Welcome to The MHB Podcast. This is Michael Baun. And welcome to my 148th episode. In this episode I want to continue our study of the book of Revelation. We are in chapter 5. The previous chapter opened John’s prophetical scene with his vision of God on the throne. He saw Jesus as the great King of the church, the Creator and ruler of the world. Surrounding the throne were God’s holy ones and they were praising him with songs of adoration. This chapter gives John a vision of the counsels and decrees of God which are represented as a sealed book in the hand of God. John was distraught because he didn’t think there was anyone worthy to unseal the book. But then Christ comes forward into the vision as the holy Lamb of God who is the only one found worthy to open it. This is one of my favorite chapters in Revelation because it illustrates how the Word of God cannot be understood until you are in relationship with Jesus. Jesus said those who belong to Him know His voice, and Jesus is the key to understanding God’s revelation of Himself to us. Let’s read verses 1-5:
Rev 5:1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
Rev 5:2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
Rev 5:3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5:4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 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.
The opening scene gave John insight into the model of God’s governance – namely that His methods and ordinances were written in a book which was as yet sealed in the hand of God. The imagery of God’s methods being written in a book tells us that His divine providence towards humanity has long been declared and is set permanent. God’s grand narrative for creation is already written and determined. His plan for your life and for humanity as a whole has been made a matter of record. This doesn’t mean you lack free will, it just means there are no decisions you could make which would escape the omniscience of God. He knows what you’re going to choose before you choose it. The idea that God is holding this book in His right hand declares the authoritative nature of it. It also shows us His readiness to execute every part of His counsels and His purposes.
In the vision John doesn’t have access to the contents of God’s book. The plans of God are known only to Himself unless and until He reveals them. There are still many aspects to God’s work which we know nothing about. The world is full of mystery and we don’t understand it very well. Our knowledge of the universe is incomplete and what we can see we see as through a clouded mirror. God allows us to make choices, but the most fundamental parts of existence – like time, the seasons, and physical law – are held in His own hand under His full sovereignty. God knows what information we can tolerate and what we can’t. He also knows what we will do with things He reveals to us. So we can rest in knowing He’s told us exactly what we need to know in His Word. We’ve been given as much revelation as we need to know God and to be reconciled to Him.
The book which John saw was sealed with seven seals. The seven seals show us the impenetrable security with which God conceals His plan. No one on earth or in heaven apart from Jesus has the intellectual prowess to figure out the secret things of God. We can’t understand God purely through our own rationality. This isn’t to say Christian faith must be irrational. It merely declares the impossibility of arriving at God without the revelation of Himself through Jesus Christ. The Son is the narrow gate one must walk through in order to come to the Father. The seven seals on the book in John’s vision represent different parts of the book itself. Each part was given a particular seal and when each seal was broken a new discovery was made. The seven seals were not opened all at once, rather they were opened successively. The breaking of one seal uncovered proper events which would lead into the breaking of the next seal. One scene of providence introduced another and explained it until God’s complete design had been brought out in the world.
John saw a mighty angel shout a challenge that every creature might hear. The challenge was for anyone to try their wisdom in opening the sealed book of the counsels of God. The angel called out anyone who considered him or herself sufficient to break the seals. The idea here is none of us are capable of explaining or executing God’s plan without dependence on God Himself. There are none in heaven who can stand without God. None of the angels, as mighty as they are, can carry out God’s plan without Him. The world has witnessed men and women so wise they were centuries ahead of their peers – but even the wisest human being knows nothing of God’s counsels beyond what God has chosen to reveal. Even the prophets of God were not able to accomplish anything apart from Him. The demons who inhabit Hell can do nothing without God’s permission. Satan himself, the most clever deceiver to ever speak, does not have the omniscience necessary to peer into God’s counsels beyond what God allows him to see. There are none who can break the seven seals and open the book of God’s counsel apart from Jesus Christ.
