| WORTHY IS THE LAMB |

The whole time at BibleTogether we have talked about God’s covenant with his people. We have talked about God’s plan in history. We have talked about God’s plan to create for himself a people; that he would be their God and they would be his people.

This chapter is about the moment drawing closer and closer. It is about the opening of the scroll that holds the very will of God so that it would be accomplished.

You can see, then, why John (the author of Revelation) was so brokenhearted when there was no one in all of heaven to be found who was worthy to open the scroll. How can the purpose of God be accomplished if there is no one who is able to accomplish it?

Then he looks up and sees a lion-like lamb. He sees “the Lion of the tribe of Judah.” This is none other than the great descendant of David, the promised King who will sit on the throne of David forever. He is the one who is able to open the scroll containing the will of God and accomplish it.

John looks up again and sees “a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain.” This Lamb is the same being as the Lion. Revelation is a book filled with symbolic imagery. This image reminds us of the means by which the Lion King accomplished the plan of God. It was when he was sacrificed, slain on a cross, that this King accomplished the purpose of salvation. Clearly, this King, sitting on the throne of heaven, is Jesus himself.

Then the choirs of heaven open up with praise. They exclaim, “Worthy!”

All the purposes of heaven are accomplished through the person and work of Jesus Christ. His cross was central to the accomplishment of the will of heaven. This vivid reminder of the glory of the cross is the very centerpiece of all of heaven.

I hope that on this second to last day of our reading together in 2023 you are able to rejoice with the angels and elders and with every creature of heaven and earth. Truly, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ proves him worthy of all “blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”