Worthy

 

Revelation 5

Revelation 5 is a view of the throne room in heaven where the angels, elders, and saints are gathered in the presence of the Lord. Revelation 5 also takes place at the time when the Church Age has come to an end. The title deed to creation is brought out, and the Day of the Lord begins.

The events of the great Day of the Lord begin when God presents the title deed of creation. Revelation 5:1 says:

Revelation 5:1 (NKJV) And I saw in the right [hand] of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.

Everything recorded here is significant, including the fact that the scroll was in the “right” hand of Him, who sat on the throne.

The right hand is a place of honor and where things of utmost importance are kept. The warrior’s sword is held in his right hand, and the favorite counselor and friend of the king sits on his right hand.

Let’s remind ourselves of the praise that ends Revelation 4.

Revelation 4:11 (NKJV) “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”

Notice how important the creation of all things is and that all things exist because God wills it. When God finished His work of creation, He said:

Genesis 1:31 (NKJV) Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed [it was] very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

The creation was “very good.”

At the time of creation, God gave it as a gift to man. Consider the meaning of “dominion” in Genesis 1:28.

Genesis 1:28 (NKJV) Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

God gave creation to man, to humankind. But, sin broke God’s covenant with man, and the title to the earth was sealed against the debt that mankind owes to God. Romans 8:20-23 tells us:

Romans 8:20-23 (NKJV) ²⁰For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected [it] in hope; ²¹because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. ²²For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. ²³Not only [that,] but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

In Revelation 5, we see the futility that the creation was subjected to. No one was found worthy to open the seals and read or even look at the title to the earth. The value of the scroll is beyond doubt as God holds it in His right hand. John weeps bitterly because no one is worthy.

We must consider the significance of being “worthy.” 

Throughout history, men have tried to be worthy. God’s people are the best example of this. In the days of Jesus, the nation was at its final days. The nation’s leaders’ devotion to the law and to being worthy blinded them to the arrival of the Messiah.

God did not call them to be worthy, and he has not called us to be worthy. Look at what God said to Israel that He has repeated to us. God structured the worship practices of Israel in the book of Leviticus. The end and purpose of these practices is repeated three times in Leviticus 14:11, 19:2, and 20:7.

Leviticus 20:7 (NKJV) ‘Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I [am] the LORD your God.

Our world thinks one who is holy is worthy because of their good works, but this is wrong. This world thinks holy means “good,” and we must not think this way. Holy means “set apart.” Every aspect of our life is to be “set apart” for God. What we do with our time, money, leisure, and any other thing are to be “set apart” for God. This is what it means to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength.

I would like to point out that even any righteousness we have comes from God and not ourselves. Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. He was not righteous because he was good. Rather, he was righteous because he believed God. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said the one who hungers and thirsts for righteousness is blessed. But consider what He says about righteousness in that sermon. 

Matthew 6:33 (NKJV) “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Jesus says to seek God’s righteousness, and he does not say we are to seek our own righteousness. Only God is righteous, and this is why no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll.

Believers in heaven are called saints because a “saint” is “holy,” as in, “set apart for God.”

The Lamb is the only one who is worthy.

Even the elders, who have victors’ crowns, cast those crowns at the feet of the Lamb because only the Lamb is worthy.

Now let’s look at the worship that is given to the Lamb.

Revelation 5:9-10 (NKJV) 9And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, ¹⁰and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.”

Let’s focus on one of the lines in this praise of our Lord. “…For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”

First, we see redemption. We, and the entire creation, have been redeemed.

When each seal is opened, wrath and judgment are poured out. That is because God has patiently waited, giving men time to repent. However, consider Romans 2.

Romans 2:5 (NKJV) But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

The seals are these stored-up judgments that must be released before the redemption of all things is complete. If the Lord wills and we remain, we will look at these judgments later.

But today, let’s look at the worship given to the Lamb because the worship of the Lamb expresses a glorious truth. Once more, look at verse 9. “…For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”

Man and woman are the pinnacle of God’s creation. He gave His only Son, the Lamb, to redeem us. Again, the scroll was in God’s right hand. The value is not just “creation,” but it is every single individual. God said in Psalm 139 that His thoughts for good toward each of us are more numerous than the sand, all the sand in the world. Consider the glory given to us that we should be called children of God. 

We all must grasp the importance of this one statement: “…out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”

Jesus said that the gospel must be preached throughout the whole earth, and then the end will come. Revelation 5:11 tells us that unimaginably large numbers of angels and saints will raise their voices in worship. Among these voices, every language will be represented, every nation will be represented, and every tribe will be represented.

Let’s make sure you are there too. Not one of us is worthy, but the Lamb was slain and has redeemed us for Himself. He invites us to come to Him and calls Himself the door by which we can enter the kingdom of God. He also tells us there is no other way to get into heaven.

I want to invite you to accept the Lamb of God as your Savior today. It is simple; pray something like the prayer below.

Lord Jesus, only you are worthy, and I accept the gift of eternal life that you are offering. Give me the understanding to know what all this means and make me one of your children.