{"id":701,"date":"2017-11-23T09:23:00","date_gmt":"2017-11-23T17:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=701"},"modified":"2017-11-23T09:23:00","modified_gmt":"2017-11-23T17:23:00","slug":"devotion-revelation-51-4-finding-the-worthy-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/?p=701","title":{"rendered":"Devotion Revelation 5:1-4 Finding The Worthy One"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Revelation 5:1-4<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne\u00a0a scroll with writing on both sides\u00a0and sealed\u00a0with seven seals.<\/span>\u00a02\u00a0And I saw a mighty angel\u00a0proclaiming in a loud voice, \u201cWho is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?\u201d<\/span>\u00a03\u00a0But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.<\/span>\u00a04\u00a0I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In\u00a0Revelation 4\u00a0<\/b>the scene of these visions is set as John describes the throne room of God and who He sees in it.\u00a0 In chapter 5 the view begins to focus on events.\u00a0 The story begins to unfold.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne\u00a0a scroll with writing on both sides\u00a0and sealed\u00a0with seven seals.<\/span>\u201d John saw in the right hand of the Almighty a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.\u00a0 In the days of John the scrolls were made by gluing together two thin pieces of papyrus, at right angles to each other.\u00a0 To make it longer they would join pieces edge to edge.\u00a0 Each piece was thought to be about eight by ten inches long.\u00a0 Short epistles such as Jude and Philemon would have been written on one piece of papyrus.\u00a0 These papyrus pieces had a smooth front side and a course back side.\u00a0\u00a0 Usually only the smooth side was written on.\u00a0 The Book of Revelation would have been about fifteen feet long and written on both sides.\u00a0 The prophecy containing scroll that was unrolled before Ezekiel was also written on the back and front sides (Ezekiel 2:9-10<\/b>).<\/span><\/p>\n

What was the scroll representing and how was it sealed.\u00a0 The sealing of the scroll may be an indication of what the scroll was.\u00a0 Most hold that it represents the title deed to the planet earth.\u00a0 In that day, title deeds were sealed with a single seal.\u00a0 If the owner could no longer make his payments, the owner had to give up the deed.\u00a0 On the backside of this relinquished deed would be written the outstanding the debts of the owner. Also seven seals would be placed.\u00a0\u00a0 Over the next seven years, if the owner could pay back the debt, the seals would be broken until the debt was paid in full and the title deed returned.\u00a0 We know who paid our debt, full of the seven-fold Spirit of God, it was Jesus our Savior and King.<\/p>\n

Some hold that the seven seals were all on the outside edge of the scroll so that no part within could be seen until all seven seals are broken.\u00a0 What may be more likely is that the seals were not all on the outside, but each seal was placed before each part.\u00a0 Thusly, successive seals were broken only after the previous part had been opened and set forth.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I saw a mighty angel\u00a0proclaiming in a loud voice, \u201cWho is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u201d\u00a0 Family, take time to consider the unfolding scene.\u00a0 A mighty angel comes into view.\u00a0 John is seeing many angels coming into view, all of them mighty in their own right.\u00a0 Now here comes an angel of might who stands out.\u00a0\u00a0 The word here used to describe this angel as mighty has a comparative element to it.\u00a0 John is saying that amongst all the mighty angels present, this one was the mightiest.\u00a0 So, let\u2019s picture it, this mighty angel steps into the appearance and asks with a booming voice that shakes everyone, if anyone is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll.\u00a0 This must have been powerfully dramatic.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Considering again about the placement of the seals, the actual sequence of wording here is not to break the seal and open the scroll but to open the scrolls and break the seals.\u00a0 If one thought that all seven seals were on the outer edge, then it would seem that break the seals and open the scroll would be appropriate. \u00a0However, the original order is to open the scroll and break the seals.\u00a0 This seems to lend credence to opinion that one seal was on the outer edge and the rest of the seven seals were within.\u00a0 Thus, as each part was read, then successive seals were broken.<\/div>\n

