Tag: Revelation 5

The Heavenly Throne Room

Stepping over the border between Rome and Vatican City, I could see the bulk of the enormous Renaissance-era church across the square. Saint Peter’s Basilica holds 60,000 people at one time. Built over 120 years, its massive central dome designed by Michelangelo towers 448 feet above the floor. From the first moment I entered, I was awestruck by its size and grandeur. It made me feel small, but in the very best way. Arguably the most famous church on the planet, even this impressive structure falls short of the glories John describes in the throne room of heaven.

In Revelation 5 & 6, John’s vision gives us a glimpse of heavenly reality: “Immediately I was in the Spirit, and there was a throne in heaven and someone was seated on it. The one seated there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian stone. A rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald surrounded the throne.” (Revelation 4:2-3, CSB) Seated around the throne, twenty-four elders continually cast their golden crowns before it in worship. Four creatures representing all living things on earth praise the Lord endlessly: “Day and night they never stop, saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is to come.’” They declare: “Our Lord and God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because you have created all things, and by your will they exist and were created.” (Revelation 4:8b & 11, CSB italics added)

Despite  having many authors, the Bible always reinforces itself. So, it’s no coincidence that the words of worship spoken in the throne room sound similar to Paul’s commentary about Christ in Colossians: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15-17, CSB, italics added) 

John’s description of his vision continues: “Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides, sealed with seven seals. I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?’ But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it.” John weeps because there is no one worthy to open the scroll until one of the elders reassures him, “Do not weep. Look, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered so that he is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” John looks and sees “one like a slaughtered lamb standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders.” (Revelation 5:1-3, 5b, 6b, CSB). 

Jen Wilkin contends that everything in Revelation is a recapitulation of something mentioned elsewhere in Scripture. Rich with symbolism, the description of the one worthy to open the scroll recalls  Old Testament prophecies and symbolic events. Christ is the Lion of Judah, referencing Jacob’s prophetic blessing over his son, Judah in Genesis 49:8-14. He is the Root of David, referencing God’s promise to King David in 2 Samuel 7:12-16. And He is the slaughtered lamb, referencing the Passover lamb whose blood protected the Israelite slaves in Egypt from the tenth plague in Exodus 11. In Revelation we see  “a picture of Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain who is also the Lion of judgment. Jesus is the only one worthy to judge the world (cf. John 5:22).”*  

Continuing to narrate his vision, John describes the twenty-four elders and four creatures falling down in worship before the Lamb singing, “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slaughtered, and you purchased people for God by your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation. You made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign on the earth.”(Revelation 5:9b-10, CSB)

Here we find another connection to a different New Testament book–Peter brings further clarity to John’s vision as he describes followers of Christ: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10, CSB)

Revelation describes the kingdom of priests who will reign on the earth and 1 Peter explains that every person purchased by the blood of Christ is part of this royal priesthood. So, despite our sinful natures, we’re counted righteous because of the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf (1 Corinthians 1:30 & Romans 3:21-26). One day we will rule and reign with Christ in His glory. We’ll want to keep this incredible reality in the forefront of our minds as we read about events that will unfold in the next few chapters of Revelation.

Recently I attended a worship service while visiting family out of town. The space where we gathered was a simple, dark room filled with a couple hundred chairs facing a platform. It was a far cry from the grandeur of Saint Peter’s Basilica but the worship offered was pure and heartfelt. My voice caught as I realized we were joining the multitudes in heaven giving praise to our transcendent, glorious God: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!…Blessing and honor and glory and power be to the one seated on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (Revelation 5:12b &13b, CSB) The Lord is our just Judge; may John’s vision compel us to express deep gratitude for His unmerited favor and never to lose reverent awe for Him as our sovereign Creator.

Jen Wilkin, Revelation: Eternal King, Everlasting Kingdom, Lifeway Press, 2024.

*gotquestions.org: “What Are the Seven Seals of Revelation?”

