church’s rescue.
Now as we wrestle with this idea – we see another item in the tabernacle. In verse 8 we see GOLDEN BOWLS OF INCENSE that represent the prayers of the saints. These golden bowls sat on the altar of incense – just outside the Holy of Holies. As the incense rose to heaven, so our prayers are meant to rise to heaven as a fragrant offering to God. So the angels come forward with the incense because the PRAYER LINE to God is now open. Jesus A) our great high priest has offered B) the perfect sacrifice – so that we can communicate with God. And when it comes to prayer (in the context of persecution and suffering) – the last words of Revelation tells us – the Spirit and the Bride should be praying – “Come, Lord Jesus. Come.” (Rev.22:20).
Point 3: Jesus is Worthy of Worship and Honour as the True Son of God
Show: Rev.5:9-10 (Slide 17-18)
Explain: Well please note; the main point today is that Jesus is WORTHY to open the scroll because he is High Priest, the Messianic King and God (in the same way the Father is God). BUT there are a few SUB POINTS I want to make. In the angels song we are reminded that Jesus has purchased for God people from every tribe, language, people and nation to be 1) priests and 2) kings in Jesus’ kingdom. The Kingdom of God is now far bigger than the Jews. Amen! Gentiles have been grafted in. Amen! But that doesn’t automatically mean the Jews are now completely irrelevant. As Romans 11 tells us – the Jews have been HARDENED for a time so that people from all the nations of the world – might be saved. But Romans says the gospel is still first for the Jews and then for the Gentiles (Rom.1:16). Equal, but different…
Now the words every tribe and language and people and nation; literally says all the tribes, languages, peoples and nations. Now we know in Revelation 7:4 – that all the tribes is CLARIFIED as “all the tribes of Israel”. So putting “all the tribes” BEFORE languages, peoples and nations John may still be acknowledging that Jesus is first for the Jews and then for the Gentiles. And we see this pattern several times in Revelation. In Revelation 7 – John focuses first on the 12 tribes of Israel before focussing on the great multitude of Gentiles. Again, in Revelation 14 – we see the 144,000 (from all the tribes of Israel) before we hear about the gospel going out to all the nations of the world. Post Jesus – God still has a special concern for the Jews.
The phrase ‘all tribes, peoples, languages and nations” also informs how we interpreted Revelation 1:7. If John wanted to say “all the people of the earth will mourn when they see Jesus coming on the clouds – he would have used the phrase “all tribes, languages, peoples and nations will mourn.” This is the phrase John uses in Revelation when he speaks of the totality of Jesus’ kingdom. The fact that John only speaks of ALL THE TRIBES in Revelation 1:7 confirms a Jewish focus.
But not only is there a JEW and GENTILE tension in Revelation. There is also a NOW and NOT YET tension in Revelation. Revelation 5:9-10 says Jesus has purchased people with his blood (past tense). So we serve now as priests for Jesus (present tense) and one day we will reign with Jesus on earth (future tense). So is Jesus Kingdom a present reality or a future reality? The answer is yes. But where do we put our emphasis in Revelation – on the now or the not yet?
Some pastors say that we are ALREADY priests serving God with the gospel and we are ALREADY kings reigning over Satan, sin and death. The kingdom is NOW. But who hopes for what he already has? No! Revelation 21 tells us – that it is only at Jesus’ return that the OLD ORDER OF THINGS will pass away. There is a definite future orientation to Revelation. We are to look forward to Jesus’ return. So other pastors say – this passage is saying we serve now, but we will reign with Jesus later – either A) in the millennial kingdom or B) in the new creation. The problem is – if you OVER-EMPHASISE Jesus’ kingdom now – why is there any need for Jesus’ to return. We have it all already. But if you OVER-EMPHASIZE that Gods Kingdom only comes when Jesus returns – then we have no ability to overcome and be faithful witnesses now. The key to interpreting Revelation correctly is recognizing that there is a NOW aspect and a NOT YET aspect to Jesus Kingdom (and both are equally important).
Apply: But like last week, Revelation 5 finishes again with WORSHIP. I want us to say the end of Revelation 5 together as a church (Slide 19; Rev.5:12). This is the song of heaven. This is the song of all Christians, both Jew and Gentile. Jesus prayed in the high priestly prayer – “Father restore to me the glory I had with you before the creation of the world.”
The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all One. They share the same glory together as God. So here Jesus is given sevenfold worship. Count the words. Jesus is worthy of power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and praise. Jesus is worthy of the same glory and praise as God himself.
So the song of heaven continues; (Slide 20; Rev.5:13). Before the war against the saints begins to heat up – we are reminded that God alone – Father, Son and Holy Spirit is worthy of worship. God alone as Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier is worthy of our praise. Anything else is APOSTASY. We mustn’t do it. Twice in Revelation John bows to worship an angel (Rev.19:10; 22:9). Twice he is told “Don’t do it. Worship God alone. This is a very relevant word because Satan masquerades as an angel of light. As Daniel 11, 2 Thessalonians 2 and Revelation 13 remind us this pathetic fallen angel will try one day to elevate himself above everything that is called God, even making Himself God and demanding that we worship him as god – through an antichrist and many deceptions on earth. But we must overcome. So as the angel says to John; “Don’t do it. Worship God” alone.
