ࡱ > !` R ( bjbj\\ . > > sE % 8 b 4 - " + + + + + + + $ H/ h 1 l + e ! ! ! + ^- ! @ + ! + /( | ) 0; a ( + t- 0 - ( 2 2 $ ) 2 ) , H ^ L / + + X - ! ! ! ! W o r t h y i s t h e L a m b . R e a d i n g R e v e l a t i o n 5 B r o D a v i d E v a n s M_v/f ~/T:yU_,{5 z 'YkS_DQ C h i n a E x h o r t D e c e m b e r 1 7 t h d 2 0 0 6 2 0 0 6 t^1 2 g1 7 e A s w e c o m m e n c e r e a d i n g t h e b o o k o f R e v e l a t i o n l a t e r t h i s w e e k w e w i l l n o t e t h a t i t o p e n s w i t h t h e s e w o r d s : T h e Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John (Revelation 1:1). So we have these facts given right at the beginning: S_bN(WُhT+g _Y/T:yU_vePbNOSs/T:yU_v _{/fُ7hQv 6#zWcwv/T:y1\/f^yP~NSN\__bvNc:yNvONN0N1\]WOSfNvNN~ 0/T:yU_1 1 @bN(Wُ,gfNv N _YbN1\_0RNُ7hvN[ I t w a s G o d w h o g a v e t h e r e v e l a t i o n o f t h e c o m i n g e v e n t s i n w o r l d h i s t o r y t o J e s u s C h r i s t . /f^y\*gegNLuSS NSuvN/T:y~6#zWcw0 J e s u s g a v e t h e m t o h i s a n g e l w h o s h o w e d t h e m t o J o h n , a n d J o h n t h e n r e c o r d e d t h e m s o t h a t w e a n d a l l o t h e r s e r v a n t s o f J e s u s C h r i s t m i g h t k n o w t h e s e t h i n g s . 6#z\ُN/T:y~N)YO)YOS\ُN/T:y>fs~~0~\ُN/T:y}Neg@bNbNTvQN;N6#zWcwvNNMbSwSُNN`0 I t i s v e r y i m p o r t a n t a s w e r e a d t h r o u g h R e v e l a t i o n t o r e m e m b e r that these things were specifically given so that the saints from the days of AD96, when John was given this revelation, through to our day might know the significance of their times in relation to Gods great plan of the coming Kingdom, and so receive comfort and hope in troubled times. (WbN/T:yU_veP_͑v Np/fOOُNN`yr+RvPN@bNNlQCQ9 6 t^_N1\/f~_0RُN/T:yvt^Nv0RbNN)Yv#W_1\YwSNN@bYvt^NN^y*geg\^zv^yvVKNvT|T͑'`#W_N_NOVdk(WpvYX-N_0RvgT[pa0 B e f o r e w e l o o k a t t h e v i s i o n o f c h a p t e r 5 , a s t h e b a s i s f o r o u r c o m m e n t s t o d a y , l e t u s g o b a c k t o a v i s i o n t h a t D a n i e l w a s g i v e n i n t h e 7th chapter of his prophecy where he saw the ascension of Jesus into heaven after his resurrection: I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed (Dan i e l 7 : 1 3 - 1 4 ) . (WbN/T:yU_,{5 z-Nv_PKNMR\O:NbNN)YvW@xbNHQVSwHQwFONt(WNv v,{7 z-Ncv_P(W̑Nw0RN6#z Y;mTGS)Yv_P b(WYv_a-Nw g NMOPNP[v~W)YNeg0RNS8^(WbMR_NCgg0c 0V^OTe0TV0TevNNIYN0NvCgg/f8lv N^SNvV_ N%OW0 FONtfN7 1 3 - 1 4 W h e n J e s u s a s c e n d e d t o t h e r i g h t h a n d o f G o d , a s i s p o r t r a yed in this vision of Daniel, God gave him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him. After his resurrection Jesus had told his disciples: All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth (Matthew 28:18), and Peter likewise said that Jesus was gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him (1 Peter 3:22). So Jesus Christ now has this remarkable position of authority and power at the ri g h t h a n d o f G o d i n h e a v e n . A s w e l o o k b r i e f l y a t t h i s v i s i o n o f c h a p t e r 5 w e w i l l s e e w h y G o d r e v e a l e d t o h i m H i s w o n d e r f u l p l a n o f e v e n t s . H o w b l e s s e d w e a r e t o h a v e t h e s e t h i n g s a l s o r e v e a l e d t o u s ! S_6#zGS)YPW(W^yvSKbe1\PFONtfN@bc~v^yP~N Cgg0c 0V^OTe0TV0TevNNIYN 06#z Y;mKNTJTɋNv蕒_ )Y N0WN@b gvCggP~bN0 l*Yy2 8 1 8 |__T7h_N 6#z]~ۏeQ)YX(W^yvSO)YOT gCggvv^ gRv gNNN0 @bN6#zWcws(W(W)Y N^yvSKb gCggTR0bNeg{vww/T:yU_,{5 z-Nv_PbN1\Of}v:NNHN^yO\NGYYvR>fs~6#z0bNN)YY_0RُNNirv/T:y/fYHNv gy W e a r e i n t r o d u c e d i n t h e v i s i o n t o o n e s i t t i n g o n a t h r o n e i n h e a v e n w i t h a scroll that is sealed in his right hand is (v1). The idea of the sealed book comes from the book of Daniel. The events of Revelation are based upon the initial visions that Daniel was given. At the end of the prophecy of Daniel he was told: But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end. He obeyed and