Lk37

Although most of the Book of Revelation is couched in symbolic language In order to hide the content from casual inquirers and the skeptic, other parts of the New Testament make it clear the Lamb who suddenly appears on the scene must be Jesus, risen from the dead (John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 5:7, 1 Peter 1:9).

The fact that the Lamb appeared as though it had been slain, may well suggest that Jesus appeared still showing the signs of the crucifixion, as when he met the disciples and showed his wounds to the doubting Thomas (John 20:24-30), possibly even in the abused and bloody state of the moment of his death on the cross.

As we read here, Jesus then approached the throne of God the Father and took the scroll. What we are reading, apparently, is a majestic ceremony in which the risen Jesus is commissioned by the Father to implement the final phase of the divine master plan for the establishment of the Kingdom of God on Earth.

That master plan, in which the disciples of Jesus have been called or chosen to play a part, is also mentioned by Paul when he says: "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will" (Ephesians 1:11).

As Paul also explains in an earlier verse the ultimate purpose of that plan is: "to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ" (ibid, verse 10) -- which is why we read at the end of Revelation that God himself will finally live on Earth with man, at the onset of a joyful new age when death and pain and suffering and weeping and tears will all have passed away (Revelation 21:1-5).

	CreationFoundation -- Home Page/Contents 37 -- WORTHY IS THE LAMB OF GOD
	Revelation 5:1-5 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?" And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.
	In the previous section, in Luke, we saw how Jesus left the disciples and was taken up to Heaven in a cloud. Here, in the fifth chapter of the mysterious Book of Revelation, we find an account of his triumphant return into Heaven itself and to the throne of God the Father, the earthly phase of his mission having been completed. As we come on the scene, God the Father, seated on his throne, holds in his right hand a scroll that is sealed with seven seals. As the rest of Revelation shows, that scroll details a prophetic master plan describing a series of specific events leading up to the coming of the Messiah, the Christ, in order to re-establish the Kingdom of God on Earth. However, at the time described in these verses, Jesus is still dead and not yet been resurrected, which is why we read: No one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it -- the reason being that Jesus was still dead and no other person was qualified or empowered to open the scroll and execute the plan it contained.
	Revelation 5:6-7 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 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. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
	Although most of the Book of Revelation is couched in symbolic language In order to hide the content from casual inquirers and the skeptic, other parts of the New Testament make it clear the Lamb who suddenly appears on the scene must be Jesus, risen from the dead (John 1:29, 1 Corinthians 5:7, 1 Peter 1:9). The fact that the Lamb appeared as though it had been slain, may well suggest that Jesus appeared still showing the signs of the crucifixion, as when he met the disciples and showed his wounds to the doubting Thomas (John 20:24-30), possibly even in the abused and bloody state of the moment of his death on the cross. As we read here, Jesus then approached the throne of God the Father and took the scroll. What we are reading, apparently, is a majestic ceremony in which the risen Jesus is commissioned by the Father to implement the final phase of the divine master plan for the establishment of the Kingdom of God on Earth. That master plan, in which the disciples of Jesus have been called or chosen to play a part, is also mentioned by Paul when he says: "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will" (Ephesians 1:11). As Paul also explains in an earlier verse the ultimate purpose of that plan is: "to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ" (ibid, verse 10) -- which is why we read at the end of Revelation that God himself will finally live on Earth with man, at the onset of a joyful new age when death and pain and suffering and weeping and tears will all have passed away (Revelation 21:1-5).
	Revelation 5:9-10 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 to God by Your blood Men out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made them kings and priests to our God; And they shall reign on the earth."
