Tagged: Book of Revelation

April 23, 2011

The Lion from the Tribe of Judah: Rev. 5:5

Previously: The Lion and the Lamb – Rev. 5:5-7

The scripture

The Lion from the tribe of Judah

The lion from the tribe of Judah echoes Jacob’s blessing on his son Judah, conferring leadership over his brothers (Gen. 49:8-10). Jacob prophetically gives the scepter to Judah and makes it the tribe of kings – and the tribe from which the King of kings will come. It is interesting to note that God never intended Saul to establish a dynasty; he came from the tribe of Benjamin. When the people rejected God as their King and clamored for a human ruler, the Lord disciplined them by giving them Saul. But He established the eternal dynasty through David, who was from the tribe of Judah.

Some commentators associate this title for Jesus with the lion-headed living creature near the throne of God – an expression of His power, majesty, courage and victory. Some also connect this title with the Book of Matthew, in which Jesus is strongly depicted as the promised Messiah. (Those who hold this view tend to see the four living creatures as representatives of the four Gospels.) In any case, Jesus of Nazareth is the greatest king to come out of the tribe of Judah – greater even than David, who, inspired by the Holy Spirit, calls Him Lord (Ps. 110:1; Matt. 22:44). There can be little doubt that this exalted Savior is the fulfillment of Jacob’s ancient prophecy. But that’s not all.

The Root of David

The elder also describes Jesus as “the Root of David” (v. 5). In the Old Testament, the coming Messiah is called both the “shoot” and “branch” that will spring from Jesse’s root to restore David’s dynasty. Here’s what the prophet Isaiah records: “Then a shoot will grow from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit” (Isa. 11:1). But then Isaiah calls this coming Redeemer the root of Jesse: “On that day the root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His resting place will be glorious” (Isa. 11:10). If the Messiah is the root of Jesse, as Isaiah declares, He also is the root of Jesse’s son David, as the elder makes clear in Rev. 5:5. But how can a single person be both a “shoot” and a “root?” The ESV Study Bible explains: “Jesus is not only the royal descendant (Rev. 22:16) but also the source of David’s rule (Mark 12:35-37).”

Let’s look at these two New Testament passages. In Rev. 22:16, Jesus identifies Himself as “the Root and the Offspring of David,” confirming what Isaiah and the elder in heaven have claimed about Him. As the Son of God, Jesus is the eternal Creator and sovereign Lord of the universe, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Holy Spirit; any earthly rule, including King David’s, is under His divine authority. As the Son of Man, Jesus is God in human flesh, adding to His deity sinless humanity; He is, in other words, the God-Man. In Mark 12, Jesus is teaching in the temple complex and He asks, “How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the Son of David? David himself says by the Holy Spirit: The Lord declared to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies under Your feet.’ David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; how then can the Messiah be his Son” (vv. 35-37)? Quoting from Ps. 118:22-23, Jesus ties together the deity and humanity of the Messiah and emphasizes the important truth that He is not one or the other, but both.

“He who is a middle person, God and man, and bears the office of Mediator between God and man, is fit and worthy to open and execute all the counsels of God towards men,” writes Matthew Henry. “And this he does in his mediatorial state and capacity, as the root of David and the offspring of Judah, and as the King and head of the Israel of God; and he will do it, to the consolation and joy of all his people” (Re 5:1-5)

Before we leave this section, we should note that the elder in Rev. 5:5 not only tells John who Jesus is, but what He has done. The Lion of Judah and the Root of David is worthy to take the scroll, loose its seals and look inside because He “has been victorious.” As the sinless Son of Man who died on the cross and rose from the dead, Jesus is the qualified Kinsman-Redeemer who will reclaim fallen humanity and a cursed creation. He has defeated Satan – the usurper, the accuser of mankind, the father of liars – and destroyed his works (1 John 3:8). No offspring of Adam can retake what Adam lost because no human is sinless. But now the Lion of Judah and the Root of David steps forward – the “last Adam” who is a “life-giving Spirit” (1 Cor. 15:45). He is worthy to take the scroll because He has been victorious.

