Sunday School Lesson
April 29
Blessing, Glory, Honor Forever
Devotional Reading: Philippians 2:1-11
Background Scripture: Revelation 5:6-14
Revelation 5:6-14
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.
7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
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;
10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
11 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;
12 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.
13 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.
14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
Key Verse
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.—Revelation 5:12
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
- Describe the makeup of the expanding numbers of worshippers in Heaven.
- Explain why the Lamb is worthy of worship.
- Specify how his or her church can better fulfill the calling of Christians to be “kings and priests.”
Introduction
- Destiny or Deity?
Many religious beliefs feature a strong sense of destiny, of divine control over the lives of humans. In the Greek mythological world of Mount Olympus, familiar to the first readers of Revelation, this was personified by the three goddesses of fate: one who spins the thread of life, one who allots the number of life’s days, and one who cuts the thread of life at the time of death. The Greeks and Romans also believed in Fortuna, the goddess who determined a person’s destiny, whether prosperous or disastrous.
The Bible presents God as sovereign; He declares, “My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure” (Isaiah 46:10). God’s plans are not to be thwarted, for He has the power to carry out His will in all things (Proverbs 19:21). Yet God allows humans to devise and carry out their own plans for life, reserving for himself the final say on the outcomes (Proverbs 16:9). Unlike the capricious and unpredictable actions of the goddesses of fate or Fortuna, the Lord’s will works with human wills for God’s desired outcomes. These outcomes are always and utterly consistent with God’s unchanging nature.
Today’s lesson considers the ultimate outcome that God ensures will happen. In chapters 4 and 5 of Revelation, John sees the Lord seated on His heavenly throne. In God’s hand is a scroll sealed with seven seals; the opening of this scroll reveals the future, the events “which must be hereafter” (Revelation 4:1, last week’s lesson).
- Lesson Background
Revelation 4 begins John’s vision of the throne room of Heaven. John describes its majestic features and residents, including the “beasts” who lead worship and the elders who bow in worship. The chapter ends with a song praising the worthiness of the Lord God to receive worship. This is based on God’s being the creator and sustainer of all things. Chapter 5 begins with John’s observation of a new detail: in the hand of the one seated on the throne (God) is an unusual scroll, unusual for two reasons.
First, it has writing on both sides, which is not the standard practice. The scroll is likely made of treated animal skins. With such scrolls it was much easier to write on the “flesh” side than the “hair” side. Writing on both sides gives the impression of the scroll overflowing with important information.
Second, the scroll has seven seals instead of the usual one seal. These are wax seals affixed by God himself. They can be broken only by one who has the proper authority. Consequently, a search throughout Heaven attempts to find one worthy to open this scroll. Initially, no one with suitable authority is found.
This disappoints John, and we are told that his disappointment moves him to tears (Revelation 5:4). John wants, even needs, to know what the words of the scroll reveal. He understands that this is why he has been granted access to Heaven, for the scroll will reveal what will take place on earth (4:1). Something seems wrong, even in Heaven, and John’s sadness overwhelms him.
But all is not lost. One of the elders from the group near the throne tells John not to weep. The one who can break the seals, open the scroll, and reveal its secrets is arriving. This is the conquering Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5), Jesus, but He is also the Lamb; and His appearance begins our lesson for this week.
- Seeing the Lamb
(Revelation 5:6-8)
- Standing in the Midst (v. 6)
6a. 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.
The four beasts and the elders are nothing new to John at this point (see last week’s lesson). But the figure in the midst of the throne and . . . in the midst of the elders is new. This newcomer is at the center of everything, the focus of Heaven and its residents. John’s description of this figure contains important symbolic truth.
First, the figure is that of a Lamb, a favored sacrificial animal in biblical teaching. Readers are reminded of the words of John the Baptist: “Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:29, 36; compare 1 Peter 1:18, 19).
Second, John includes the puzzling detail that the Lamb looks as if it had been slain. This does not mean that the Lamb exhibits a deathly pallor, but that it has evidence of a horrendous wound. It is the kind of wound that no living creature should have survived. The Lamb is not dead, though, or else the entire episode would make no sense. This is John’s way of saying that the Lamb had been dead but is now alive again—a reference to the resurrected Christ.