John’s reaction to the angel’s challenge is very peculiar. John wept with great sorrow. He was very disappointed there were none capable of opening the book. Why? It’s because John got a glimpse of Almighty God on His throne and in that moment he wanted nothing more than to see further into God’s mind and know His will. The same is true for us today. Often you hear Christians describe a singular moment in their life where they experience a taste of God – sometimes this one moment is enough to motivate devotion and worship for the rest of their lives. Those who experience a shade of God’s glory are captivated by it and it often changes their lives forever. There’s some danger in this because it presents the risk of otherwise good people becoming too eager to understand the mysteries of God’s divine conduct. If you become too wrapped up in seeking things which God has not revealed to us then you might encounter a bit of grief and sorrow – similar to John’s reaction when he thought no one would be able to open God’s book.
John was comforted and encouraged when he realized Jesus Christ was able to open the book. One of the elders in John’s vision revealed this to him. Remember the twenty four elders represent the Christian congregation among humanity and the four creatures represent the ministers. It’s important to notice how this insight regarding Christ’s capacity to open the book came from the congregation. Sometimes God uses His congregations to teach important lessons to ministers and to those we would typically consider more advanced than the average worshiper. Pastors should always pay attention to the feedback from their church and they should not resent learning from it. The elder told John the Lord Jesus Christ is the one who would open the book and execute all of God’s counsels concerning humanity. Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, which denotes the infinite strength of His sovereignty as King. He is the root of David. When Jesus came to earth He did it as part of the lineage of King David. His human nature was considered a branch of King David’s family tree. But His eternal nature revealed that Christ is indeed the root of David’s family tree – indeed Jesus is the beginning and source of all things which are created. Jesus is fully God and fully man, which makes Him the only gateway by which we may reach the Father in Heaven.
People often wonder: if God is real then why doesn’t He just reveal Himself to us? But this question betrays a great confusion because God was already revealed a long time ago. This revelation radically changed the course of world history and defines so much of our existence as we know it today. The resurrection was proof positive of Christ’s divinity. Jesus Christ is God revealed. Jesus Christ is God among us. Let’s read verses 6-14:
Rev 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.
Rev 5:7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
Rev 5:8 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.
Rev 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;
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Rev 5:11 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;
Rev 5:12 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.
Rev 5:13 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.
Rev 5:14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.
John saw Jesus Christ as the only one with the capacity to unseal and open the book of God’s counsel. Observe how Christ is on the throne with the Father. He was in the midst of the four beasts as well as the twenty four elders. Christ is the center of gravity for all Christians and all ministers. There is no one closer to the Father than Jesus. The Father and Christ are one. Jesus is the only Mediator between humanity and the Father. This means you don’t need a priest or a pastor to pray on your behalf – your prayers go straight to God through Jesus Christ. But there’s a reason the four beasts are closer to the throne than the twenty four elders. Remember the four beasts represent ministers and the twenty four elders represent the body of Christian believers. Pastors are called to a life of service to God and therefore can function to help you grow closer to Him. You don’t need them to have a relationship with God but it certainly helps. It’s the pastor’s job to teach you about God and help you understand what’s happening in the world around you. The pastor is responsible for officiating the sacraments God has established to help you maintain intimacy with Jesus. Throughout history the church has taken advantage of the position of ministers and made them gatekeepers to the Kingdom of Heaven. This idea of placing ministers between believers and their salvation is born of a corrupt lust for power and should be readily challenged wherever it manifests. Jesus is the only way to Heaven and faith in Jesus is the only requirement for Heaven – ministers are just there to serve God and to help you on your journey.
In John’s vision Christ appears as a slain lamb which represents His sacrifice to satisfy the justice of God. But He also appears as a dominant lion which represents His power and sovereignty to conquer Satan and the rest of His enemies. When John saw Christ, Christ had the marks of suffering upon Him which reveals His divine intercession on our behalf. The lamb John saw had seven horns and seven eyes, this corresponds to the seven Spirits of God and reveals Christ’s perfect power to execute the will of God. Jesus has perfect wisdom to understand the counsel of God and accomplish it in the most effectual manner. The Holy Spirit indwells every person who has faith in Jesus, but the Holy Spirit indwells Jesus Himself without measure. The Spirit of God is on Christ with all perfection of light, life, and power. Through His divinity Jesus is able to teach and rule all of creation. At the throne of God Jesus took the book from the right hand of the Father. There was no need for approval or request for permission. Jesus is worthy on His own righteousness to stand before the Father and Jesus has the authority to be coequal with Him. The book of God’s eternal counsels was exchanged between the Father and the Son willingly, gladly, and without trepidation. This reveals the infinite love and trust which exists between the three Persons of the Holy Trinity.
