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楼主 / lisatsengnn
- 时间: 2024-8-15 06:202024.08.04Revelation 5: The Scroll and the Lamb
1.Who Is Worthy to Open the Scroll
"Then I saw in theright hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides andsealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, 'Whois worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?'" (Revelation 5:1-2)
1) The "scroll":
The scroll represents theBible. Jewish scribes used to write the Scriptures on parchment, roll them up,and store them. Jesus, on a Sabbath, went into the synagogue and stood up toread the Scriptures. They handed Him the book of the prophet Isaiah, and Hefound the place where it was written: "The Spirit of the Lord is onme..." After reading it, He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to theattendant, and sat down (Luke 4:16-20).
2) "Sealed with seven seals":
This signifies that withoutbreaking the seals, the scroll cannot be opened, revealing the mysteries of theScriptures, understanding God's will, and receiving God's promised blessings.
2.The Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Jesus) Is Worthy to Open the Scroll
"Then one of the elders said to me, 'Do not weep! See, theLion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able toopen the scroll and its seven seals.'" (Revelation 5:5)
1) The Lion
The"lion" is the king of beasts, symbolizing power, majesty, andkingship. "The Lion of the tribe of Judah" spiritually refers to theLord Jesus, who is the King, the King of kings, who has triumphed!
Jesus Christ is from thetribe of Judah, He is the King, the Lion. He is the one whom Jacob prophesiedabout before his death, concerning Judah, saying: "Judah, a lion's cub;you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like alioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor theruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come andthe obedience of the nations shall be his." (Genesis 49:9-10)
2) Jesus is a Descendant ofDavid
"Jesus said, 'I am the Rootand the Offspring of David.'" (Revelation 22:16)
i) Tracing Back through Joseph's Genealogy
"Jacob the father of Joseph,the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called theMessiah." (Matthew 1:16)
Matthew'sgenealogy of Jesus traces back through Joseph's lineage all the way to Solomon,who belonged to the house of David, from the tribe of Judah. It is written:"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, toBethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line ofDavid." (Luke 2:4)
TracingJoseph's genealogy further, he descends from Jehoiachin, a descendant of KingJudah, and Coniah (Jeconiah or Jehoiachin). It is written: "This is whatthe Lord says: 'Record this man as if childless, a man who will not prosper inhis lifetime, for none of his offspring will prosper, none will sit on thethrone of David or rule anymore in Judah.'" (Jeremiah 36:30) Coniah, theson of Jehoiachin, the Lord says: "Record this man as if childless, a manwho will not prosper in his lifetime, for none of his offspring will prosper,none will sit on the throne of David or rule anymore in Judah." (Jeremiah22:30) It is evident how they both displeased God!
TheLord says: "The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when Iwill raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and dowhat is just and right in the land." (Jeremiah 23:5) How then can Jesussit on David's throne? Is it truly a dead end?
Somebiblical scholars believe that Haggai's blessing on Zerubbabel (Haggai 2:20-23)might just lift Jeremiah's curse, restoring the status of Jeconiah'slineage—able to inherit David's (and ultimately the Messiah's) throne (Isaiah56:3-5).
ii) Tracing Back through Mary's Genealogy
"Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli." (Luke3:23)
Luke's genealogy of Jesustraces back through Mary's lineage. Mary might have been an only daughter, thedaughter of Heli, and thus had to marry within the same tribe; Joseph was theson of Heli, in Hebrew, "son" and "son-in-law" share thesame word.
Now, tracing back throughMary's lineage, we come to the name Nathan (Luke 3:31); Nathan was Solomon'sbrother, both born to David from Bathsheba (Uriah's wife) (1 Chronicles 3:5),and he also is a descendant of David.
Therefore, it appears thatthe Lord Jesus also descends from Mary's lineage! In this way, Christ willindeed sit on David's throne without being affected by the curses the Lordpronounced on Jehoiachin and Coniah, as stated by Jeremiah.
3) Jesus is the Root of David
Jesus is the root ofDavid, the source, and origin.
Jesusasked, "What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?""The son of David," they replied. He said to them, "How is itthen that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him 'Lord'? For he says, 'TheLord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies underyour feet."' (Matthew 22:42-45)
"The Lord says to myLord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for yourfeet.'" (Psalm 110:1)
4) The Holy Spirit Reveals Mysteries to the Apostles, Unveiling theScriptures
"Thismystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel,members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in ChristJesus." (Ephesians 3:6)
TheLion of the tribe of Judah, who is the Lord Jesus, through the Holy Spirit,reveals the mysteries of the Scriptures to His apostles and prophets!