	We saw earlier how the saints (the term applied by Paul to all Christians in the opening verses of his letters), committed servants of God throughout the ages, are destined to rule the world with him (Hebrews 2:5-8, 1 Corinthians 6:1-3) -- a fact that is confirmed here by the words of the heavenly choir which tell us that Jesus has redeemed people from every nation in order to make them kings and priests of God, and that they will *reign on the earth. That amazing message is repeated later in a section of Revelation which describes the final establishment of Christ's rule on earth (Revelation 20:4-6), with the added detail that the saints will rule with him initially for a thousand year period, the "millennium", and later for ever (Revelation 22:5). The moment of Jesus' return is heralded by the sounding of a seventh trumpet, as detailed in the scroll (Revelation 11:15) -- an event that, according to Paul, also signals the resurrection of Jesus' followers from their graves (1 Corinthians 15:52-58). As both Paul and the Book of Revelation show, the rest of the dead, all those who have ever lived, will be resurrected later (1 Corinthians 15:22-26, Revelation 20:5). Contrary to what is commonly taught, the billions of all nations who have died without becoming Christians are not lost, as we see verified by famous prophecy of the Valley of the Dry Bones, where the whole people of Israelite coming from their graves say "Our hope is gone!" -- but it is not gone, because they will then know God properly for the first time and be given the Holy Spirit and be settled joyfully in their own land (Ezekiel 37:11-14). This second resurrection apparently takes place at the end of the millennium period. The Saints Receive the Kingdom* This same heavenly ceremony, by which an everlasting Earthly kingdom is granted to Jesus and the saints, is also described in the seventh chapter of the book of the prophet Daniel,although with less detail. After describing a vision in which four kings or earthly kingdoms are represented by a lion, a bear, a leopard and one other far more ferocious and strange beast with iron teeth and bronze claws (Daniel 7:2-8), Daniel says: "There came one like a son of man (Jesus) and he came to the Ancient of Days (God the Father) and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed" (Daniel 7:13-14). Daniel then continues with the message that was confirmed by Jesus in his ministry, saying: "The saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess it for ever, for ever and ever" (ibid, verse 18). This fact of future history is then repeated later in the same chapter where the angel tells Daniel: "The kingdom and the dominion and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High; their kingdom shall be an *everlasting kingdom" (ibid, verse 27). This is the sure word of prophecy. This is certain. This will happen, and nothing and nobody can stop it happening. It was following the resurrection and his triumphant return to Heaven that the risen Jesus commissioned the apostles, saying: "All authority* in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:18) -- adding: "I am with you always, even to the close of the age". In so saying, Jesus' key message here, as in Luke 21, appears to be the re-assurance that no matter how bad things get in the world or our personal lives, or how much the powers of evil appear to triumph over the saints and frustrate their efforts, he is with us and is in control. Do not give up, therefore, do not let down in your efforts to accomplish his work -- and do not let anybody deceive you, control you and do your thinking for you, as Paul also warns continually throughout his letters. The Little Horn Notice that in this veiled account of crucial events in the last days of history, Daniel observes that the fourth beast, a world-ruling power (verse 23), has ten horns on its head, depicting ten kings or kingdoms that would arise from it (verse 24). But then, as Daniel watches, another little horn, with human eyes and a mouth (verse 8), grows up and destroys three of the other horns. This little horn, which evidently represents a man of great influence, will actually war against the saints of God and even prevail over them for a time (verse 21) -- and also speak great things against God himself (verse 25) as well as "thinking to change" fundamental times and laws (verse 25). This powerful and wicked person, who will be destroyed at the coming of Christ and his Kingdom (verse 26), evidently equates to the man of sin described by Paul. Thy Kingdom Come! . . . Meanwhile this pained and polluted world, still confident that it can sort itself out with the help of yet more technology and medical treatments, stumbles on like a drunken man in the dark -- with human beings, made in the image of God, increasingly subjected to self-imposed and man-made disease and disability, both physical and mental, to amazing ignorance, stupidity and poverty, to institutionalized greed and exploitation, to crime, drug addiction, violence, murder and war, to depravity and perversions of every kind, to fear, anxiety, suicide and utter futility. No wonder Jesus instructs us to pray "Thy Kingdom come -- Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven." There is no other solution. CreationFoundation -- Home Page/ Contents