6b. Having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
The description of the Lamb combines the number seven (the symbol of perfection or completeness; see Revelation 15:1, 8) with horns (the symbol of power; see Daniel 8:7-9) and eyes (the symbol of divine knowledge; 2 Chronicles 16:9). The Lamb has perfect and undisputed power. This is not a meek baby sheep, but the mighty, conquering Lamb of God.
Like the multi-eyed creatures near the throne who serve as God’s witnesses of everything on the earth (Revelation 4:6, last week’s lesson), the seven-eyed Lamb also has personal knowledge of everything. This is because of the Lamb’s close ties to the seven Spirits of God, which (as noted in last week’s study) is this book’s way of presenting the Holy Spirit (Revelation 1:4; 4:5). The fact that the Spirit is sent forth into all the earth calls to mind Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit (John 15:26).
What Do You Think?
What would life be like if Jesus were the touchstone of all your thoughts?
Points for Your Discussion
In business contexts
In family contexts
In your entertainment choices
Other
- Taking the Scroll (vv. 7, 8)
- And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
No doubt all present, including John, watch in amazement as the Lamb does an audacious thing: He takes the book out of the right hand of God! This is not an act of thievery or usurpation, however, for God has been waiting for the Lamb. The scroll and its decrees are prepared for the Lamb, and only He can break the seals and open the scroll.
8a. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb.
The transfer of the scroll allows the worship of Heaven to resume, but now the four beasts and four and twenty elders are bowing before the Lamb. This is not to recognize a transfer of power that somehow diminishes the authority of the one on the throne. Rather, it is a recognition of the Lamb’s authority and His unity with the one on the throne. (Regarding the nature of the beasts, the elders, and the numbers associated with them, see comments on Revelation 4:4, 6 in last week’s lesson.)
8b. Having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Following the transfer of the scroll, new details unfold before John’s eyes. The elders, who previously had cast their crowns when they fell in worship before the throne (Revelation 4:10, last week’s lesson), now have harps that they presumably use for playing worship music.
Further, they all hold vials full of odours, which is symbolic of the prayers of saints. This is one of the few places in Revelation where symbolic language is explained—and for that we are grateful. The aroma likely comes from incense, which is later linked with prayer when the seventh seal is opened (Revelation 8:3). Because smoke from incense rises and creates a pleasing aroma, incense has come to symbolize prayers rising to God (Psalm 141:2).
How to Say It
AlphaAl-fa.
EphesusEf-uh-sus.
FortunaFawr-too-nuh.
JudahJoo-duh.
NostradamusNoss-truh-daw-muss.
OmegaO-may-guh or O-mee-guh.
Who Holds the Future
Many have heard the name Nostradamus. Although he was born in 1503, his followers claim this man predicted future events, including World War II, the atomic bomb, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the moon landings, and the 9/11 terror attacks. Nostradamus’s followers continue to pore over his quatrains—his collection of four-line prophecies—in an attempt to figure out what else the French astrologer seems to have successfully predicted.
Nostradamus wasn’t received as kindly by his contemporaries, however. Some of his critics claimed he used sleep deprivation and hallucinogenic drugs to put himself into an altered state. Others labeled him incompetent because of his unorthodox methodology.
Nostradamus’s continued popularity points to human anxiety and curiosity about the future, especially regarding the end times. But Revelation 5 reminds us that our future is in the hands of the worthy Lamb. When the Lamb took the scroll, its contents became secondary to the rightful worship of the one holding it. Much more important than knowing the future is knowing the one who holds our future.
—L. G. S.
- Singing a New Song
(Revelation 5:9, 10)
- Worthy Lamb (v. 9)
9a. And they sung a new song.
Worship of the Lamb includes singing. What the elders sing is not an old favorite but a new song. Revelation 14:3 is similar, but there it is the 144,000 redeemed who sing rather than the elders. Of the other seven occurrences of the word new in Revelation, all are actions of God (2:17; 3:12 [twice]; 21:1 [twice], 2, 5).
9b. 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.
The song John hears acknowledges the worthiness of the Lamb and therefore the appropriateness of offering Him worship (contrast Revelation 19:10; 22:8, 9). The fact that the Lamb is eligible to be worshipped goes hand in hand with the fact that He is eligible to take the book, and to open the seals thereof. Because He was slain, people are redeemed . . . to God, sin’s price having been paid by the Lamb’s shed blood (see Romans 3:25). Yet He is the living Lamb, the one who has conquered death. This is a great victory indeed (1 Corinthians 15:55)! Could there be anyone more worthy to break the seals on the scroll than the Lamb?
