Message

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Thank God for blessing our study of Revelation and giving us abundant grace through his words. Last week we learned the glory of God seated on the throne. He is the sovereign Ruler of the world and each individual. Today we will learn about the glory of the Lamb and why he is worthy of our praise and worship. Look at verse 1. “Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.” John saw a scroll in the hand of God with writing on both sides. The scroll was made of papyrus, and only one side of it was good for writing. But if someone had a great deal to write, he would use both sides. The fact that the scroll was written on both side shows that a lengthy message was written on it. Also, it is important to note that the scroll was sealed with seven seals. The contents of the scroll were such secrets that it needed to be completely sealed with seven seals. Then John saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” The angel’s voice was so loud that it reached everywhere in heaven, on earth and under the earth. But no one was coming up to open the scroll or look inside. No one was found worthy enough to open the scroll. If there is no one to open the scroll, John would never see the secrets within it. John had anticipated that someone would come up to open the scroll. But when he realized that no one was able to do it, he was overcome with sorrow. He wept and cried loudly for he could not contain his sorrow. He was sorrowful not because he had been banished and exiled to a lonely Island away from his family and friends. Rather, he was sorrowful because no one was able to reveal God’s secret to him. He probably would have cried until he could find someone who could open the scroll and show him what was written inside. As we know, the Bible was written on scrolls at that time. It was like hidden treasure. Many times, we feel that the Bible is like a scroll sealed with seven seals and hidden from our eyes. Dr. Samuel Lee once said that the Bible is like chemistry. Most of chemical reactions are hidden from our eyes because molecules are microscopic and are not visible to our eyes. But a good chemist can see what is going on in this microscopic world. Some say that the Bible is like an ocean, full of treasures in it, but too big to figure out. Sometimes, when I open the Bible I feel as though I am standing in front of a great ocean, and I am simply overwhelmed. Many people search for the Bible and give up when they feel that it is too difficult to understand. But we must be eager to see and know the secret of God until God opens the scroll for us and reveal his secret. We should be like John who wept and wept until God opens our spiritual eyes to understand the secrets of God. We have many reasons to cry as we live in this troublesome world. However, we must cry instead when the word of God is sealed and hidden from our eyes. Because John was crying so sorrowfully, one of the elders said to him, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is about to open the scroll and its seven seals.” What good news! There is indeed someone who can open the scroll and its seven seals. He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Root of David. The lion is the King of the beasts. No animal can defeat the roaring lion. In Genesis 49:9, Judah was compared to a lion’s cub. Jesus is the Lion who has come from the tribe of Judah and who conquered the whole world through his death and resurrection. Only he is worthy to open the scroll and reveal God’s secrets. John was so happy and grateful hearing this news. His sorrow turned into great joy. Look at verse 6. “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.” John was looking around to where the Lion had been. Instead, he saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain. It was standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The mark of suffering and death was still in its appearance. Here, we see the two opposite sides of Jesus. He was as majestic as the triumphant Lion and as humble as the Lamb who was slain. The Bible depicts Jesus as the lamb many times. In Revelation alone, Jesus was called the Lamb 28 times. Jesus died on the cross as the Lamb of God in obedience to God’s will. But God raised him on the third day and made him a glorious King. Now he is standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Seven horns stand for omnipresence, and the seven eyes for omniscience. He is all powerful and all wise. No one can stand against his power and wisdom. Look at verse 7. Now Jesus came and took the scroll from his right hand. He was now about to open the scroll and its seven seals. What a glorious moment! A long awaited moment had at last arrived. When he had taken it, the four creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb and worshipped him. Here, the living creatures and the elders represent the glorified Church. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. Harp is a musical instrument which was often used for praising God in Israel. David was also a harp player. I realized that each of us, including myself, needs to master at least one musical instrument so that we can praise God with it in addition to our voices. They were also holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. The saints also were participating in this great heavenly event through their prayers. Sometimes we are discouraged when we feel that our prayers do not have any effect. But that is not true. Not a single prayer of ours falls to the ground. All our prayers go up to heaven and are gathered in the golden bowls and offered to the Lamb in heaven. Our prayers are fragrant incense to God. May we offer our prayer for the messengers and God’s flock for our upcoming Canadian Summer Bible Conference. Let’s read verses 9 and 10. The living creatures and elders sang a new song. It is a new song because this kind of praise to the Lamb had never been sung before. Why did they sing a new song for him? Look at verse 9a. “And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slain…” They praised Jesus because he was slain. Jesus’ death was not an accidental event. It was not a tragic death of a righteous man. Jesus’ death was an act of obedience to the will of God. It was the climax of God’s redemptive plan for the world, which was ruined by sin. Because of his death, Jesus is worthy to take the scroll and open its seals. Because of his death, Jesus is worthy to be praised and worshipped forever and ever. Then what kind of blessings came upon us through his death on the cross? First, Jesus purchased men for God with his blood. Verse 9b says, “…because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” We purchase something because it is someone else’s possession. And when we purchase it, we must pay the price. Nothing is free in this world. Originally, men are precious possessions of God. God was very happy when he created men. Men are the apple of God’s eye. But as we know, Satan tempted man in the garden of Eden. Man disobeyed God’s command, and as a result sin came into the world. Man became sold to sin like a slave. The problem is that slaves cannot free themselves. The only way for a slave to gain freedom is that somebody must purchase him with a due price. This is called a Ransom Payment. This is precisely what Jesus paid for us. Sin demands blood as the price of our sins. Jesus gave his own life as the Ransom payment for our sins. It cost his own life in order to purchase us for God. Jesus died on the cross and paid for all our sins with his precious blood. It was through Jesus’ blood that we are redeemed from our sins and became children of God with glorious freedom. God so loved sinners like us that he made his own Son a Ransom payment in order to bring us back to him. We must know that although we are saved by God’s grace, our salvation was not free. Jesus paid the price with his precious blood in our places. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” These days silver or gold is very precious. But silver or gold cannot save us from the empty way of life under the power of sin. We must know that Jesus’ blood is more precious than silver or gold. With his precious blood Jesus saved us from the empty way of life under the power of sin. He purchased us for God with his precious blood. His redemption is not only for us but also for all tribes and people of all nations. Praise Jesus who loved us so much that he shed precious blood for us. He is worthy to receive our wholehearted praise and worship. Second, Jesus made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God. Look at verse 10. “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” When Jesus redeemed us, he had purpose for us. It was to make us a kingdom and priests to serve our God. God’s purpose for creating men is that they may serve God and glorify him. Now we have become a kingdom of priests to serve God and glorify him. Once we were unable to serve God even though we eagerly wanted to do so because of fear and the bondage of sin. But through the blood of Jesus, the curtain of the temple was torn. Now we can freely access God as a kingdom and priests. As the priests had the privilege to serve God in the temple, we have a privilege, like a VIP pass, to serve God without fear in holiness and righteousness all our days. Then when Christ comes, we will reign with him forever. From verse 11, the scale of worship becomes larger and greater. Look at verse 11. “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand.” Now all the heavenly angels sang in a loud voice. “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”(12) Then John heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” It seems that now the whole universe was singing a chorus to God and to the Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb! Only Jesus is worthy to receive our wholehearted worship because he was slain and he purchased us for God with his precious blood. Who can truly worship God? Someone said, “When you recognize God as Creator, you will admire him. When you recognize his wisdom, you will learn from him. When you discover his strength, you will rely on him. But only when he saves you will you worship him.” It is the redeemed people of God who can truly worship God because we are purchased by the blood of Jesus. We have the glorious freedom which even angels cannot know. Even angels cannot sing this song of joy and freedom. May God bless us to worship God and the Lamb throughout all our life and serve him as faithful priests of God’s kingdom.

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