Next: The slaughtered Lamb – Rev. 5:6

April 7, 2011

The Lion and the Lamb: Rev. 5:5-7

Previously: A mighty angel – Rev. 5:2-4

The scripture

Rev. 5:5 – Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop crying. Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has been victorious so that He may open the scroll and its seven seals.” ⁶Then I saw one like a slaughtered lamb standing between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent into all the earth. ⁷He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of the One seated on the throne (HCSB).

John’s cries of anguish are about to end. Just when he despairs that the hidden plans of God are about to remain hidden, one of the 24 elders – probably representatives of redeemed people throughout the ages – steps forward and simply says, “Stop crying.” Literally, John has described himself as one who “kept on shedding many tears.” Warren Wiersbe writes, “No wonder John wept, for he realized that God’s glorious redemption plan for mankind could never be completed until the scroll was opened. The redeemer had to be near of kin, willing to redeem, and able to redeem. Jesus Christ meets all of the qualifications. He became flesh, so He is our Kinsman. He loves us and is willing to redeem; and He paid the price, so He is able to redeem” (The Bible Exposition Commentary, Re 5:1).

But what tone does the elder take in addressing John? Is he annoyed, as if the apostle is a sniveling crybaby? Is he grieved because John lacks faith that a worthy kinsman will step forward? Or is he an over-excited observer who happens to be the first to catch a glimpse of the glorified Messiah? Probably neither of these explanations will do. It’s more likely that the elder, understanding John’s desperate sorrow, seeks to comfort and encourage him. “The elders in heaven round God’s throne know better than John, still in the flesh, the far-reaching power of Christ” (A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments, Re 5:5).

We might imagine the elder’s voice as firm but gentle. We can almost see him lay a warm and steady hand on John’s convulsing shoulder. His rebuke – if there even is one – is mild, followed quickly by the imperative to “look!” What follows quickly turns John’s sense of foreboding into unspeakable joy. The elder identifies the Redeemer as the lion from the tribe of Judah and the Root of David. John then describes Him as one like a slaughtered lamb. In our next post, we will look more closely at these three descriptive titles for Jesus.

Next: The lion from the tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5)

March 28, 2011

A mighty angel: Rev. 5:2-4

Previously — The seven-sealed scroll (Rev. 5:1-4)

The scripture

Rev. 5:2 — I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it. ⁴And I cried and cried because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or even to look in it (HCSB).

John sees “a mighty angel” who proclaims in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” (v. 2). It is interesting that angels are never numbered in scripture. People are numbered. The elders are numbered. The living creatures are numbered. The elect are numbered. Our days are numbered. Even the hairs of our heads, Jesus says, are numbered. But the heavenly hosts are described as “myriads,” or “countless thousands, plus thousands and thousands.” Why is this? We are not told. However, it appears all angels were created at one time. Since they do not die, and no new angels are being created, this innumerable host remains the same in number today as the day of their creation. No doubt, many angels followed Satan in rebellion against God, although that number is unknown (some commentators suggest one-third of the angelic host rebelled based on a single verse in Revelation).

Angels come in different classes, and a few are called by name. The most prominent of these appears in the Old Testament as “the angel of the Lord,” whom many commentators believe to be the pre-incarnate Christ. Satan once was known as the anointed cherub; he also has more notorious names: the father of liars, the ancient serpent, the Devil, the deceiver, and the evil one. Michael is the only archangel named in scripture. Other angels are named, such as Gabriel, who brought news of the pending birth of John the Baptist and Jesus. Then there are cherubim and seraphim, which may or may not be angels but certainly are heavenly creatures. In this passage in Revelation, we are told of a “mighty” or “strong” angel. All angels are strong. They are more powerful than people but not omnipotent. They are more intelligent than people but not omniscient. And they are swifter than people but not omnipresent. But occasionally the Bible describes an angel in a certain way. In this case, John sees him as a “mighty” angel.