9c. Out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.
The elders’ song recognizes those who have been redeemed as being a marvelously diverse lot. The diversity is fourfold in nature, as the redeemed come from every family group (kindred), every language group (tongue), every cultural group (people), and every ethnic group (nation). This heavenly mix encompasses all the people of the world, symbolically represented by the number four (compare Isaiah 11:12; Revelation 7:1). It is a mix that should characterize the church on earth.
What Do You Think?
What steps can a church take to achieve the diversity seen in Revelation 5:9?
Points for Your Discussion
Steps for ministers and elders to take
Steps for leaders of midsize groups (Sunday school classes, etc.) to take
Steps for leaders of small groups to take
Other
The Diverse Church United
Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have a Dream Speech” rightly challenged the conscience of a country divided by racism. His vision for racial equality was rooted in his understanding of the Scriptures. For King, the uneven terrain of Isaiah 40:3-5 represented the decades of racial injustice that fueled and was fueled by segregation.
King’s dream wasn’t wishful thinking or idle hope. He challenged his audience to participate in leveling “the mountain of despair.” A nation changed its laws and began to repent of its racism as a result (with a ways yet to go).
King’s dream of racial equality was preceded by John’s vision of a multinational, multiethnic redeemed people of God who are unified in their praise to Him. Having read of that heavenly outcome, the question then becomes one of what we should be doing to bring it about. What are we doing to have a church on earth that is as unified in its diversity as the redeemed people of God in John’s vision?
—L. G. S.
- Exalted Followers (v. 10)
- And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Another consequence of Christ’s redeeming, sacrificial death is the elevated status of this purchased people. They (we) have now become kings and priests, which are offices representative of significant authority. The Greek word rendered kings is also translated “kingdom” in many places (examples: Matthew 5:20; John 3:3, 5), and that may be the sense here.
In either case, believers are given an astonishing and humbling responsibility: to reign on the earth. Entrusted to deliver the saving message of the gospel, Christians are appointed by God to extend His rule to every nation. In that way we have become kings who assist the great king and invite others to become part of the kingdom that is “not of this world” (John 18:36).
III. Worshipping with Hosts
(Revelation 5:11-14)
- Countless Angels (vv. 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.
The chorus is taken up by another group that surrounds the throne as many angels join the beasts and the elders. John does not attempt to count them; there are far too many. If we take the Greek word translated ten thousand and change the Greek letters to English letters that sound the same (a procedure known as transliteration), we end up with the English word myriad.
- 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.
This majestic choir proclaims what we might call the second stanza of the new song. It too acknowledges the worthiness of the Lamb that was slain, and therefore the appropriateness of worshipping Him. New is this stanza’s recognition of the Lamb’s worthiness to receive the sevenfold listing of power (ability), riches (wealth), wisdom (knowledge and how to use it), strength (might), honour (esteem), glory (splendor), and blessing (praise). These attributes include every possible qualification for worthiness (compare Revelation 4:11; 7:12):
What Do You Think?
How can you help your church proclaim Jesus “with a loud voice” in a figurative sense?
Points for Your Discussion
When opposition is strong
When opposition is low or nonexistent
- Countless Creatures (v. 13)
- 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.
John’s view includes all creatures in every conceivable location. This includes all other heavenly creatures, all creatures on the earth, all creatures under the earth (perhaps the dead or whatever exists beneath the physical surface of the earth; compare Philippians 2:10, 11), and all creatures in the sea. This leaves out no one or thing. Again we see a grouping of four, the number representing the entirety of the earth.
This is a magnificent moment, a picture of all the universe joined in praise. This is as it should be. There are no holdouts, no protesters. Later, Revelation 22:15 presents us some who are excluded from the presence of God, but for now there is a unanimous voice of praise.
The perfect list of seven attributes in the earlier new song has been condensed to four: blessing, honour, glory, and power. The fourfold nature of this version is appropriate for the creatures of the world in their entirety. The list is similar to the original song of God’s worthiness in Revelation 4:11 with one key difference: this time worship is directed to the Lamb. This is not the worship of a second deity, but an affirmation of the unity of Christ with the one seated on the throne.
What Do You Think?
What safeguards can we put in place to keep our worship Christ-centered?
Points for Your Discussion
Regarding safeguards that lead up to worship
Regarding safeguards to enact during worship
- Additional Praise (v. 14)
14a. And the four beasts said, Amen.