God poured out the promised HolySpirit, who enables us to see and hear (Acts 2:33), including speaking intongues. By speaking in tongues, one can receive more insight from the HolySpirit, unveiling the truths of the Scriptures. Paul said, "I thank Godthat I speak in tongues more than all of you." (1 Corinthians 14:1
3.The Slain Lamb - Jesus
"I saw a Lamb, looking as ifit had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the fourliving creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, whichare the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth." (Revelation5:6)
1) "As if Slain"
This Lamb refers to Jesus,who was slaughtered and sacrificed; symbolizing that the Lord Jesus wascrucified for the sins of the world. He willingly died for sinners, sheddingHis blood and giving His life to bear the sins of humanity.
"He was led like alamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he didnot open his mouth." (Isaiah 53:7)
2) "Seven Horns and Seven Eyes"
"The seven horns andseven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God": "Seven horns"symbolize power for battle and victory, representing authority and strength;"seven eyes" symbolize complete insight and wisdom, indicating fulldiscernment and intelligence. The "seven spirits" denote the completework of the Holy Spirit, who is all-powerful, all-wise, and all-knowing.
In the 2024 ParisOlympics, Taiwan's badminton men's doubles team, "Lin and Yang," werenot initially favored, but with the help of the Lamb with seven horns and seveneyes, they triumphed with an astonishing 7 consecutive victories, securing thegold medal! All glory is attributed to the slain Lamb, the victorious KingJesus Christ, forever and ever!
This was Li Yang's finalOlympic competition in his professional career! Besides intense practice, heprayed for the Lord's presence in every match. On Sunday, July 14, Li Yang'ssister took him to attend worship at the Xindian Gospel Church. Humblinghimself, Li Yang knelt as Pastor Zhang Maosong laid hands on him in prayer, andthe entire congregation blessed him. Pastor prayed to God, saying, "Maythe Lord bless 'Lin and Yang,' and may His light shine on Taiwan, hoping thatthe people on this island will embrace the Gospel soon." Li Yang promisedthat if they won the gold medal in badminton men's doubles at the ParisOlympics, he would return to the Xindian Gospel Church to give all glory to theLord.
During the competition, theirextraordinary skills seemed divinely assisted, beyond anyone's expectations beforethe start. They maintained an unbeaten record throughout the Olympics, reachingthe gold medal match. In the final of the championship, the Taiwanese teamranked twelfth globally, surprisingly defeated the top-ranked team from China.This outcome reflected the prayer the pastor made for Li Yang to rely on theLord Jesus for victory, as the Scripture says, "If God is for us, who canbe against us?" (Romans 8:31)
4.The Four Living Creatures and Twenty-Four Elders with Golden Bowls of Incense
"When he had taken it, the four living creatures and thetwenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they wereholding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God'speople." (Revelation 5:
1) The Four Living Creatures
Thefour faces of the four living creatures symbolize the four roles of JesusChrist: Lion - King; Ox - Servant; Man - Son of Man; Eagle - Son of God.
1) Matthew Gospel: The King
The genealogy of JesusChrist, starting from the descendant of Abraham, the son of David, unfolds asthe genealogy of the King. The face of the lion (king) among the four livingcreatures symbolizes the Gospel of Matthew.
2) Mark Gospel: The Servant
Beginning with Jesus'ministry (Mark 1:14), he labored, preached the gospel, and ultimately wascrucified. The face of the ox (servant) among the four living creaturessymbolizes the Gospel of Mark.
3) Luke Gospel: The Son of Man
Describing the birth andchildhood of the Lord. From Jesus being the son of Joseph, who is theson-in-law of Heli (in Hebrew, son/daughter-in-law is the same word;originally, Joseph is the son-in-law of Heli, which refers to Mary's genealogy)- Luke 3:23. The face of the man (Son of Man) among the four living creaturessymbolizes the Gospel of Luke.
4) John Gospel: The Son of God
From the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, andthe Word was God...; the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of graceand truth. This speaks of Jesus Christ existing from eternity, as the Son ofGod, the Word becoming flesh and coming to earth like an eagle descending fromheaven to be with humanity, bringing salvation to the world. The face of theeagle (Son of God) among the four living creatures symbolizes the Gospel ofJohn.