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Judah’s Blessing

For the past few months we’ve walked closely with Joseph through Genesis 37-50 and have seen many examples God’s faithfulness. Now, as the end of the story comes into view, we’re beginning to notice many threads of the Lord’s redemptive plan weaving together. Today we’ll take a closer look at a prophetic blessing Jacob gave at the end of his life that still has relevance for us today.

As the favorite son of Jacob, we would expect Joseph to receive the most important blessing. So, it’s surprising to discover that instead, Jacob reserved the most significant blessing for one of Joseph’s older brothers:

“Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.” (Genesis 49:8-10, NIV)

Despite being Jacob’s fourth son, Judah received the distinct honor of being the one through whom God’s blessing would continue. Jacob prophesied that the mantle of lordship and power, symbolized by the scepter, would remain in Judah’s family line until “he to whom it belongs” came. He was talking about the Messiah.

Kelly Minter explains, “If I had written the story, no doubt I would have chosen for the Messiah to come through Joseph’s line instead of Judah’s. But God’s grace is on full display here. God sent a Savior through those and to those who don’t deserve it. And He raised up Joseph to save a nation, a foreshadowing of Jesus’ ultimate salvation…The One to whom the kingdom belongs has come. His name is Jesus. He will come again, and all nations will be obedient to Him.” (page 192) Let’s take a moment to unpack this amazing truth together.

The promise of the Messiah whom Jacob describes began with Adam and Eve. We see this when God said that Eve’s offspring would one day crush the head of the serpent, Satan (see Genesis 3:14). The promise continues with Abraham when the Lord says his offspring will be a blessing to all people on earth (see Genesis 12:3). With Abraham’s great-grandson, Judah, we see the Messiah symbolized as a strong lion that will ultimately command the obedience of the nations.

The name “Lion of Judah” next appears in Revelation, the last book of the Bible. In this yet-to-be fulfilled prophesy, the writer, John, describes the Messiah as both a lion and a lamb. In his vision of the heavenly throne room, John sees a scroll in the “right hand of him who was seated on the throne.” He begins to despair because there is no one found worthy to approach the hand of God to take and open the scroll. Others in the vision provide hope to John:

“Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals… He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying: ‘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.’” (Revelation 5:5, 7-9, NIV)

John describes how Jesus, the Messiah, fulfills the prophecies made thousands of years earlier. As the sacrificial lamb, He washes away the stain of sin through His death on the cross, crushing the serpent’s head and claiming His ultimate victory over death. At the same time, Jesus blesses all people on earth by making salvation from sin possible for them. As the lion, He represents the conquering King who will return one day to slay the enemies of God.

Remember the last sentence of Jacob’s blessing for Judah? He says Judah’s family line will rule until One came who would command the obedience of the nations. Now, read this verse from Revelation:

“Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’” (Revelation 5:13, NIV)

John’s prophesy mirrors Jacob’s—both show that a day will come when the whole earth will have no choice but to bow down and worship at the feet of the Lion of Judah: Jesus.

Stepping back to view the bigger picture gives us deeper understanding of God’s greatness and shows how His perfect plan unfolds in His impeccable timing. Pause for a moment and be amazed by our Savior. The seamlessness of the Bible leaves me in awe. Jesus is woven throughout the pages, from Genesis to Revelation.

So, what’s the appropriate response to this good news? Scripture urges us to join with the many witnesses of God’s faithfulness who have gone before us—people we’ve been studying in Genesis like Jacob and Joseph who are also mentioned in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11. As we remember their stories displaying God’s faithfulness, we choose to “strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up” and “run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” (Hebrews 12:1-2, NLT)

As Christ’s followers, we can marvel at the finished work of the cross and celebrate the riches we have in Him. Every day is a new opportunity to run with our gaze fixed on Jesus, to honor Him through the way we live, and to be filled with hope as we await His eventual return.

