By F. D. Adkins
No man can open the scroll, and John begins to cry. It does not say why he is weeping, but I imagine it is a sudden shroud of hopelessness or disheartenment that washes over him. Here he is in Heaven, getting a glimpse of future events, and this scroll that must contain valuable information cannot be opened, or at least, that is what John must be thinking. Then, one of the elders speaks up, restoring John’s hope. John writes in Revelation 5:5, “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof” (KJV). Then, a lamb appears, and not just any lamb. It is a lamb that looks to have been slain. The lamb takes the scroll, and worship erupts in Heaven as the four beasts and the twenty-four elders fall before Him and burst into song, “…Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10 KJV).
As I read Revelation, chapter five, multiple times this week, I kept returning to the word, ‘worthy’. Only Jesus is worthy. Jesus came to earth as man, faced the same trials and tribulations of our world, and committed no sin. His perfection made Him worthy to pay the debt for our sins.
- “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 1 Corinthians 5:21 KJV
In this chapter of Revelation, Jesus is portrayed as both the Lion and the lamb. Just as a lion is powerful and fierce, Jesus did not have to endure the cross. No man could have ever subdued Him. But Jesus willingly humbled Himself and was crucified as an innocent lamb… without blemish… without sin… WORTHY.
It is because He is worthy, and only because He is worthy, that we have the choice to spend eternity in Heaven with Him. And I say choice because God has given each of us free will. He does not force us to love Him, but rather, keeps His arms open wide, ready to pull us into His embrace, and we can either run into His open arms or turn away. We have the freedom to choose between Heaven and hell. Jesus says in Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (KJV).