was told, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end (Daniel 12:4 and 9). (W,{5 z-Nv_P-N g NMOPW(W[^ NSKbb@w N*N\}YvfNwS0,{1 \%NNvfNwSُylegFONtfN0/T:yU_-NvُNNN/fWNwHQFONtfN-Nv_P0(Wُ*N v gTFONtJTw FONtJU`Oυُ\ُfNv0R+ge0 NuNN6qTJTw FONtJU`OS{SV:Nُ]~υ\v0R+ge0 FONtfN1 2 4 S9 D a n i e l w a s g i v e n c e r t a i n p r o p h e t i c v i s i o n s t h a t w o u l d l e a d u p t o t h e r e t u r n o f C h r i s t and the establishment of the Kingdom. However fuller details from the time of Christ through to now were not revealed in detail to him. When John saw the scroll he expected to receive this revelation of prophecy. But, alas, the book was still sealed. It was in the right hand of him on the throne but none could read it. The burning question was, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? (v2). To have the privilege of opening the book one must be worthy to approach into the presence o f G o d H i m s e l f . W h o w a s w o r t h y t o d o t h i s ? FONtPNN NN[ g '`v_PcvQ[/fv0RWcwQeg^yvV^zvN`0FO/fNWcwvt^Nv0Rs(Wvf:N~v:yv^l g>fs~FONt0S_~w0R*N\fNwSvePN_N^gY_0Rُ v/T:y0FO/fJUُfNwS؏/f\%NNv0ُfNwSc(WPW[^v NMOvSKb-Nl gNY[0Rv/f MU\ _ُfNwSc _NpSbT /T:yU_5 2 gCggU\ _fNwS N*NN_{/fM_eg0R^ybMRv0Mُ7hZPbT T h e t h o u g h t t h a t t h e r e w a s n o o n e w o r t h y w a s a g r e a t d i s t r e s s t o J o h n . W e r e a d t h a t J o h n w e p t m u c h , b e c a u s e n o m a n w a s f o u n d w o r t h y t o o p e n a n d t o r e a d t h e b o o k , n e i t h e r t o l o o k t h e r e o n ( v 4 ) . `0Rl gNMU\ _fNwS~ɉ_^8^Ǐ0bN0R~ V:Nl gMU\ _0MwfNwSvb1\'YT0 ,{4 C a n w e t ry to understand why John was so distressed? While the book remained sealed, the plan of God and how it was to be fulfilled would never be known. It was essential that one should be counted worthy to open the book so its contents could be fulfilled. While John was weeping he was told: 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 (v5). Who was this person who is introduced in this figurative language? If we are familiar with some of the Old Testament figures that foretold the coming of Jesus Christ, we will know that these figures speak of him. The expression Lion of the tribe of Judah is based on the prophecy that Jacob gave concerning his twelve sones and their future roles. It was from Judah that the ruler of Israel was to come and, as we know, that person was the Lord Jesus Christ. Further he is introduced here as the Root of David. Later in Revelation Jesus is identified as the one spoken of, as we see i n R e v e l a t i o n 2 2 : 1 6 : I J e s u s h a v e s e n t m i n e a n g e l t o t e s t i f y u n t o y o u t h e s e t h i n g s i n t h e e c c l e s i a s . I a m t h e r o o t a n d t h e o f f s p r i n g o f D a v i d , a n d t h e b r i g h t a n d m o r n i n g s t a r . bN&T`a:NNHN~OYdkǏSfNwS Nv/f\OOv^yvRNSR/fYUO[sv1\8l NONwS0@bN g N*N{ZP/fM_U\ _ُfNwSvN1\^8^ُ͑7hfNwS-NvQ[MbO[s0S_~TlvePNJTw NTwTr'Y/e>m-NvrP['YkSv9hN]_܀NU\ _fNwSc _NpS0 ,{5 /fُ*NEQnkUv @bN~vNbTYgbNq`e~#W~-Nc6#zWcwQegvN&{SvbN1\wSُNkU/f(W6#z0 r'Y/e>m-NvrP[ ُyh/f9hncŖT[NvASN*N?QP[SNN\egv҉rv egv0NrRv~lck/fNr'Y/e>megv_N1\/fbN@bwSv;N6#zWcw0TbN_Ny:N 'YkSv9h 0Q_T(W/T:yU_-N6#z1\/f:Nc0RvckYbN(W/T:yU_2 2 1 6 -Nw0Rv b6#z]cbvO:NOYeO\ُNNT`ONf0b/f'YkSv9hS/fNvTԈ0b/ffNvhff0 S o w e a r e l e f t i n n o d o u b t a b o u t w h o w a s t o o p e n t h e b o o k i t w a s J e s u s C h r i s t . B u t w e m u s t a s k , W h y w a s h e t h e o n e w h o w a s w o r t h y t o o p e n t h e b o o k ? W h a t d o e s w o r t h y m e a n ? T h e w o r d s p e a k s o f t h e worth of something - its value or weight. Why then was Jesus worthy to open the book? It was because he hath prevailed, we are told. Prevailed over what? The word prevailed is the same word as overcame throughout chapters 2 and 3. Let us look at 3:21 where we read: To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. @bN[N/fU\ _fNwSvNbN1\keuN N1\/f6#zWcw0FObN_{ :NNHNN/fMU\ _fNwSvNbT M ُ*NW[/fNHNa`bTُ*NW[/f