Mighty angels appear in two other places in Revelation (10:1 and 18:21). Is this the same angel, who makes three appearances in Revelation? Or are these three different angels? It’s difficult to know with certainty, although in 10:1 the angel descends from heaven, is surrounded by a cloud, and has a rainbow over his head. His face shines like the sun, and his legs are like fiery pillars. While this angel is similar to biblical depictions of the Messiah, likely he is not, for he is described as “another” mighty angel, implying that he lacks the uniqueness of Jesus. In any case, the mighty angel in Revelation 5 is distinguished by his “loud voice,” which is heard from the farthest reaches of glory to the four corners of the earth – and even into the abode of the dead. “Who is worthy,” he cries, “to open the scroll and break its seals?”

Who is worthy?

There is a thundering silence in response to the mighty angel’s question, broken only by John’s agonizing sobs. “No one in heaven or on earth or under the earth” is able to open the scroll or even to look in it, writes John. Not the four living creatures. Not the 24 elders. Not the countless angels inhabiting the throne room of heaven. Not John, or another apostle, or a prophet, soothsayer or magician, nor anyone else on earth. Not any of the deceased, whose bodies lay “under the earth” awaiting resurrection. Not even the “anointed cherub” who once stood in the very presence of the Almighty. No one across the farthest reasons of the universe is qualified to stand before the Ancient of Days and take the scroll he holds in His right hand.

No doubt John waits anxiously, searching the horizon, listening intently, hoping to feel the subtle breeze of some worthy creature’s robe or wings as he heroically approaches the throne. But to no avail. Just silence, until John breaks it with uncontrollable wailing. God’s hidden agenda for the climax of human history and the destiny of the church must remain just that – hidden. In chapter 4 John is promised a glimpse of “what must take place after this” (v. 1). Could it be – is it even conceivable – that the Son of Man would now break that promise?

Matthew Henry writes: “By what he had seen in him who sat upon the throne, he was very desirous to see and know more of his mind and will: this desire, when not presently gratified, filled him with sorrow, and fetched many tears from his eyes…. Those who have seen most of God in this world are most desirous to see more; and those who have seen his glory desire to know his will. Good men may be too eager and too hasty to look into the mysteries of divine conduct. Such desires, not presently answered, turn to grief and sorrow. Hope deferred makes the heart sick” (Re 5:1–5).

But the beloved disciple’s dark gloom is about to lift.

Next — The Lion and the Lamb (Rev. 5:5-7)

March 18, 2011

The seven-sealed scroll: Rev. 5:1-4

Previously — The four living creatures: Rev. 4:6-11

The scripture

Rev. 5:1 – Then I saw in the right hand of the One seated on the throne a scroll with writing on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. ²I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it. ⁴And I cried and cried because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or even to look in it (HCSB).

In the opening verses of this chapter we are introduced to a scroll, an ancient means of preserving text prior to the development of the codex, or today what we would call a book. Scrolls typically are made of papyrus or animal skins and, if handled carefully under the proper conditions, may last hundreds of years.

The scroll John sees in heaven is of great interest to all creatures for a number of reasons. First, God the Father is holding the scroll in His right hand as He sits on the throne. Second, there is writing on both sides of the scroll, indicating that it contains a great deal of information. Third, it is sealed with seven seals – normally blots of hardened wax upon which a ruler’s signet ring has created a mark, meaning only the authorized person may break the seal and open the scroll. Fourth, a mighty angel cries out for any person in heaven, on earth, or under the earth to break the seals, as long as he is worthy; no one responds. Fifth, John cries bitterly for a long time because no one is found worthy to open the scroll or even to look in it, a clear indication that God is holding a document of eternal significance.

A scroll with seven seals

The scroll in God’s right hand is unusual because there is writing on both sides. Normally, the uneven texture of animal skins and papyrus makes writing on both sides difficult. Reading a two-sided scroll is challenging as well. Yet John sees writing on the “inside and on the back” (v. 1). The doubly inscribed scroll resembles a Roman will or contract deed, with the details inside and a summary on the outside, then sealed with seven seals. “The scroll John sees could symbolize a will that is to be opened and its contents executed; or it could symbolize God’s covenant with mankind, with the covenant curses that will be poured out due to mankind’s breaking of the contract,” according to the ESV Study Bible. “In a broader sense, the scroll contains God’s purposes for history, but its seven seals prevent the full disclosure and enactment of its contents.”

Several books are mentioned in Revelation. There is the book of life (Rev. 3:5; 17:8; 20:12, 15), which some believe is synonymous with the Lamb’s book of life (compare Rev. 13:8; 21:27) containing the names of the redeemed; others say the two books are separate, with the book of life recording the names of all human beings, and the lost having their names blotted out so that in the end the book of life and the Lamb’s book of life are identical. Next, there is the book of works (Rev. 20:12), in which God records the deeds of all people. But this book – this seven-sealed scroll – is distinct from all the rest.

The Greek indicates that the scroll lies in God’s open hand. He does not withhold the information contained within; He simply waits for one who is worthy to take the scroll and break its seals. No doubt this scroll has been sealed for a long time. Likely, it is the scroll referred to in Isaiah 29:11 and Daniel 12:4, sealed until “the time of the end.” The contents may be seen as the continuation of the Book of Daniel, describing from God’s perspective the judgments necessary to fulfill all that He has foretold. The opening of each seal results in judgment. This is similar to the scroll given Ezekiel: “When He (God) unrolled it before me, it was written on the front and back; [words of] lamentation, mourning, and woe were written on it” (Ezek. 2:10). But there is more to the book than judgment. There is an object, a purpose: the redemption of the forfeited inheritance.

But what, exactly, does this book mean? Commentators offer a number of suggestions. Some argue that it represents the giving to Christ the reins of sovereignty and government on earth. Others say it depicts the eternal counsels and decrees of God. Still others contend that “the time of the end” has come and the purposes of God are about to be executed on the earth. W.A. Criswell offers this view: “[I]t is my understanding that the primary, fundamental, chief reference and significance of this book has to do with the redemption of God’s created universe and everything in it. That book is a book of redemption” (Expository Sermons on Revelation, p. 56).

Criswell comments further. This is a lengthy quote but one that bears reading slowly:

“The book represents a forfeited inheritance. The inheritance is what God created for us, for Adam’s seed. We lost it in sin and transgression. A usurper took it; sin, death, hell, Satan, iniquity, judgment, wrath and the curse took away our inheritance as it is unto this day. According to the law and customs of the ancient Jewish people, the sign of a forfeited inheritance was a sealed book. The fact that it is seven-sealed emphasizes the encumbrances that are upon this inheritance. An interloper, an intruder an alien, an enemy, has taken it, and that book of redemption awaits a goel, a kinsman-redeemer, a worthy, qualified and legal kinsman to buy it back and to restore it to its rightful owners. When that book of redemption is taken by one who is worthy, and those seals are opened, then that interloper, that intruder, that alien, that enemy is to be cast out; and finally the whole purchased possession is to be redeemed, and sin, hell, death, and Satan are to be cast into the lake of fire, forever destroyed. The judgment of God creates for us a new heaven and a new earth, and gives us back the inheritance that we lost in Adam. Such is the meaning of the seven-sealed book that lies upon the hand of God. It is the symbol of a forfeited and lost inheritance” (pp. 66-67).

The seals are placed throughout the scroll so that as each seal is broken, a portion of the hidden text is revealed but the rest remains closed off. The number of seals – seven – is significant. It is the number of completeness and it combines the number often ascribed to the earth (four) with the number of the triune Godhead (three). “Thus, the seven seals, representing all power given to the Lamb; the seven trumpets, by which the world kingdoms are shaken and overthrown, and the Lamb’s kingdom ushered in; and the seven vials, by which the beast’s kingdom is destroyed” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary).

Matthew Henry adds this thought about the scroll and its seven seals: “This represented the secret purposes of God about to be revealed. The designs and methods of Divine Providence, toward the church and the world, are stated, fixed, and made a matter of record. The counsels of God are altogether hidden from the eye and understanding of the creature. The several parts are not unsealed and opened at once, but after each other, till the whole mystery of God’s counsel and conduct is finished in the world. The creatures cannot open it, nor read it; the Lord only can do so” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume, Re 5:1–5).

The sealed book in the hand of God is a sign of the forfeiture of Adam’s inheritance. The world now belongs to someone else. But not for long. “The Lord never created Adam to die,” writes W.A. Criswell. “Death is an enemy…. God never made the earth to groan and to travail in agony and in pain, a place where the animals eat one another, where the earth is blasted with desert and with the burning of the sun and the cold of the winds. God never intended this earth to be bathed in tears and in blood. ‘An enemy hath done this,’ saith the Lord, ‘an interloper.’ The sign of that forfeiture lies in the hand of God. The Book represents the instruments, the mortgages, the bonds, of our lost inheritance. The completeness of that forfeiture and the terrible encumbrance upon it is signified by seven seals – seven of them, Adam’s race has forfeited the inheritance altogether. The breaking of those seven seals represents the restitution of the creation to God and to Adam’s fallen race” (p. 60).

One other view is worthy of mention. Robert Fullerton, in God’s Strategic Plan, writes that this scroll is in fact a “judgment lien.” As Fullerton explained to me in an email, “A judgment lien is a document issued by a court where a debtor (man) is unable to satisfy a debt (caused by our sin) and this document authorizes that the debtor’s assets (our very souls) be forfeit in judgment. A person subject to a judgment lien is subject to lawful judgment and forfeiture and is often forced to declare bankruptcy (seek protection of the court). The scene in Revelation 5 is in fact a court session being called to order by the strong angel before the Righteous Judge, in which the accused man (possibly vicariously represented by the weeping John) is subject to sentence of eternal death. John wept because he knew that man’s fate was sealed in that scroll. Then, steps forward, the only Person worthy to take the scroll of judgment from the right hand of the Righteous Judge: the Lamb who was slain and whose righteous sacrifice paid the debt on behalf of man. According to God’s law, without the shedding of (innocent and worthy) blood, there is no remission or release of judgment for sin. Therefore only the innocent Lamb that was slain was worthy to take the judgment scroll and legally discharge it as a lien on the souls of all men. This was a critical aspect of God’s Strategic Plan.”

Next: A mighty angel (Rev. 5:2)

March 8, 2011

The four living creatures: Rev. 4:6-11

Previously: Flashes from the throne (Rev. 4:5)

The scripture

Rev. 4:6: Also before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the middle and around the throne were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back. ⁷The first living creature was like a lion; the second living creature was like a calf; the third living creature had a face like a man; and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. ⁸Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop, saying:

Holy, holy, holy,

Lord God, the Almighty,

who was, who is, and who is coming.

⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever, ¹⁰ the 24 elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, worship the One who lives forever and ever, cast their crowns before the throne, and say:

¹¹ Our Lord and God,

You are worthy to receive

glory and honor and power,

because You have created all things,

and because of Your will

they exist and were created (HCSB).

We come at last to the most fascinating creatures in this scene of heaven’s throne room: the four living creatures. What makes them so hard to identify is the fact that they share features of the seraphim (Isa. 6:1-7) and cherubim (Ezek. 1:4-14; 10:20-22), yet even their similarities are not consistent.

The cherubim here have six wings, like the seraphim in Isa. 6:2, whereas the cherubim in Ezek. 1:6 have four wings each. They are called by the same name, “living creatures.” But in Ezekiel each living creature has all four faces, while in Revelation a separate face belongs to each one. “Variation and blending of such features is a reminder that in prophetic visions, images symbolize mysterious unseen realities” (ESV Study Bible, Rev. 4:6-8).

