We continue to look around God’s throne room in Chapter 5 of Revelation, when John continues in verse 1, “Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.” Who is worthy to open this scroll? Possibly that same flying scroll from Zechariah 5:1-4
John weeps as there is no one worthy, until one of the elders points out that the Lion of the tribe of Judah has triumphed, and he sees the Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders.
[pause]
I was so focused on the 24 Elders last time, I forgot to mention the 4 Living Creatures that were described in the last chapter. (Rev 4:7). The first had the face of the lion, the second had the face of an ox, the third had the face of a man, and the fourth, a face of an eagle. I love the obvious cross-reference to the four cherubim from Ezekiel 1:10. 💥These faces correspond to the four Gospels!!! 💥In Matthew, the focus of Jesus is the royal line of David – the lion, all power and authority. In Mark, Jesus has no genealogy, he is the servant – all service work, like an ox. Luke’s portrayal of Jesus emphasizes Jesus’ humanity and Him as the Son of Man, and John emphasizes Jesus’ divinity – God and Son of God. (Eagle related verses can convey both comfort and condemnation: Exodus 19:4, Isaiah 40:31, Hosea 8:1, Obadiah 1:4)
[resume]
Jesus is worthy to take the scroll from the right hand of God. These four living creatures and the 24 elders fall down and sing a new song.
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”
Then there were thousands upon thousands, ten thousand times ten thousand angels saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
Fun fact: Scripture doesn’t seem to support the thinking that angels can sing! (Rev 5:13, Luke 2:13-14) It’s like one of those bible-assumptions… like the wise men in Matthew 2:1-11, how many were there? I’m so glad there’s an eternity to find out these answers!!! 😊
Thank you Elisa!