The Title Deed

Series: Revelation

The Title Deed

September 26, 2021 | Jeff Thompson

Passage: Revelation 5:1-14

Revelation 5 explains how our world became so broken and why it's stayed that way, before looking ahead to the glorious moment when things will begin to change as the only One who can make things right takes back ownership of the earth.


Transcription (automatically-generated):

Have you ever played the Amen two truths and a lie? The whole idea of the game is that you share two things about yourself that are true and one that is false, and people have to try and figure out which one is the lie. It's a great ice breaker to play at a home group or a party or something like that. So, for example, two truths and a lie. I might say my name is Jeff.

I am a pastor at Gospel City Church, and the Book of Revelation is hard to understand, with the obvious lie being that the Book of Revelation is hard to understand. And incredibly, there are still people trying to pass that lie as the truth. And to them we say, Stop the madness for you see the word itself. Revelation means something has been revealed. And the first words of this book tell us exactly who it is that's being revealed.

It's the revelation of Jesus Christ, and God wanted us to read this book so much that he promised those who would take the time to read and respond to it a special blessing and that's found in Revelation. Chapter one, verses three, let's claim it together. It says, Blessed is he who reads and the who hear the words of this prophecy and keep those things which are written in it for the time is near. But God knew there would still be those who would claim revelations hard to understand, so to make it easy to understand.

He also included a simple to follow outline that can be found in Revelation 119, where Jesus gives John these instructions.

Number one, write the things which you have seen that was the resurrected and glorified Jesus. In chapter one. Number two, write the things which are that's a reference to the Church age, which began around 32 Ad, continues up to the present day and is prophesied in order in chapter two and three, and then Thirdly, write the things which will take place after this. John is told to write about future events that will take place after the Church age ends, and those future events make up the third act of Revelation.

And they begin in chapter four.

Verses one, let me read it to you. John says, after these things I looked and behold a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard that was the voice of Jesus in chapter one was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, Come up here and I will show you things which must take place after this. And up John goes serving as a picture of the Church which will be taken to be with the Lord. And when the Church goes up, what comes down, the wrath of God.

And we find that in chapter six, verses 16, where the period known as the Tribulation begins, and we're told the response of those who are on the Earth at that time, they said to the mountains and rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of of him who sits on the throne. That God the Father, and from the wrath of the Amen in the Bible, the Lamb is who it's Jesus. Chapter One introduces the focus of Revelation Jesus Christ. Chapter two and three take us through the Church age up to the present day.

Then the Church goes up.

In chapter four, verses one, Rath comes down in chapter six, verses 16 that leads to seven years of tribulation, which continue all the way up to chapter 19, when Jesus returns to the Earth with his Church in the event known as the Second Coming. And there'll be even more revealed in those final few amazing chapters of this book when we get there. But for now, what you need to know is that if you love Jesus, your story will end with the words and they lived happily ever after.

In Revelation four, we were raptured with John to heaven and we got a sneak preview of the awesome throne room of God. Now there is no break whatsoever between chapters four and five.

The former flows immediately into the ladder, and in chapter five today we will peek behind the curtain of the entire Cosmos and get a glimpse of ultimate reality. Everything that has happened is happening and will happen everywhere is related to what we will be studying today. And incredibly, I'm still underselling the importance of Revelation. Chapter Five among today's revelations, we're gonna learn why there is pain and suffering in the world and why a loving God seems to allow it. Students of Scripture will find much to dig into by comparing Revelation chapter four and five with Daniel.

Chapter seven, verses nine through 13 as the events and the setting appear to be identical to a lesser degree, there are also similarities to God's judgment of Israel recorded in Ezekiel, chapter One and two. We don't have time to get into that side of things in this study, but I encourage you to do so in your own time in the Word this week, let's jump right. In Revelation chapter five, verses one, John says, and I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll, would you underline that word scroll?

And if your Bible doesn't use that word, write it in there because it's important, and that's what the word should be. A scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.

Our scene opens in chapter five, where we left off in chapter four, God the Father on his throne in heaven and in his hand is a scroll. Now let's unpack this for a little bit because there's some background information we must understand not only for the purposes of this study, but as followers of Jesus, we need to know this. At the time Revelation was recorded, books and codices weren't widely used. Scrolls were the preferred method. They were made from paper derive from a variation of papyrus and could easily be dozens of feet long when unrolled Scrolls would be smooth on the inside that was used for writing and rough on the outside.