John’s attention is drawn back to the four beasts. What he sees and hears in this half-verse and the next is a repeat of Revelation 4:9, 10. The Amen voiced by the beasts is derived from a Hebrew word that means, “It is true” or “It is correct.” Nothing is out of place in the scene.
14b. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
The “amen” of the beasts is followed by a physical act from the four and twenty elders as they repeat their posture of worship (Revelation 4:10, 11). The Lamb is the one who was dead but now liveth for ever and ever. By His resurrection He has unlocked the prison house of death and released God’s people from death’s power (1:18). He is truly the worthy one, and we cannot worship Him enough.
What Do You Think?
What steps can you take to ensure that what others see in you affirms the truths of what you sing and pray?
Points for Your Discussion
When in the presence of unbelievers
When in the presence of believers
Conclusion
- God’s Position
Our world is filled with awards. Sports teams keep trophy shops busy with orders. The roster of award shows on television includes the Oscars, Emmys, Tonys, Grammys, and Golden Globes. We have halls of fame for football players, rock bands, rodeo winners, etc. Schools hand out certificates frequently for all manner of achievements. Hollywood has its Walk of Fame. All compete for our attention, whether as spectators to admire achievements of others or as potential candidates to be recognized.
Acknowledging achievements is a good thing in and of itself. We must be careful, however, to distinguish proper from improper applause both given to and accepted from our fellow human beings. A primary lesson of Revelation is that God alone is worthy of receiving worship. God alone must be glorified (compare Acts 12:21-23; 14:11-18).
Revelation shows us that Christ, the Lamb of God, is also worthy of worshipful praise and glory. We may not understand fully the relationship within the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All three are important in Revelation, but there is no essential division between the three. They are one God. Worship in Heaven is given to the one on the throne and to the Lamb, and this is the same worship.
At the beginning of Revelation, “the Lord . . . the Almighty” describes himself as “Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8). At the end of Revelation, Jesus describes himself in the same way (22:13). There is no separation. May all glory be given to the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.
- Humanity’s Obligation
When God established His covenant with the Israelites at Mount Sinai, He called them to be “a kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:6). Now, under the new covenant, Christians carry out that role as “a royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9).
Unlike under the old covenant, however, our priestly sacrifices do not consist of animals. Rather, our sacrifices are spiritual in nature (1 Peter 2:5); and our priesthood involves being living sacrifices (Romans 12:1). In that light, we are to “offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:15). Worship must never be about us. Worship, whether corporate or individual, should have an audience of one: the Lord himself.
The thanks that we offer can include gratitude that our eternal destiny does not rest on decisions made by three goddesses on Mount Olympus or any other fickle and unpredictable deity. The one true God is utterly consistent, always faithful to His promises, whether those promises involve positive or negative outcomes for people in various contexts. When we first read the book of Revelation, we may be astounded and even terrified of its imagery; but terror gives way to relief as we realize that in the end it is God who wins. Our choice concerns which side we want to be on. But that’s really no choice at all, is it?
- Prayer
Lord God, may we give our worship to no other. May all glory and honor be given to You. May we join our voices with Your worshippers from all over the world to sing Your praises forever. In the name of Your Son, amen.
- Thought to Remember
The Lamb is worthy of our worship.
Kid’s Corner
Jesus Will Make All Things Right
April 29, 2018
Revelation 5:1-14
Revelation 5:1-14
(Revelation 5:1) I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.
God the Father is seated on and ruling from His throne in heaven, and the “right hand of God” is sometimes interpreted as “the power of God.” No one has power greater than God, so no one can snatch the scroll from His hand. The words on the scroll are the words of God. The scroll is filled with writing on the front and the back. The number seven represents perfection; therefore, the scroll is perfectly sealed, so no one can add any more words to the words of God or erase any words from the scroll. Furthermore, God’s words are perfect and will be perfectly preserved forever. Ancient scrolls or letters were sometimes sealed with melted wax upon which a signet ring impression was made. Kings often sealed official documents, decrees, and letters using their royal signet ring and sealing wax or sealing clay. The seal identified the sender and no one but the recipient was authorized to open the sealed scroll (of course anyone could illegally break a wax seal). God has the power over this scroll in heaven, so only the authorized recipient can break the seals and open the scroll after God gives them the scroll.
(Revelation 5:2) And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?”