Revel in God’s redemptive plan that threads from Genesis to Revelation by enjoying “The Lion and the Lamb” by Big Daddy Weave.

Kelly Minter, Finding God Faithful: A Study on the Life of Joseph, Lifeway Press, 2019.

*Some material for this blog came from: http://www.gotquestions.org/Lion-and-the-Lamb.html

Lion drawing by Brooke McCullum

The Lion of Judah

Reading the Chronicles of Narnia as a child, I became captivated by Lucy, Edmund, Susan, Peter and their many adventures in the magical land of Narnia. As an adult, I re-read the books to my kids and reveled in them again. C.S. Lewis portrays the central character, Aslan, as a Christ figure. His choice to use a lion for this role is no coincidence; he knew the deep biblical symbolism associated with this majestic animal.

Near the end of Jacob’s life, he pronounced a blessing on each of his sons. His words for Judah relate directly to the symbolism C.S. Lewis borrowed to create the character of Aslan:

“Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. You are a lion’s cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies down, like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.” (Genesis 49:8-10, NIV)

Despite being Jacob’s fourth son, Judah received the distinct honor of being the one through whom God’s blessing would continue. Jacob prophesied that the mantle of lordship and power, symbolized by the scepter, would remain in Judah’s family line until “he to whom it belongs” came (the Messiah). And ultimately, He would command the obedience of the nations.

The promise of the Messiah began in Genesis, first with Adam and Eve when God said that Eve’s offspring would one day crush the head of the serpent, Satan (see Genesis 3:14). The promise continued with Abraham, whose offspring would bless all people on earth (see Genesis 12:3). With Abraham’s great-grandson, Judah, we see the Messiah symbolized as a strong lion that would one day command the obedience of the nations. (We are still waiting for this part of the promise to be fulfilled).

The next time we see this term used is in Revelation, the last book of the Bible. In this yet-to-be fulfilled prophesy, the writer, John, describes the Messiah as both a lion and a lamb. The scene he describes is a vision of the heavenly throne room. In it, John sees that there is a scroll in the “right hand of him who was seated on the throne.” He begins to despair because there is no one found worthy to approach the hand of God to take and open the scroll. But John’s fears are unfounded:

“Then one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals… He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying: ‘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.’” (Revelation 5:5, 7-9, NIV)

This connection between the first and last book of the Bible amazes me. John describes how Jesus, the Messiah, fulfills the prophetic statements made thousands of years earlier. As the sacrificial lamb, He washes away the stain of sin through His death on the cross, making it possible for all who follow Him to share in His ultimate victory over death. As the lion, He represents the conquering King who will return to slay the enemies of God.

Remember the last sentence of Jacob’s blessing to Judah? He talked about Judah’s family line ruling until One came who would command the obedience of the nations. Now, read this verse from Revelation:

“Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’” (Revelation 5:13, NIV)

John’s prophesy mirrors Jacob’s—both show that one day the whole earth will have no choice but to bow down and worship at the feet of the Lion of Judah who the New Testament reveals as Jesus.

The seamlessness of the Bible leaves me in awe. Jesus is woven throughout the pages, from Genesis to Revelation. Taking a step back to view the bigger picture every now and then gives us an even deeper understanding of God’s greatness and the way His perfect plan unfolds in His impeccable timing.

So what’s the appropriate response to this amazing news? Scripture urges us to join with the many witnesses of God’s faithfulness who have gone before us—people we’ve been studying in Genesis like Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph also mentioned in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11. As we remember their stories displaying God’s faithfulness we, “strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up” and “run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” (Hebrews 12:1-2, NLT)

As Christ’s followers, we can marvel at the finished work of the cross and celebrate the riches we have in Him. Every day is a new opportunity to run with our gaze fixed on Jesus and to honor Him through the way we live.

Revel in the consistency of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation by enjoying “The Lion and the Lamb” by Big Daddy Weave.

*Some material for this blog came from an article on gotquestions.org. To read it, click here.