But we noticed this scroll has writing on the inside and on the back. The only types of Scrolls that had writing on the rough outside or contracts, Wills and title deeds. You see the details would be written on the inside, while the title of the contract, for example, Bob and Brenda Smith's marriage contract would be written on the outside as a reference, so people would know what the internal contents of the scroll were. Scrolls of such legal importance would often be sealed with seven seals and sometimes by seven witnesses.

Jews reading Revelation in John's Day would have immediately understood all this from his description of the scroll.

And so the question is, what is this scroll, a deed or contract, or will four? We'll get to that answer in a minute. But there's some more background information and biblical typology you need to be aware of. When Israel took possession of the promised land, God had them distribute the land among the twelve tribes of Israel within each tribe. The land was further distributed among the families of that tribe, and even back then, people would find ways to wind up in debt and they would need to sell their property.

However, God's laws forbade any Jew from permanently selling their portion of the promised land. Every 50th year was a year of Jubilee, when all debts were canceled and all property returned to its original owner. It was a blessing from the Lord that kept wealth equitable among his people and prevented a small group from ending up with most of the wealth and most of the land. All this meant that anyone who was buying property in Israel was essentially renting it until the next year of Jubilee. Additionally, God's law preserved the right of every property owner to buy back their property at any time if the redemption requirements were met when a property was sold.

The title deed, including the requirements for redemption, the price, and the terms to buy back the property would be written and sealed up in a scroll just like the one that John saw in heaven. I'm going to give you the punchline upfront as we unpack Revelation five. Write this down. It's your first filling. I believe it will become clear that this scroll is the title deed to the Earth.

It's the title deed to the Earth itself and how it ended up in the hands of God. The Father. Unopened in heaven is the story of everything. It's the story of the Cosmos. It's the story of every world event and all of human history.

It's the story of Jesus, and it is our story before Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden, there was God, the Trinity in heaven and out of a desire to share himself and his goodness. God created a son and a daughter, Adam and Eve, and he placed them upon a beautifully and perfectly designed Earth in a universe. Proclaimed His glory. God declared, I'm going to go way beyond beings that I've created before. I'm going to place Amen close enough to my glory to find me, but far enough from it to not be overwhelmed by it.

And the reason I'm doing this is because I'm going to give man genuine free will and give him the option to follow me or reject me. I'm going to give him sovereignty. And God did that because in order for love to be real, it has to be based upon a choice. Love must be a free will decision, because if love is simply the result of programming, then it's meaningless. It's completely meaningless.

It's not real love. And God desired a relationship with his children that was based upon real, meaningful love. And God went even further, giving Adam his new creation the title deed to the Earth that's referenced in Genesis 128. These developments, this special creation of God was astonishing to the Angels in heaven. They were shocked by the free will that God had given Amen by the authority that God had given Amen, and by the future destiny God had given Amen, which we'll get to later.

It was astonishing and wondrous to the Angels, but offensive to one of them, the most beautiful angel in heaven, the arc Angel Lucifer. He watched as God created the universe and blessed Adam and Eve. And jealousy stirred within his heart, and he felt that any new creation and blessings and future glory should be flowing in his direction and resulted him receiving greater glory. And Lucifer began to share his feelings and thoughts with other Angels, telling them they deserve more glory too. And he stirred up a revolt against God, citing the need for equality in heaven.

He didn't desire to be greater than God. He simply said, I will make myself like the most high. The pitch was, you know, we should all be gods. Lucifer's coup attempt didn't go so well. God didn't even budge from his throne to deal with it.

He had the Archangel Michael and the armies of heaven cast Satan and his co conspirators a third of the Angels out of heaven, and Scripture says they fell to the Earth today. Of course, Lucifer is most widely known as Satan, and the Angels aligned with him are known as fallen Angels. Well, how did Satan now on the Earth respond? He appeared before Eve in the garden of even with the same pitch he made to the Angels in heaven. You deserve to be a God too.

Take and eat of the forbidden fruit and you will be like God and utilizing her God given free will, Eve took and ate the fruit. When Adam found out he didn't cry out in repentance or for help. He joined Eve in her sin the Bible says that all we like sheep have gone astray we have turned everyone to his own way. And the point is this what Adam and Eve did. We too have done in our own way, over and over again.

And we would have done the same thing sooner or later in some way, shape or form. If we had been in their situation, we would have rebelled against God. When we collectively as the human race, sinned in the garden, something catastrophic happened. Sin entered the world as in that moment we rejected God in favor of ourselves. There are only two kingdoms, God and Satan.