We do not know all about the scroll. Some have suggested that the scroll is the deed to the earth or universe. It may contain the complete record or blueprint of God’s plans and prophecies before He created the universe, including God’s plans for the Messiah’s redeeming work. It may be a prophecy about the future and the secret details about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ when God’s enemies will be placed as a footstool under His feet. It may also include the names of all the saints, of all who will come to saving faith in Jesus Chris and rule with Him. We learn from the angel’s question that a person must be worthy to open the scroll by breaking its seals to discover or reveal what is written on the scroll.
(Revelation 5:3) And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it.
Among all those John saw everywhere around him at that time, no one was worthy to open the scroll or read it. No created being anywhere had the power or the right to open the seal. As noted, no one was able to open the scroll other than someone approved by God, because the scroll was firmly held by God. No one in created existence has the power to take the scroll from God and open it without God’s permission, for the true God is the Almighty God. No mere human being is qualified or worthy to open the scroll because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). No one on earth or under the earth was morally or spiritually qualified to look into the scroll.
(Revelation 5:4) Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it;
John began to weep bitterly, not only because no one was found worthy to open the scroll but because sin had entered the world; because of sins committed against God, no one was worthy or able in heaven (forgiven sinners; such as Abraham, Moses, David, and Elijah), or on earth (all have sinned) or under the earth (unrepentant sinners) to look into the scroll. The holy angels in heaven have never sinned, but their holy lives and good deeds as created beings did not make them worthy.
(Revelation 5:5) and one of the elders *said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”
When one of the elders speaks to John, he shows him Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, and says Jesus is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals. Since Jesus is the Messiah and the One who fulfilled and will fulfill all the Old Testament prophecies, the elder describes Jesus as the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the promised descendant of King David. Since Jesus the Messiah existed before King David and David called Him his Lord, Jesus is the Root of David. King David grew to be the King of Israel and he was nourished by his Lord, Jesus, as a mighty tree is made strong from the roots up. Jesus conquered the devil, temptation (Jesus never sinned), and death (Jesus rose from the tomb). So, Jesus was worthy to open the scroll by virtue of Who He is and what He has done as Lord and Savior. He died sacrificially to save sinners and He rose from the dead and He is seated at the right hand of God. John heard the angel call Jesus, “the Lion of the tribe of Judah,” but when he looked he saw something different from what he expected.
(Revelation 5:6) And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.
See the International Bible Lesson Commentary on Revelation chapter 4 to learn more about the creatures and the elders in this verse. When John saw that Jesus was standing, he described who he saw as a Lamb that had been slaughtered, but who was now obviously alive in heaven. The Lamb had been slaughtered as the sacrificial Lamb so God in love could justly and mercifully forgive repentant sinners, and God had raised Him from the dead to reign at His side. Jesus conquered by His sacrificial death, and He will conquer all evil and destructive forces when He comes again (as the Book of Revelation describes). The seven horns and seven eyes describe Jesus as the perfect, all-powerful, and all-seeing God, the Son of God, whose Father sits on His throne with the scroll. These horns and eyes also represent the seven spirits, which indicate that Jesus is everywhere present as the Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ. Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are everywhere present together. Paul wrote about Jesus Christ spiritually indwelling believers: “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). Jesus’ resurrected and glorified human body has ascended into heaven, and spiritually, as the Son of God, Jesus is present everywhere and especially within every true Christian. The Holy Spirit had already been given to Jesus’ followers, and He had already been “sent out into all the earth.” Since the Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity, John also saw the Holy Spirit “the seven spirits” (the perfect Spirit) present in heaven when Jesus took the scroll that was still sealed. Though John did not physically describe God the Father, he did use physical, but symbolic, language to describe God the Son and the Holy Spirit. No one should try to make images from his descriptions.
(Revelation 5:7) And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
Jesus proved that He was worthy when He took the scroll from the right hand of His Father because His Father gave it to Him. Jesus had completed His work of redemption, but not everyone would come to faith in Him and the rebellion of some sinners would continue on earth. Jesus had additional work to do before God could bring peace throughout the universe, and that additional work included taking the sealed scroll from His Father in heaven and coming again to earth.
