We are reminded in these passages below, that on earth, Jesus is the rightful descendant of Abraham, as well as king David. But more importantly, Jesus is the Lamb of God! He is the one who will fulfill the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, and the one who fulfilled the new covenant by paying the price for all sin in order to offer salvation to all people.
Jesus is the only one worthy to open the seven seals, which are the first set of judgments on the earth, as well as the first signs of His Second Coming...
(Revelation 5:1-10) I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. 4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; 5 and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”
6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 7 And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8 When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
10 “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
Above we saw that there were 24 elders, and now in the following verses we see "the elders" used - and there were many (included in the myriads and myriads of angels and living creatures). Because we will be "like" the angels in heaven, we will not be male or female, therefore the term elders can easily be applied to all believers in their glorified bodies...
(Revelation 5:11-14) Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,
“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”
14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.
Today's takeaway: I actually have two important takeaways!
First of all, we see in verse 8 that there are golden bowls of incense which are the prayers of the saints. This should tell us that our prayers are never wasted. If God does not answer a prayer right away, we should know that they are kept safely - to be answered at another time - perhaps only answered during the Tribulation when we are no longer on the earth.
The second TAKEAWAY - going back to the first half of this chapter, we see the significance of these seals on the book - and that NO ONE is able to remove these seals - except Jesus. So when we are told that we are sealed by the Holy Spirit when we become believers, we have got to believe that we cannot lose our salvation...
(Ephesians 1:13-14) In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
We are going to heaven! And nothing is going to stop that. And even though Jesus would be the only one worthy - He would not be able to - because He is not able to lie. Jesus is the one who paid the price for our sins and promised that nothing could snatch us away from His hand! If we get nothing else out of the book of Revelation, we should "get" that God is fierce and serious about what He says...
(John 10:27-30) My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
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