And when we rejected God's rule and reign and chose instead to rule ourselves, we were really choosing to be ruled by Satan. At that moment we handled the title deed to the Earth to Satan. God restrained Satan's power on the Earth to a certain degree. But make no mistake Satan owned the title deed. In Ephesians Two two, Satan is called the Prince of the power of the air.

In John 1231, Jesus calls him the ruler of this world. In first John 519, John writes, the whole world lies in the power or under the sway of the evil one. And in second Corinthians for four, Paul calls him the God of this age. During the temptation of Christ, Satan takes Jesus to a place where all the nations of the Earth are visible and says, all these things I will give to you if you will fall down and worship me. Jesus doesn't reply.

Don't be ridiculous. You don't own the Earth. I do. Jesus does not dispute Satan's claim to have Dominion over the nations of the Earth. This is not some wacky theory or interpretation.

Jesus, John, and Paul all clearly testified a Satan's rule over the Earth even after the death and resurrection of Jesus. When we rebelled against God and fell into sin, ending Satan. The title deed to the Earth. Whose fault was it? Was it Satan's fault?

No. We had free will. Was it God's fault? No. We had free will.

We chose to disobey. We chose to reject His Lordship over our life. We chose. And when all that happened, Amen God's gift of a perfect Earth, our humanity, the universe. It was all torn apart.

Disease, anger, bitterness, pain, selfishness, and everything wrong with the world came flooding into reality as the Earth became Satan's domain. It wasn't long before Adam and Eve had to endure the pain of their two sons occupying both sides of the first murder in human history. In other words, it didn't take long for things to start unraveling as lives and families and society crumbled around us. Did we repent? Did we turn back to the Lord?

No. Instead we came up with accusations against God that we repeat to this day, how can God be good when there's so much pain and suffering in the world? How can God be loving when my life is filled with so much darkness? If God cares, then why is there senseless violence across the Earth? We the human race, rejected our Creator.

Until this day. We ignore His word. We reject His Lordship while blaming Him for everything that we've done. We blame Him for the state of the world that has been ruined by the work of our hands. It's our fault.

May God forgive us for our flippant blasphemy. Instead, we should ask, how can man be good when there's so much pain and suffering in the world? How can man be loving when my life is filled with so much darkness? If man cares, why is there senseless violence across the Earth? How can man be good when he rapes and murders and abuses and enslaves and destroys in the name of God?

How can man be good? He can't because he isn't. The Psalmist wrote truthfully when he declared, they have done abominable works. There's none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of Amen to see if there are any who understand who seek God.

They've all turned aside. They have together become corrupt. There is none who does good. No, not one humanity fell. We severed our relationship with the Lord.

We chose our own way. And Satan smugly said to the Lord, what a surprise. They didn't choose you. It's over. What are you going to do with your rebellious creation now?

All loving God. You see, Satan knew that God was perfect, flawless and without sin. And because of that, Satan knew that God was morally obligated to judge sin, just as you and I are morally bound to judge the murderers in our society. The perfect God is obligated and qualified by His very nature to judge all sin. It's all as unacceptable to Him as the murder of an innocent is to us.

And just as we have an inherent need and hunger for justice, so does he. Satan thought checkmate. God must judge their sin. And the only appropriate punishment for rejecting the God of the universe is eternal damnation. There was not an angel in heaven who could have imagined what God would do next.

Isaiah 53 in verse Six begins with the words we read earlier. All we like sheep, have gone astray we have turned everyone to his own way. But in the most incredible plot twist that will ever exist. Isaiah 53 six ends with these words, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of a soul. Jesus, the perfect sinless, innocent, Holy Son of God came to the Earth to die in the place of sinful, men and women, all of them.

Instead of God's righteous wrath and judgment falling upon us as we deserve. The Father stored it all up and poured it out on Jesus who willingly accepted it. Jesus died for us to settle a debt we could never repay. He redeemed us. He brought us back.

And when he did that he also bought back the Earth that we had sold to Satan. He paid the redemption price and he took back the title deed, as was his right as the original owner. During the three days he was in the grave, Jesus descended into Hades Sheol in Hebrew, where a host of Old Testament Saints were waiting in the place. The Hebrews called Abraham's bosom as sinners, unable to enter the Holy presence of God. They had been waiting for atonement to be made for their sins.