(Revelation 5:8) When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
John’s vision in heaven proved that Jesus Christ deserves praise and is worthy to be worshiped, and since only God is worthy to be worshiped, we know the Bible declares Jesus is God, the Son of God, the “I Am.” God’s people should only pray to God as God has revealed himself in the Bible. The prayers of the saints (that is, all who trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior) are precious to God and all the holy ones in heaven. Both the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ also intercede for the saints (see Romans 8:27 & Romans 8:34). The scroll is of vital importance to the saints because the prayers of the saints are mentioned here as being held (symbolically in golden bowls full of incense) by the creatures and the elders who fall down before Jesus and praise Him when He takes the scroll from His Father. It seems they are offering the prayers of the saints to Jesus at this time too. No matter how feeble our prayers might be, they are a precious to God as golden bowls of incense, and they are offered up to Him as of great value by the most important created beings in heaven.
(Revelation 5:9) And they *sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
Revelation chapter 4 includes a hymn by the creatures and the elders, and in chapter 5 they sing a new song. See the International Bible Lesson Commentary on Revelation chapter 4 to learn more about the other hymn. In this new hymn, they declare Jesus worthy to open the seals on the scroll because of what He has done and the Father approved all He did. He is the perfect and only acceptable sacrifice to God for the redemption of sinners, who become saints (holy ones set apart or consecrated by G0d) because of Jesus’ work. People are made saints by the work of Jesus, not by their works for Jesus (though all saints do good works and bear good fruit for Jesus). Jesus’ death has made forgiveness and eternal life possible for saints from everywhere around the world; not just Jews, but people from every tribe, language, and nation.
(Revelation 5:10) “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
Jesus Christ has made all the saints of God (all true believers and followers of Jesus— not just a special group selected by church leaders) into a kingdom where He rules in their hearts as their King. The Kingdom of Jesus is “not of this world” (John 18:36). The saints serve as priests who will serve God and others by praying and leading people to know God the Father and the Lamb of God according to the Scriptures. In the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ kingdom of priests reign over the entire earth in some sense now and will fully and visibly reign after Jesus comes again.
(Revelation 5:11) Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,
The angels of God are so numerous that they cannot be counted by any finite human being. All rational beings in heaven offer praise to God. As God deserves, the Lamb of God also deserves and receives the praise of all of God’s creatures in heaven; therefore, it is entirely appropriate for all of God’s people on earth to worship Jesus the Messiah and give Him the glory and honor reserved for God alone.
(Revelation 5:12) saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
All of God’s creatures in heaven extol Jesus with their whole being, singing praises to Him with all their might. The resurrection of Jesus continues to be emphasized by indicating that He was slaughtered (not gently executed or crucified with compassion) and is now alive and receives seven aspects of perfect praise from the entire heavenly host. In this sevenfold praise, we acknowledge that Jesus is worthy to receive the best we have to give Him in power and wealth. He is worthy to receive our wisdom or the best thinking and use of our minds for Him and His kingdom as we reign as saints. God is the ultimate source of our power, might, and wealth, and we should use these gifts wisely to achieve His purposes for His world and us. Jesus deserves all the honor, glory, and blessing for everything we ever achieve or acquire in this life.
(Revelation 5:13) And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”
Someday all creatures of our God and King will bow and declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, even those whose hearts and minds remain in rebellion against God and refuse to receive His saving grace. God the Father and God the Son deserve and receive equal praise, glory, and honor from believers and they will do so forever and ever. Christians try to describe the nature and relationship of God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit as One God in Three Person, the Trinity.
(Revelation 5:14) And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.
The four living creatures affirmed the praise God the Father and Jesus the Lamb received from all God’s creatures. The elders worshiped the Father and the Son with heaven’s approval; therefore, it is appropriate and right for all true believers to worship God the Father and His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, Who was slaughtered for us that we might receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit and eternal life. Knowing these truths from the Bible, how can we do anything except what these elders and these four living creatures (seraphs) have done but praise God our Father and Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, with the love, strength, and wisdom that the Holy Spirit gives us.
Jesus Will Make All Things Right
April 29, 2018
Revelation 5:1-14
“Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals’” (Revelation 5:5).
As believers suffer persecution around the world and families are torn apart through martyrdom, they weep. When John went to heaven and saw what at first appeared to be no solution to the suffering of believers and the world’s problems, he wept. Then, one of the twenty-four elders who sat around the throne of God told John to see the solution to all the problems of believers and the world. He said the solution was the mighty Lion of the tribe of Judah, the real King over all the earth, who the elder described as the One who raised up David as a great king. When John looked up from weeping, he saw Jesus as “a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne” (Revelation 5:6). The death and resurrection of Jesus was the solution. He defeated the powers of darkness, though they still have some destructive power in the world today. Jesus fulfilled the words of the prophet Zechariah: “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6). Represented by “seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God (the Holy Spirit),” the Spirit of Jesus Christ “has been sent out into all the earth” (Revelation 5:6). Jesus is with all of God’s people who weep, and He will comfort them, grant them life everlasting, and someday will return to make all things right in the world.
