The Scroll That God Wrote (Revelation 5:1-5)

Children's Lesson (click here)

I. The Unopened Envelope

Imagine a dystopian world in which you are arrested, dragged into court, and headed for a very certain death sentence. But it get worse. When convicted, everyone you know, everyone you love, will be arrested as a collaborator, and you will lose everything you have, including your reputation and legacy. Your only hope of acquittal is contained in an envelope; and yet, it's an envelope that no one can open but your lawyer. But... you have no lawyer, because lawyers are so expensive in that world, only the rich and powerful can retain their services. Think about everything you would be feeling. Think about what you would do. What could you do?

II. The Passage: “To Open the Scroll” (5:1-5)

Now consider with me the vision of Revelation 5. As with the majority of the book (beginning in 4:1), this chapter uses the language of symbolic imagery to present concrete truths about God, about Christ, about salvation, and about God's work in the world, especially as he prepares for the world to come. After what is clearly a vision meant to present God as both the Creator of all things (the One worthy of all praise), and the King of all things (the one enthroned above all things), this is what we go on to read in chapter 5, verse 1...

Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals.

Okay. Let's take this passage one part at a time, doing the very thing we talked about last week when we considered together a few 'Bible study basics'. You may recall the second technique we discussed involved simply asking good questions of the text. So for example, a good (and obvious) question we should ask about this text is “Does this verse or this passage (or even this book) tell us what the sealed scroll represents?”

The short answer to that question is this: No. Not explicitly. But I think we can piece it together. To understand the symbolic imagery of this sealed scroll, the best place to start is the Old Test-ament (OT). Did you know that even though this book never once quotes directly from the OT, of the 404 verses in Revelation, in all likelihood, as many 278 of those verses make some allusion to the OT? In fact, of the roughly 950 OT quotes or allusions in the twenty-seven NT books, over a quarter of those are found in this one book. So we're always on solid ground if we start by looking for an OT connection when studying any verse or passage in the Revelation.

And when we do that here, we discover a connection between Revelation 5 and Ezekiel 2. Listen to what the prophet Ezekiel tells us about a much earlier vision, one that he was given 600 years before the revelation given to John. This is Ezekiel 2:8–10...

“But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” [9] And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. [10] And he spread it before me. And it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe.

Did you see the similarities there? Both Ezekiel and John are shown a full scroll, that is, a scroll that has writing on the front and back (or when rolled up, on the inside and outside). As the opening chapters of Ezekiel makes clear, this scroll represents not only a message from God, but a decree of judgment from God. Thus, Ezekiel is called to symbolically 'eat' this scroll; that is, he ingests this message, in order to attest to this message before the people of God. Now,

because of the similarities here, and because Revelation 10 also contains an account of John symbolically eating a scroll in order to prophesy, I think it's safe to say that, at the very least, that scroll here in Revelation 5 also represents a decree from God, possibly a decree of judgment.

Now keep that in mind as we look at the next several verses in Revelation 5. Let's consider what we learn from verses 2 through 5 about this mysterious scroll. Revelation 5:2...

And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” [3] And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, [4] and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.

So here's where the vision given to John takes a unique turn. John may be experiencing this heavenly vision, just as Ezekiel did centuries earlier, but he cannot open the message (or the decree). In fact, no one can. There is not one human being who is able to break the seals and open this scroll. Why? Because no human being is worthy. Okay. Worthy to do what? Well, that's what we need to figure out. But consider for a moment John's reaction here. I think his response to the unworthiness of humanity raises another question: “What can we learn from the context about why John is “weeping loudly” over the unopened scroll?”

Since no one, not even John, knows the specifics contained within the scroll, understanding his tears in this account must be connected to what John already believes about the scroll. Think with me about what's led up to this point. When Jesus revealed himself to John in chapter 1, he called him in 1:11 to write this revelation to seven specific churches in what today is western Turkey. Chapters 2 and 3 contain the first part of this revelation. In those chapters we find seven very short letters from Jesus, specifically, one for each of the churches listed.