Jesus showed up with the keys to death and hates and said to tell Esty it is finished. Your sin debt has been paid in full and heaven is waiting. Jesus returned to the Earth in his resurrected body and hung around for 40 days before as ending back to heaven. And we could only imagine the glorious pandemonium that ensued in heaven. As Jesus returned with the title be to the Earth which he handed to his Father as he sat down at his right hand on the throne.

Because the work was finished. Since the resurrection, God has held the title deed to the Earth, but he has not yet opened it and reclaimed the Earth. Why? Because there are certain things that will happen when he does. For example, he will have to judge the sin that is taking place in his house, and that will mean devastating consequences for those who reject the Lord.

Second Peter three Nine tells us the Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some count slackness, but his long suffering. He's being patient toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God is being gracious by giving people more time to repent and be adopted into his family. When the Lord reclaims the Earth. When he opens the title deed, the window of opportunity will begin to close very, very quickly before closing completely.

Jesus paid for everyone sins, but that payment is only valid for your life if you accept it if you willingly receive it. That's what we're doing when we receive Jesus as our Savior. We're saying Jesus died in my place and made the full payment for my sins. He traded his life for mine. And so now my life belongs to Him.

Those who reject Jesus sacrifice and payment on their behalf are choosing to reject God himself, and God will ultimately give them what they want an eternity apart from Him. It's a serious thing to look at Jesus who was tortured and crucified on our behalf and say, no thanks, no thanks. And when Jesus begins to judge those who have rejected Him, he doesn't want even a drop of His wrath falling on those who are His. So he has to remove those who are His, which is exactly what happens in the Rapture.

The Father in his mercy has been waiting.

Jesus has been waiting. The Holy Spirit has been waiting. All of heaven has been waiting. The martyrs from across the centuries have been waiting. The universe, Romans 822 tells us, has been waiting, and we have been waiting for the moment.

The Father hands the titled the scroll to Jesus and says, It's time. And here in Revelation five, it's time. Verses two. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice who is worthy, underline, worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals. Not who's willing but who is worthy.

They've always been men. They've always been people who were willing to rule the Earth. Hitler, Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, Napoleon, Google, and the United Nations were or or willing, but none of them are worthy. To redeem a title deed, you had to meet four criteria. You had to be the original owner of the property or his close relative, who, if permitted by that original owner, could function as a Kinsman.

Redeemer. Write that down could function as a Kinsman. Redeemer. Jesus is the Son of God and the Son of man. He's fully God and fully man.

He is the original owner and a Kinsman of Adam. Secondly, you had to be able to meet the redemption requirements of the title deed as the only man to ever live a perfect sinless life. Jesus was the only one who could offer himself as an acceptable sacrifice in our place. Thirdly, you had to be not only able to meet the redemption requirements, but obviously you had to be willing. Write that down.

You had to be willing to meet the requirements. Nobody forced Jesus to lay down His life for us. He chose to offer it willingly. And then lastly, in order to qualify to redeem a title deed, you had to assume all the obligations of the beneficiary. Jesus is ready, willing, and able and worthy to rule the Earth in perfect righteousness.

Verses three, it says no one in heaven or on the Earth or under the Earth was able to open the scroll or to look at it. Some Bibles more accurately translate the phrase as no Amen in heaven rather than no one in heaven. And I point that out because at this moment in time is this scene is unfolding in heaven. There are apparently men in heaven on the Earth and under the Earth. There's this three layered cosmology going on, and we know they're all alive because in verses 13, they're all going to speak in heaven refers to every believer who's ever lived up to and including those taken in the Rapture.

I could also refer to the supernatural creative beings like the Seraphim and the Cherubim that are in heaven as well. On the Earth refers to those who were not taken in the Rapture who are still on the Earth. At this time. Some of them will become believers in the Tribulation, and then under the Earth refers to non believers who have died and are in hated awaiting the Great White Throne judgment. I point that out because we need to understand that every person who has ever lived is alive right now.

Somewhere they're alive, they're conscious. Verses Three describes a dire situation with no one being found worthy to redeem the Earth's. Title deed. There's no one in heaven. There's no supernatural created being.

There's no angel, there's no believer. There's no one on the Earth. There's no one in Haiti, obviously who's worthy, who can meet the requirements to redeem the title deed to the Earth. And when this is revealed, when there's no answer to the Angels question, when there's just silence, John responds appropriately in verses Force so I wept much because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or to look at it. When it says that John wept much, it means he was convulsing with tears, wailing in emotional agony.

