Tuesday Night Revelation Bible Study
CHAPTER 5
As you may of noticed I have not had a chance to update the blog…yet we have already discussed chapters 4 – 8. I am going to get us caught up…and will start a new blog entry with questions for Chapter9. Thanks again, and hope this helps make these chapters a bit easier to understand.
Chapters 4 through 18 summarize the events
that take place preceding the return of Jesus Christ. Not all of the events
happen chronologically. As we discussed, it is important to note the words ‘like’
and ‘as’ as you read through these chapters. These two words help the reader
understand John’s method of communicating ideas / events / concepts that he
might not have the words to describe. Remember that John is giving a first hand
exposition in terms of what he witnesses. These chapters can be scary, convicting
and at times confusing, but the message is that Christ is returning in victory.
Recap
of Chapters 5 (Chapter Notes and Background)
Why
does God allow evil to exist? This one question, posed to Christians since the
1st century, has been and will continue to be difficult to answer.
We as believers know that God is good and all powerful, yet, the mystery
remains; why hasn’t God wiped all traces of evil from planet earth? While chapter
5 does not give a definitive answer, it does supply us with a setting where we
are privy to God’s ultimate answer to this prevailing question. While chapters
1-3 focus primarily on the resurrected Christ and His church, chapter 5 ushers
us into Heaven at the moment when God’s ultimate redemptive plan goes into
effect.
The
focus of Chapter 5 is the seven-sealed scroll held in God’s right hand.
“John also
saw a book (scroll) on God's "right hand"—suggesting its source, His
authority,
and power
adequate to translate its contents into action—as He sat on the throne. This
scroll was
the focus of John's attention in this chapter, and it is what Jesus Christ
opens in
chapter 6
resulting in the judgments that will come upon the earth. Its contents comprise
almost all
the revelation that will follow. It was so full of words that John could see
writing on
the outside as well as on the inside of the scroll (cf. Ezek. 2:10). Someone,
probably God,
had sealed it with seven seals, suggesting the profound nature of the
revelation it
contained.241 Roman law required that people seal wills seven times because
they were
very important documents.242 The perfect number of seals may also hint at the
absolute
inviolability of the scroll.243 In John's day people used a seal to keep the
contents
of a document
secret, unchangeable, and free from tampering until some authoritative
person broke
the seal. In this case after Jesus broke the first seal the scroll unrolled
until
the second
seal made it impossible to open it further. Then He had to break the second
seal that
revealed more of the contents, and so on. Probably the seals were on the edge
of
the scroll.
The book contained the prophecies that follow. It may represent the book of
prophecies God instructed
Daniel to seal until the end times (Dan. 12:4, 9).” – Dr. Thomas L. Constable
Whatever is contained in this scroll is
evidently of paramount importance. Yet, when John arrives on the scene, he
learns that no one in Heaven or earth has the ability to open the scroll. This
realization causes the Apostle John to cry…but why? John had already witnessed
the resurrection of Jesus, and knew better than most that God could be trusted
in all things. Yet he still wept. I believe, and some Biblical scholars also
agree, that God’s ultimate redemption could not be accomplished until the
scroll was opened. When we think of Jesus and the resurrection we rightly
realize that, through His death and resurrection, Jesus won the victory over
death. Chapter 5 also makes clear that Jesus also won the right to finally
complete God’s ultimate redemptive plan. We know this because Jesus appears on
the scene and all of Heaven rejoices that He will finally open up the scroll:
6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.” Rev 5: 4-7
John wept because He understood that until the scroll was opened, evil would continue to have a place in the world. Whenever we mourn for the innocent, and cringe at news stories that only reinforce how fallen our world is, we acknowledge that God does not fully reign on earth as He does in Heaven.
"What simpler and more sublime way of
picturing God's
ultimate sovereignty over all history could be
found than
this picture of the scroll resting in the hand
of God?
However strong evil becomes, however fierce be
the
satanic evils that assail God's
people on earth, history still
rests in God's hand."244 – Dr. Constable
If the opening of the scroll means the end
of evil and the redemption of all of God’s creation…why the wait? If you are
reading this and you have put your faith in Jesus Christ as your lord and
savior, you owe gratitude that God is merciful and LONG-SUFFERING. If the
scroll would have been opened before Christ’s redeeming work on the cross, all
those who subsequently put their faith in His sacrifice would not be saved.
God’s heart is that no one would perish, but that all would have eternal life.
God has literally waited for you, and me, to accept the sacrifice of His only
begotten Son, withholding His ultimate judgment on earth and creation so that
many would have an opportunity to know Christ and be saved. We will see
evidence of God’s desire for the lost in later chapters - still communicating
His love, even as those on earth want nothing to do with Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment