Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.
In Revelation 4, God sat on the throne of heaven, attended by lightning and thunder and worship. Revelation 5 opens with him holding a scroll sealed with seven wax seals, like they use in Taskmaster.
But surprise! No one can break the seals and read the scroll. This makes John so sad he cries. Then one of the elders says, “The Lion of the tribe of Judah has triumphed. He can open the scroll” (Rev 5:5).
John looks round for the lion. But what does he see sitting on the throne with God? A lamb that looked as if it had come back from the dead. A barely alive lamb on the throne? That seems out of place in this mighty company of elders and winged creatures.
Then the lamb takes the scroll and the elders and creatures who have been worshiping God start worshiping the lamb saying:
You are worthy to take the scroll,
because you died
and your blood purchased people from all the earth for God.
You have made them into a kingdom and priests,
and they will reign over all the earth (Rev 5:9-10)
A hundred million angels, ten thousand times ten thousand, gather round the throne and take up the refrain,
Worthy is the lamb who was slain (Rev 5:11-12).
Then all the people and animals and birds and sea creatures on earth join in, saying:
Praise and honor and glory to the lamb (Rev 5:13).
That’s what John saw in heaven. The lion of the tribe of Judah appeared like a lamb. He makes people members of God’s kingdom.
What a happy ending to the story. Except that the lamb’s people on earth are not obviously a kingdom of priests and rulers. The earthly lot are a small scattered bunch, targets of persecution, divided among themselves, a troubled lot.
Perhaps if the lamb opens the scroll, it will provide some answers.
Let’s pray.
Our father, in Revelation we have seen the sorry state of the churches on earth, and the glory of your throne room in heaven. A little lamb takes center stage, because he is building the church into your kingdom, making its people priests and rulers.
O God, what is your kingdom here on earth? We who serve you here are not creatures of power or majesty. We worship you, God, and the lamb who shares your throne. Teach us to be priests, teach us to follow him, bring us through this time of hidden kingdom to the reality of your new kingdom on earth.
Amen
I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.
YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube
Pray with Me 