And if I think of this cinematically, I envision a montage just changing every second, showing one scene after another of our fallen world in the state that the world has fallen into. On our watch, imagine the Holocaust, the gulags, the ISIS atrocities, ethnic cleansing, child soldiers, war, famine, slavery, olden Amen, murder, abuse and on and on and on and on, and it's so clear there's no one worthy. John is so deeply grief because if there's no one worthy to open the scroll, it means the world will stay as it is under the control of Satan, broken and getting worse and worse and worse until it destroys itself.

John is being overwhelmed by the reality that there is no hope for our world as things stand. No hope.

We can't fix this. It's the reality of just how hopeless our lives are without Jesus, and we were all born into a hopeless situation that we could not save ourselves from. We were doomed by our sin. We were a lost cause and to grasp even a little bit of this. To understand and to actually wrap your head around the state of things without God is to investigate the deepest depths of despair that exist.

Verses Five But one of the elders said to me, do not weep. Behold, behold the lion of the tribe of Judah. The root of David has prevailed to open the scroll and to lose its seven seals. Who is the lion of Judah? Who is the root of David?

We know his name. It's Jesus when there was no other way, when there was no hope, when I was irredeemable and in debt so deep I could never get out when all was lost. Behold the lion of the tribe of Judah. Just take that in for a moment, meditate on it. Thank God for it.

I heard one commentator point out that the word behold, there means surprise, surprise the line of Judah. Two other quick notes for you. Paradoxically, Jesus is the root of David. In other words, David came from Him. And yet Jesus also came from the family line of David as a man.

Secondly, 24 titles were used of Jesus in Revelation chapter one through three, and these titles apply to him in his present role as he is revealed to the Church. Starting here in Revelation Five will begin to see primarily Jewish titles used for Jesus, and that's because ethnic Israel is about to take center stage in our story as the climax of human history approaches, it will greatly expand and your understanding of not only Revelation but the whole Bible. If you can recognize that the Scriptures describe different promises, destinies, and roles for ethnic Israel and the Church in the end times after the Church has been raptured, one of the key items on the agenda becomes the unfulfilled earthly promises that God has made to ethnic Israel, and we're going to see them fulfilled in the coming chapters.

Verses six and I looked and behold in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders stood and then underline this a lamb as though it had been slain, a lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the Earth. This is how Jesus appears to John.

So let's see if we can break this down a bit and understand it a bit better. In the previous chapter, we talked at length about the throne, the four living creatures and the elders. But write this down. Horns are a biblical symbol of power and honor. Horns are a biblical symbol of power and honor.

We also know that seven is the biblical number for wholeness Holiness. And when you put all that together, the point of the seven horns seems to be that the Jesus John saw had total and perfect power and honor, total and perfect power and honor. As far as the seven. Yes, go, it tells us in the same verses that they are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the Earth. We've talked about this multiple times already.

In our study of Revelation, the seven spirits of God is a reference to the Holy Spirit. John is telling us that as he looks at Jesus, the Holy Spirit is clearly upon him. The description of Jesus as the lamb is not unusual in the Bible. What is unusual is that his appearance is described as a lamb, as though it had been slain. A lamb as though it had been slain underline that word slain.

I would wager that in almost all the paintings you've ever seen of the resurrected Jesus, he has scars in his hands and maybe also in his side. But we forget those weren't the only scars the cross left him with notice. This prophetic description found all the way back in Isaiah 50 214. It's on your outline, just as many were astonished at you. So his massage.

That means the external appearance of Jesus. His visage was marred more than any man and his form more than the sons of Amen. The idea is that Jesus was so disfigured even on his face by his crucifixion experience, the beatings, the pulling out of his beard, the scourging that people couldn't bear to look at him. It was that disturbing to behold, and he didn't only suffer physically. The emotional, psychological and spiritual torment was even worse.

The fear and stress of knowing what was coming caused Jesus to sweat blood from his face in the garden of Gethsemane, and in his darkest, most trying hour, he endured the anguish of being separated from his Heavenly Father for the first time in eternity. On the cross, Jesus was forsaken the Bible tells us by his Heavenly Father and the people he had created to know, love and enjoy him. We have no idea. We have no concept of what Jesus went through for us. Nobody has ever been as scarred as Jesus was for you, and for me.

When represented in art, Jesus usually still has a beautiful face and an untouched body. But that's not what happened. All those scars are still with him in a way that was still discernible to John somehow. Do you remember when after Jesus had been raised from the dead, Mary goes to the garden and encounters Jesus but doesn't recognize him. She thinks he's the gardener until she hears him speak and say her name.