Thinking Further
Jesus Will Make All Things Right
April 29, 2018
Revelation 5:1-14
Name ______________________________
- What do you think was written on the scroll in God the Father’s hand (may be several good answers)?
- Give a reason why you think John wept bitterly (may be more than 1 reason)?
- Describe what John saw when he first looked at Jesus? What do you think it meant?
- How important to God are the prayers of true Christians; people John called “saints”?
- Who did Jesus die for and ransom by His blood? What will He make of them?
- What do you think was written on the scroll in God the Father’s hand (may be several good answers)? Perhaps the plans of God from before God created the world, including how Jesus would come the first time to redeem and save His people from their sins by His sacrificial death on the cross; and furthermore, what Jesus will do when He comes again as visible Lord of lords and King of kings. Perhaps the names of all God’s people.
- Give a reason why you think John wept bitterly (may be more than 1 reason)? Perhaps he knew that because of sin no mere human being, including himself, was qualified or worthy to do anything God wanted done, especially when it came to opening the sealed scroll in God’s hand. Because of God’s grace, God gives believers opportunities to serve Him in other ways than opening this special scroll.
- Describe what John saw when he first looked at Jesus? What do you think it meant? John saw a living lamb that still carried the marks of having been slaughtered or brutally killed. He saw Jesus bearing the marks of His crucifixion, even as the disciples saw Jesus after He rose from the dead and showed them the marks of the nails in His hands. The lamb had seven eyes and seven horns; John saw Jesus in His divine dignity; Jesus was all-powerful, all-seeing, and in His Spirit everywhere present throughout the universe.
- How important to God are the prayers of true Christians; people John called “saints”? The prayers of Christians are extremely important to God since the four living creatures and all twenty-four elders hold their prayers in their hands, fall down before Jesus, and present the prayers of Christians to Him.
- Who did Jesus die for and ransom by His blood? What will He make of them? Jesus died for and ransomed “saints from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9). Jesus will make these saints “a kingdom and priests serving our God, and they will reign on earth” (Revelation 5:10)
Word Search
Jesus Will Make All Things Right
April 29, 2018
Revelation 5:1-14
Name _________________________________
N S R X W E T R G E D O S G R
H D Z Y U K V F H C S L I O N
A V A G R X A M T F A N G E L
D S Z C W Y Z E D I V A D U Y
U F L L O R C S R K O L T K S
J W X T U N B Z C B M P R A U
T O K C Q D V N L X N D I W H
C R A N X G S F R S E P U G T
S T I C L A M B C P V Y M J E
C H W Z J Q Y P I L S T P T N
J Y D E H I M H M U E O H S E
D R S N S D S J P B V O E L P
A U G A U R B L A S E R D A O
S O T K O X O Q J K N X C E H
V I D W E P T V I G U B T S M
Scroll
Seven
Seals
Angel
Break
Open
Wept
Lion
Judah
Root
David
Triumphed
Lamb
Worthy
Worshiped
True and False Test
Jesus Will Make All Things Right
April 29, 2018
Revelation 5:1-14
Name _________________________________
Circle the true or false answers. Correct the false statements by restating them.
- John saw a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. True or False
- A person had to be worthy to break the seals and open the scroll. True or False
- No being that God created was found worthy to open the scroll. True or False
- John wept and wept because no one was found worthy to open the scroll. True or False
- Because the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed, He was worthy to open the scroll. True or False
- John saw a Lion at the center of the throne that was strong enough to break the seals and open the scroll. True or False
- When the Lion took the scroll, John rejoiced and sang before the Lion. True or False
- John added seven prayers to the golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. True or False
- The blood of Christ purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. True or False
- Someday, God’s people will reign upon the earth. True or False
True and False Test Answers
Revelation 5:1-14
- True
- True
- True
- True
- True
- False
- False
- False
- True
10.True
- Prayer
Lord God, may we give our worship to no other. May all glory and honor be given to You. May we join our voices with Your worshippers from all over the world to sing Your praises forever. In the name of Your Son, amen.