\u201cBut no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.<\/span>\u201d\u00a0 The challenge was issued, who could open the scroll and break the seals.\u00a0 No-one in heaven or on earth could open it.\u00a0 There was none worthy to open the seal.\u00a0 Worthy is not speaking of naked power, as in someone who by might could come by the power of their might to receive open the scroll.\u00a0 Worthy here is speaking of someone who by merit of person and deed, was in a position to open the scroll.\u00a0 Like a wise maiden seeking a worthy husband, no strongman will come and sweep her away.\u00a0 A wise maiden considers what is of true worth of a husband and gives her hand to that man.\u00a0 Handsome features and physical strength are not alone qualifications for her hand.\u00a0 It must be a man of God, who will lightly, but firmly hold her hand and bring her alongside him to walk along a Godly path which he has already been walking on.\u00a0 It is the proof of his character by the history of his walk with God and the wisdom of life choices that wins her hands.\u00a0 Worthiness comes from having merited it through performance.\u00a0 No man on earth had what it took to open the scroll, or even peek inside.<\/p>\n

We also see that no creature of heaven or earth was found to open the scroll.\u00a0 This scroll revealed and set loose what was to come by the Almighty God.\u00a0 As a baton being passed in a race, none was worthy to receive the scroll. No-one.\u00a0 No angel was to be transformed into a god-savior.\u00a0 No-one was worthy!<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cI wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.<\/span><\/span>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0This was no light sobbing, or weeping.\u00a0 It is not a tear that trickles down the cheek.\u00a0 John was heartbroken.\u00a0 Have you ever been so broken, so hurt, so wounded that you wailed out the pain?\u00a0 Yes tears flowed, but also agony flooded out of your heart and all boundaries of containment are broken by the flood that forces its way out.\u00a0 Tear stream from you, your chest heaves, it is uncontrollable soul pain that screams out of you and you loudly cry out, ache, and are helpless to stop.\u00a0 This is the type of weeping that John felt.\u00a0 For the last sixty years he has lived grasping onto the truths that Jesus taught Him.\u00a0 Has all that Jesus taught Him now come to naught as no-one could open the scroll?\u00a0 Where was Jesus?\u00a0 Surely He could!\u00a0 But why the silence?\u00a0 Where was the champion to step forward?\u00a0 John was in utter despair.<\/p>\n

The champion will step forward, but there was a time of silence after the invitation was given for someone to stop forward.\u00a0 Can we imagine how excited John was at the giving of the invitation?\u00a0 Then when no one stepped forward, when no-one was able to be the champion, he was completely devastated.\u00a0 It is good for us to sometimes pause and consider the mighty work of our champion, the Lord Jesus Christ.\u00a0 What if Jesus had not come and made the way for us to heaven?\u00a0 We know that we would then have no hope.\u00a0 We know no-one can save themselves.\u00a0 We would still be lost, wallowing in the filth of our former lives with no hope of future eternal life with God.\u00a0 How lost, how forlorn we would be!\u00a0 Even the consideration of that can bring panic, desperation and fear.\u00a0 Yet we fear not because Jesus did come and make the only way to the Father that there is.\u00a0 Let us never take the work of God through Jesus for granted.\u00a0 May we never be unappreciative or complacent!\u00a0 Let\u2019s keep our eyes focused on Jesus, and anxiously await to happen what John will see.\u00a0 Our champion will appear, just as John is about to see.\u00a0 Praise the Lord!<\/p>\n

Psalm 150:6<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.\u00a0 Praise the Lord!<\/span><\/p>\n

Micah 7:7<\/b>\u00a0– But as for me, I watch\u00a0in hope\u00a0for the\u00a0Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear\u00a0me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Micah 6:8<\/b>\u00a0–\u00a0He has shown You, O man, what\u00a0is\u00a0good; And what does the\u00a0Lord\u00a0require of You but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with Your God.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Revelation 5:1-4\u00a0–\u00a0Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne\u00a0a scroll with writing on both sides\u00a0and sealed\u00a0with seven seals.\u00a02\u00a0And I saw a mighty angel\u00a0proclaiming in a loud voice, \u201cWho is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?\u201d\u00a03\u00a0But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1192],"tags":[705,94,17,711],"class_list":["post-701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-devotion","tag-ezekiel","tag-micah","tag-psalm","tag-revelation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/701","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=701"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/701\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":702,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/701\/revisions\/702"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.Bob4God.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}