And then Jesus appears to the disciples while they're fishing, and when they find them cooking on the beach. John's gospel records this Jesus said to them, come and eat breakfast. Yet none of the disciples dared to ask Him, who are you knowing that it was the Lord? You see, they knew in their spirits this man was Jesus, but he didn't look like Jesus. The experience of the cross left Jesus changed forever, scarred forever.

It's been said that the only man made things in heaven will be the scars on Jesus. That's why when John sees Jesus in heaven, he is a lamb as though it had been slain. Keep in mind that heaven is a place with many more dimensions than our current reality. And so you should not walk away from this text with the impression that Jesus will eternally appear grotesque as a lamb that has been killed. Revelation also describes his appearance as being like a lion, a man dressed in white and several other things.

And so apparently the dimensionality of heaven allows for all of that, possibly simultaneously. What we should take from this write this down is that Jesus work on the cross left scars that will remain with him forever. Jesus's work on the cross left scars that will remain with him forever. And that work was so important, so central to everything that we will be reminded of it every time we look at him. The cross defines Jesus in a profound and eternal way.

Speaking of Jesus being a lion, you'll notice that back in verses five. One of the elders describes Jesus to John as the lion of the tribe of Judah, which stands in contrast to his description in the next verses, where he appears as a lamb. Jesus is both the lion and the lamb, and understanding this is key to understanding him and his Kingdom. We've talked about this before. The four Gospels present Jesus's first Coming, his incarnation when he came to the Earth as the Lamb of God to be a sacrifice in our place, offering the hope of Salvation to all humanity.

But write this down. Revelation presents Jesus's second Coming when he will return to the Earth as the lion of Judah, the conquering King who will rule the nations and judge sin. It's the same Jesus coming at two different times in two different roles, and we would be wise to welcome him as the Lamb because he's coming again as the lion. Think of it this way. If you were to come to my house on any given night around 07:00 p.m.

And knock on my door, I'd let you in. If I invited you or like you, I'd bring you into our kitchen or our living room where you'd see my whole family, including my children. We'd make some coffee, probably sit down, maybe grab some dessert. If I have something in the freezer, chat for a bit and then you'd be on your way. Now imagine what would happen though if you tried to break into my house at 03:00 a.m..

In the morning and I caught you climbing in through one of my kids bedroom windows. Do you think you would get the same welcome you would would he gotten if you'd stop by at 07:00 p.m. And knocked at the front door? Nope. You're going to be dealing with a very different Jeff in a very different state of mind.

The version of me that you get depends on when and how you approach me. Similarly, Jesus can be approached as the Lamb of God right now because we're in the age of Grace, but it's not going to last forever. The age of Grace is going to end soon, and when Jesus comes again, he's coming as the lion of Judah. Verses seven then he came that's the lamb Jesus and took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne when Jesus has given this title deed by his father.

It's so that he the only one who is willing, worthy and able can open it.

And when he does, things are going to begin changing dramatically. In Hebrews two eight, it says for in that he the Father, put all in subjection under him that's under Jesus, he the Father, left nothing that is not put under him under the authority of Jesus. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. That verses sums up our present situation. Jesus has conquered death on the cross.

The ending is written in stone and there's nothing Satan can do about it. The title deed to the Earth is in the hands of the Father. Jesus has authority over all things, and yet we don't see it because he is not yet opened the scroll and laid claim to the Earth. I don't need to tell you that the world is crazy right now. Evil things are called good and good things are called evil.

I don't need to even give you examples anymore. Just go online for a few minutes. As we discussed earlier, the current state of affairs can drive you crazy. If you don't remember that God's word tells us that the world is currently under Satan's influence and power. Then it all suddenly makes sense.

But it's not going to be that way forever. There's a change coming, and it begins in Revelation. Chapter five, verse seven. In verses eight, we see the response in heaven as Jesus has handled the title deed by his Father. Now, when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the TwentyFour elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the Saints.

All our prayers make it to the throne room of God. Some of them are answered and some of them are stored because some of the things we pray long and ache for can only take place after Jesus reclaims the Earth. Verses nine and they sang a new song saying you are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals for you were slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us Kings and priests to our God, and we shall reign on the Earth.

In our previous study, we learned that these 24 elders are the Royal priesthood of believers, consisting of Old Testament Saints and the Church. And at this moment they're in heaven.