2) The Twenty-Four Elders TheFour Living Creatures
The twenty-four eldersrepresent the victorious ones in the church. Israel consists of twelve tribes(Revelation 21:12), and the Gentiles are built on the foundation of the twelveapostles (Revelation 21:14), each taking twelve thrones, totaling twenty-four seats.This is a complete number, surrounding the throne.
"For he himself is our peace,who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividingwall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands andregulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of thetwo, thus making peace." (Ephesians 2:15)
The victorious ones in thechurch are those who are caught up before the disaster, a one-time event thatincludes both the living and those who died in Christ throughout the ages. Theywill be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus,these victorious ones who are caught up will be with the Lord forever.
The highest honor amongthe caught-up group is held by these twenty-four elders, representing thevictorious ones in the church. They wear crowns of gold (symbolizing kingship),encircling the highest throne in heaven, reigning with the Lord Jesus in heavenand reigning forever and ever.
3) The Four Living Creatures and the Twenty-FourElders
The four living creatures and thetwenty-four elders, around the throne, bow down in worship and praise to God.They are the closest to the throne, the highest-ranking worshippers.
4) The Outer Circle of Angels
Surrounding the fourliving creatures and the twenty-four elders, the outer circle consists of thesecond-tier worshippers, with the voices of many angels numbering myriads ofmyriads, singing praises and worshiping God loudly!
5) The Four Living Creaturesand the Twenty-Four Elders with Golden Bowls of Incense
According to the OldTestament law, only the high priest had the qualification to enter the MostHoly Place alone on the Day of Atonement once a year, carrying blood and agolden censer filled with incense, to atone for his own sins and the sins ofthe people.
The four living creatures and thetwenty-four elders each hold golden bowls full of incense, which symbolize theprayers of God's holy people. This demonstrates their rank in the kingdom ofheaven, equivalent to the role of the high priest in the law, a highly esteemedsacred duty bestowed by God. Ordinary individuals in the kingdom of heaven donot carry golden censers.
5.The Four Living Creatures and the Twenty-Four Elders Singing a New Song
"They sang a new song,saying: 'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals.'"(Revelation 5:9)
1) The New Song
"They sang a new song,saying: 'You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals.'"(Revelation 5:9)
The four living creaturesand the twenty-four elders bow down before the Lamb, and they sing a new song.What is singing a new song? It is singing a spiritual song!
David was skilled inmusic, able to play instruments and sing, a seasoned musician and singer. Hesaid, "I will sing a new song to you, my God!" (Psalm 144:9) ForDavid, singing a new song meant singing a spiritual song, praising andworshiping in spirit, singing spontaneously inspired by the Holy Spirit,expressing worship with natural emotions.
Singing a new song in thekingdom of heaven means singing spiritual songs, without the need for sheetmusic or melodies, singing beautiful melodies from the heart. Each tune is anew song, continuously refreshed like the flow of the Holy Spirit, never-endingthanksgiving and praise. Imagine millions of victorious ones singing new songsbefore the throne, with beautiful melodies filling the air, voices dancing likebutterflies, all united in praising the Lord and giving thanks to the slainLamb. This magnificent worship and praise are of incomparable glory!
2) Testimony of a Child withDown Syndrome Singing a Spiritual Song (New Song):
A teacher instructingchildren with intellectual disabilities took them to a city park to play.Suddenly, a child with Down syndrome started singing loudly! A womanapproached, amazed, and asked, "How is he singing this song! How is hesinging this song!" It turned out that this woman was a sister in Christsuffering from depression. She had prayed to the Lord, "Jesus! Do youstill care for me? When I was young, my mother used to sing a song about ahundred-year-old banyan tree in our backyard!" The reason for her surprisewas that the song the child with Down syndrome sang was the same one.
Later, the pastor asked the child with Down syndrome, "Whydid you sing that song?" The answer: "I don't know!" Furtherasked, "Can you sing it again?" The reply: "No." Praise theLord! This child with Down syndrome was singing a spiritual song, a new song, taughtby the Holy Spirit. Through this spiritual song, he conveyed to the woman thatthe Lord never forsakes her, still watching over her!
Pleasenote that the following information is a financial donation instruction in thecontext of ministry work:
DearLord Jesus, please remember your offering. Below is the donation accountinformation for our ministry:
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2024.08.04Revelation 5: The Scroll and the Lamb