The sorrow and desperation John felt when no one was able to unseal the book turned into universal joy throughout all heaven and earth when Jesus was found worthy to open it. The grace and mercy of God brings joy to every creature in the universe. If God dealt with His creation in a manner fitting of absolute power and strict justice than all hope would be lost. God is the Creator and the Lawgiver but He is also the Savior. His self-sacrificial love gives the entire world reason to rejoice. When Christ took the book to unseal it the assembly in heaven offered up praise in the form of a song. This song consisted of three parts, one part sung by the church, another by the church and the angels, and the third part by every creature. The church, which was the four creatures and the twenty four elders, opened the singing with declaration of the object of their worship. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, shall be honored just as the Father is honored because they are of one nature. The assembly in heaven fell down prostrate before Jesus just as they would in the presence of God the Father. The music was played on harps and there were vials of some substance which represented the prayers of the saints. This is to show that prayer and praise should always go together.
The assembly sang about the new covenant and the gospel church as brought into the world by the Son of God. The song acknowledged the perfect fitness of Jesus Christ to accomplish the grand designs of God. It celebrated His worthiness to unseal the book and execute the counsels therein. When the singers mentioned the reasons for Christ’s worthiness, they emphasized the merit of His suffering. They connected with the power of gospel grace and their hearts were struck with the infinite debt of gratitude they felt for Him. The song focused their interest on Christ being slain as a sacrifice to redeem them from their sins and reconcile them to God. The work of Christ has set us free to serve Him and to enjoy Him. Without gospel grace we would depend on our own righteousness and therefore be crushed by the guilt of our iniquity. When a slave is set free they often consider it wonderful enough to be restored to liberty. But in a fantastic illustration of God’s love, not only does He restore us to liberty but He exalts us as kings and priests to rule over our own spirits, to overcome the world, and to conquer the evil one. The love of God declares you worthy to be set free, but also worthy to be brought into personal relationship with Him and to be with Him in His righteousness.
The second part of the song is carried on by the angels in heaven. The angels are said to be innumerable and are the attendants to the throne of God as well as the guardians of the church. Angels do not need gospel grace but they still rejoice in the salvation of sinners. They view Christ with the same measure of gratitude as the saved among humanity do. The angels in heaven understand and acknowledge the infinite power, wisdom, honor, and glory of Jesus Christ. The angels view Christ as worthy of the highest office and authority in heaven which requires the greatest excellency. They see Him as the only one who is all-sufficient and faithful to unseal the book and bring forward the counsels of God.
The third part of the song is resounded and echoed by the entire creation. All of heaven and earth are filled with the praises of Christ the Redeemer. You may not know this about animals and other parts of God’s creation – but all of them eagerly await the return of their Lord. All of them will breathe easier when He comes to finish His redemptive work. All of creation consists through Jesus and if they had language they would sing out praises to Him. Right now the entire earth groans under the corruption ushered in by humanity’s fall but in Christ’s redeemed creation the entire earth will sing out for His honor and glory. In the third part of the song the creation praises Him that sits on the throne as well as the Lamb of God. This indicates equal praise for both the Father and for Jesus Christ. John’s vision in this chapter reveals to us the transaction of God’s plan being passed from the hand of the Creator to the hand of the Redeemer.
And that’s really something to think about. This chapter began with John’s great distress and sorrow at the thought of none being worthy to unseal God’s book. It looked like a battle which could not be won. Yet the chapter ends with John, the assembly in heaven, and even the entire creation itself rejoicing in songs of praise to honor God because Jesus is revealed as our Savior. Bad things happen because God’s plan is to bring you to the highest possible good – and the highest possible good is not the absence of bad things, it is redemption from bad things. You can rest assured that your success does not depend on your executing the perfect plan, rather it depends on your faithfulness to walk through whatever God lays in front of you. There is a dark and difficult road ahead – be sure of it – but in these moments God’s light shines through you. The thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but Jesus came so that we may have life and have it more abundantly. So be of good courage to put on the full armor of God and march into the battles which cannot be won by you alone. Because you’re not alone. He is with you, and you can take heart, because Jesus has overcome the world.
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