But they're singing about their future destiny, reigning with Jesus on the Earth, and I'd be remiss if I failed to draw our attention to the fact that the first thing this Royal priesthood sings about in heaven is the blood of Jesus. In much of the modern Church, the blood of Jesus is considered to be something that makes firsttime guests feel uncomfortable and therefore definitely shouldn't be sung about. Even when talked about the blood of Jesus demands a response because it means we've got to address the reality of sin, another less than ideal topic for firsttime guests to be confronted with.

And yet the blood of Jesus is the focus of our celebration in heaven. We're going to be singing about Jesus the Lamb who was slain and has redeemed us by his blood.

Jay Vernon McGee Savagely observed, Churches are becoming embarrassed about talking about his blood. Perhaps Jesus will save them from further embarrassment by not taking them to heaven. May we never be embarrassed or ashamed of the blood that was shed by our Savior. We'll be singing about it in heaven. So let's sing about it on the Earth to while we're here, I need to show you one more thing that once again, we don't really have time to get into in this study, but would benefit you to explore more in your own studies.

I want you to notice the tenses in verses ten. The Royal priesthood of believers is in place. And last week we talked about believers ministering to the Lord in heaven. But it also says in verses ten that we've been made Kings at this point that speaks of ruling. And that's interesting to me, because the tense used for reigning with Jesus on the Earth is future in verses ten, here's my point here's where I'm going with this.

US being Kings and reigning with Jesus is not something that only happens on the Earth during the millennial Kingdom. It's a status that we're given and that we hold it's a role in a function we have in heaven. And that's because we are destined to join Jesus on what's known as the Divine Council. It's a Council that God has assembled in the heavenly realms that consists of himself and supernatural beings he has created, and the Lord has chosen to involve these beings in his affairs. That's a really oversimplified explanation, but you can find a couple of the clearest references to this in Job, chapter one, six through twelve, and in Daniel chapter four, verse 17, our destiny is to join Jesus on the Divine Council.

That's where we become Kings. It's what Paul is referring to when he writes to the Corinthians and says, do you not know that the Saints will judge the world? And then in the very next verses, he adds, do you not know that we shall judge Angels? We are destined to join Jesus on the Divine Council, where we will participate in the judgment of the natural and the supernatural world. And in fact, the Divine Council is almost certainly the context in which Revelation, chapter five, is taking place.

So would you write this down? The Royal priesthood of believers will reign with Jesus on the Divine Council on the Divine Council. And if you'd like to learn more about this view, its most ardent contemporary supporter is Michael Heizer, and particularly his book, The Unseen Realm. And while I don't agree with all his conclusions, I think they're compelling and worth exploring. If you're interested in that sort of thing.

Verses Eleven Then I looked and I heard the voice of many Angels around the throne, the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was ten0 times ten0 and thousands of thousands. The idea is just that there's a countless number of Angels. Verses Twelve saying with a loud voice worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. When this happens, something else happens that is very, very interesting. We've just read what's happening in heaven and now check out verses 13 and every creature which is in heaven and on the Earth and under the Earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them.

I heard saying blessing and honor and glory and power be to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever. The Greek cord translated here as creature is used in Scripture to refer to all Peoples and all animals as best we can understand. It seems that at the moment Jesus takes the title Deed to the Earth. In heaven, there is an eruption across all dimensions as every person in Hades, every person on the Earth, every person in heaven is compelled to join with every creature on the Earth in blessing the Lord out loud.

And if I'm correct in my understanding, one can imagine the shock of unbelievers on the Earth as they hear themselves speak these words of blessing to the Lord.

Revelation Six will see the time known as the Tribulation begin and during its opening volley as we share in each of our introductions, Revelation 616 tells us the non believers on the Earth will say to the mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of Him, who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. How will they know this early in the Tribulation that this wrap is coming from Him, who sits on the throne and from the Lamb of God?

How do they know it's his wrath? Perhaps because shortly before that moment their own mouths will involuntarily praise Him. And so when God's wrath begins to fall upon the Earth, they'll immediately understand from where and whom it is coming.

Write this down. Every person who's ever lived will speak praise and blessing to the Lord. Every person who's ever lived. We'll speak praise and blessing to the Lord. Verses 14 Then the four living creatures said Amen, and the 24 elders fell down and worshipped Him, who lives forever and ever.

As we close Revelation Five heaven is exploding with worship for Jesus the lion and the Lamb, who is about to open the seven seals on the scroll and reclaim his ownership of the Earth. Revelation is going to get into the tribulation in detail, but I can tell you one thing. You don't want to be on the Earth when it happens right now you can encounter Jesus as the Lamb, to embrace him and become part of his family, to receive him as your savior and to begin a life with Him that will last into eternity.