These spectacular beings are covered with eyes front and back. One resembles a lion; another, a calf; another, a man; and another, a flying eagle. Each has six wings covered with eyes. Together, they never stop proclaiming the holiness and power of God. These creatures are closer to God than the elders, residing in the middle of the throne and around it. Perhaps this signifies their unfallen state, but more likely – since Christ’s redemption completely removes sin and its consequences from fallen humans – their close proximity to the throne speaks of God’s sovereign choice of where His servants will serve. There is no hint that the elders resent the living creatures, or that the living creatures treat others condescendingly; all are focused in worship on the One seated on the throne.

Commentators offer a variety of explanations of the four living creatures. Some argue simply that these are exalted angels who extol the attributes of God. Others say they represent Christ as seen in the four gospels: in Matthew, the Lion of the tribe of Judah; in Mark, the ox (or calf) as the Servant of Yahweh; in Luke, the incarnate Son of Man; and in John, the eagle as the divine Son of God. J.F. Walvoord and R.B. Zuck offer this view: “As the Holy Spirit was seen symbolically in the seven lamps, probably the four living creatures symbolically represent the attributes of God including His omniscience and omnipresence (indicated by the creatures being full of eyes) – with the four animals bringing out other attributes of God: the lion indicating majesty and omnipotence; the ox, typical of faithful labor and patience; man, indicating intelligence; and the eagle, the greatest bird, representing supreme sovereignty” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, Re 4:5–11).

One other view, expressed by R. Jamieson, A.R. Fausset, and D. Brown, says the four living creatures in this context best describe “the redeemed election-Church in its relation of ministering king-priests to God, and ministers of blessing to the redeemed earth, and the nations on it, and the animal creation, in which man stands at the head of all, the lion at the head of wild beasts, the ox at the head of tame beasts, the eagle at the head of birds and of the creatures of the waters” (A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments, Re 4:8-9). Looking at Rev. 5:8-10, the living creatures join the elders in singing a new song to the Lamb, who has just taken the seven-sealed scroll from the hand of the One seated on the throne. Together they proclaim, “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals; because You were slaughtered, and You redeemed [people] for God by Your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation. You made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign on the earth.” The bracketed word “people” (in the HCSB) is the word “us” in some manuscripts, supporting the idea that the living creatures are human representatives of the redeemed. However, if the correct translation is “people,” then the living creatures may not in fact be human.

In any case, the four living creatures inhabit the throne room of God, and continually they worship and serve Him. Perhaps they help John, and us, see the heavenly reality of what is pictured on earth in the Jewish encampment in the wilderness. According to Jewish tradition, the “four standards” under which the Israelites pitched their tents were: A lion for Judah (east); an eagle for Dan (north); an ox for Ephraim (west); and a man for Reuben (south). In the midst of the camp was the tabernacle, where the Shekinah glory – the symbol of divine presence – resided. Many things on earth are given to us as “shadows” or “copies” of greater heavenly realities. For example, the Book of Hebrews teaches that the law and its ceremonies under the old covenant are “shadows” of the good things to come. And Christ entered the sanctuary in heaven with His own blood, obtaining eternal redemption for us; this was pictured in the sacrificial system under the old covenant, by which the high priest entered the holy of holies once a year to atone for people’s sins (see Heb. 9:11-12).

Keep in mind as we continue our study of Revelation that first-century readers no doubt were familiar with Judaism, and even if John’s writings came late in the 90s (as futurists argue) rather than in the 60s (as preterists contend), the sacrificial system in place in Jerusalem until the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. would have remained quite vivid in their minds. For them, the living creatures may have been seen as the “reality” of what was pictured in old covenant symbols and practices.

Next: The seven-sealed scroll (Rev. 5:1-4)