What does this have to do with the vision of the scroll? Well, what John heard described in those letters were churches that were either corrupted by the world, deceived by false teaching, distracted by formalism, wearied by slander, crippled by apathy, pressured by materialism, or tested by opposition. Assuming John's love for the people of God, doesn't it make sense that when we arrive at chapter 4, he is longing for God's intervention on behalf of his people? That he is desperate for a word from God about help for the church; about the fate of the church?

It's this context that I believe helps us make sense of why John is weeping when no one is able to open the scroll. John must believe that the scroll contains a divine decree describing God's plan for helping his people and judging their enemies. But if no one can open that scroll, then the decree will not be implemented. Aren't you thankful that verse 4 is not the final verse? Look with me at the final verse of our passage this morning, verse 5. While John grieves, we read...

And one of the [24!] elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

In light of that stunning announcement, let ask one more good question (but one that has two parts: “What do we learn here about this 'Lion', and how exactly has he 'conquered'”? Now, though our main text only runs from verse 1 to verse 5, this final question is forcing us to examine the rest of the chapter.

And when we do that, there is what some might describe as an unexpected answer. When John looks for the “Lion” announced by one of these heavenly elders, he sees instead a Lamb. No. It doesn't resemble a conquering lamb (whatever that would look like!). It looks like a lamb that has “been slain”. Killed, not conquering. How do we make sense of this? Drop down to the song of praise recorded in vs 9-10. We read there that the heavenly beings surrounding the throne...

...sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, [10] and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Who is worthy to open the scroll? The Lion of the tribe of Judah. Why? Because he is also the Lamb who was slain; the One who through his death conquered the power of sin, the power of the world, and the power of the devil by ransoming a people out of spiritual slavery and making them “a kingdom and priests to our God”. How does that make him worthy? It demonstrates that he is the only perfect man, who, as fully divine at the same time, can implement God's perfect plan for humanity. As Paul explained about this promised king from David's family...

For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. [28] When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. (1 Corinthians 15:27–28)

III. Lamb-Inspired Worship

That, brothers and sisters, is the message of the Revelation; a message for you, for me. The death and resurrection of Jesus are not the final word in our gospel hope. The once-for-all victory of the cross, the unchangeable victory of the empty tomb, these have exalted Jesus to that place of authority where God is, even now, bringing all things into subjection under him. Now this is key: is this always obvious to us? No, it isn't. That's why we have this book! The distractions and temptations all around us, the heaviness of the world's hatred, the painful realities of persecution and spiritual apathy, these can lead us to believe that sin, the world, and our Enemy will have the final word. Such things can tempt us to give up and give in. But Revelation 5 reminds us that the final word belongs to God. There is a scroll that He has written, there is a scroll that Jesus has opened, there is a scroll that guarantees us a happy ending.

And when you read the rest of chapter 5, its clear that the purest response to and the most practical application of this amazing truth is simply... worship. What begins with the heavenly beings around the throne of God in vs. 9-10, spills over to millions of angels in vs. 11-12, which then sparks the tinderbox of all creation in v. 13. And it all begins with... the Lamb who is worthy. Think about your grief in that dystopian world over that unopened envelope. Now, think about your joy when the most respected lawyer in that world shows up to help you, free of charge. The depths of your joy and gratitude and respect would know no limits. Brothers and sisters, in spite of the fact that we are most definitely guilty, we have an Advocate who has opened the scroll. We have an Advocate who has been, is presently, and will continue to implement the plan of God for your eternal freedom; a plan for ultimate justice that will result in condemnation for God's enemies, but eternal rest for God's people. Brother, sister, what does Lamb-inspired worship look like in your heart this morning? What will it look like in your life this week? Whatever you're facing this morning, know that God has written a scroll, and Jesus has opened it. The Father and the Son, and they alone, will have the final word in your life. And because of God's grace, because of our gospel hope, that word will be a word of ultimate blessing.