Believe me when I say you do not want to wait until the Tribulation to give your life to Jesus. Do it today.

Do it as we pray in just a minute. Secondly, I think what God's word has shown us in this chapter should help us understand the seriousness of James 44. We referenced it when studying the letter to the lead Asians. But I'll read it to you again. James writes, do you not know that friendship with the world is Amity with God?

Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world, makes himself an enemy of God? We need to understand that. The Bible tells us that the world system is Satan's system. If we love the world, we're actually saying, you know, I'm good with the current management of the Earth. I think it's great, and that means that what we really love is the Kingdom of Satan.

If however you love the Kingdom of God, you will ache for the world. You will mourn over her brokenness. You will see tragedy, inequality and injustice, and your spirit will cry out. Come quickly. Lord Jesus, we're citizens of heaven were programs and Sojourners on the Earth.

We are in the world, but not of the world, because we love and belong to the Kingdom of God. The cross left Jesus permanently changed. He's the Lamb that was slain forever. The cross leaves us permanently change to we died there too. And like Jesus, we are called to live our lives every day as though we have died to ourselves because we have Paul said it like this.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh. I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. The version of me who lives for me is dead. I live for Jesus.

Now. How are you doing with that? How are you doing with viewing yourself and your life through that lens? Our brother Paul wrote this in Romans Eight. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birthpangs.

Until now, not only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit. Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly awaiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. The day of the lion and the Lamb is almost here. And it won't be long until the Earth is back in the hands of the only one worthy to rule it Jesus Christ. And then finally, would you just take some time today to bless and thank the Lord through practicing Communion?

Take a moment to celebrate the precious blood of Jesus and what it has accomplished in your life. Would you buy your head and close your eyes? Let's pray Jesus. Thank you so much for your blood. There is no other way, no other means by which we are saved.

And thank you that you shed it willingly on our behalf. It truly is the greatest plot twist that will ever exist. That when we were dead in our sins, you died for us, the perfect spotless Lamb of God, who was only over good, who is only ever true, who is only ever love and life. So thank you for loving us with your life, Jesus. And we ask Lord that you would help us to remember that we died with you at the cross as well.

And our lives don't belong to ourselves anymore. They belong to you. So help us to live our lives as though we have been slain. As though we really have died with you. Because we have and to live instead by your spirit, to please you, to love you, to enjoy you, Lord, we're so thankful for the way that you love us.

Jesus, do your work in us. God, in your name. We pray. Amen.

Series Information

Other sermons in the series

June 27, 2021

The Star of the Show

John's incredible visions begin with an encounter with the King of...

July 11, 2021

The Church at Smyrna

Jesus writes an encouraging letter to strengthen a church enduring...

August 01, 2021

The Church at Sardis

Jesus addresses a church that was once vibrant and thriving but is now...

August 22, 2021

The Rapture

Speaking of the doctrine of the Rapture, the late Chuck Missler...

September 19, 2021

The Church in Heaven

After being raptured in Revelation 4:1, John finds Himself in the...

October 03, 2021

The First 6 Seals

With the Church safe in Heaven, the Day of the Lord arrives. As Jesus...

October 24, 2021

The First 4 Trumpets

As the wrath of The Tribulation resumes, we discover that the 7th and...

October 31, 2021

Trumpets 5 & 6

After the angel's ominous warning of "Woe, woe, woe" at the end of...

November 07, 2021

The Mighty Angel

Before the final wave of judgments hit the earth, Revelation takes a...

November 14, 2021

The Two Witnesses

As John continues filling us in on other events that have been unfolded...

November 28, 2021

The Enigma of Israel

Why has Israel, a relatively tiny people group and country, been such a...

December 05, 2021

How to Overcome

As we read of Satan’s enraged state in The Great Tribulation, we’ll...

January 16, 2022

Additional Details

Before the main narrative resumes with the bowl judgments, John fills...

January 23, 2022

The 7 Bowl Judgments

We move into the final few weeks of The Great Tribulation as the Lord...

April 10, 2022

The Final Judgment

At the end of the Millennium, the universe ceases to exist and...

April 17, 2022

All Things New

Jesus reveals to John His incredible plan to once again create an earth...

April 24, 2022

The New Jerusalem

John is shown more details of the glorious and eternal future home of...

May 01, 2022

Amen

Our study through the Book of Revelation concludes with a few more...