Who is Worthy?
By Stacy Rogers
When I think about the state of the world, it is easy to become anxious and overwhelmed with all the evil and suffering going on around me. If I let myself dwell on these things for long, I begin to think “Is God really working in the world? Because it sure doesn’t seem like it!” It is easy to drown in worry over the anger, hatred, jealousies and selfishness I experience every day, not to mention even greater suffering such as the multiple wars that continue to rage across our globe. If I let my mind linger here, I start to wonder if I can even make a difference in such dire circumstances.
The book of Revelation speaks to this exact fear. We can see in Revelation 5:4 that John has some similar feelings. We are getting a glimpse of the vision given to John by God. We see God sitting on the throne, and in his hand, He is holding a scroll, written on both sides and sealed with seven seals. The consensus among many scholars seems to be that the scroll contains God’s plan for history - His plan to set things right in the world.
This would have been particularly appealing to John given that he witnessed a great deal of suffering. The crucifixion of his Savior, the destruction of Jerusalem, the death of his fellow Christians and even his own banishment to the island of Patmos. As he looks upon the scene, grief overcomes him. He realizes that there is no one around who is worthy to open the scroll to enact God’s plan to right creation. As he weeps though, an elder of heaven comes and tells 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.”
As John turns to look for the Lion of Judah, what does he encounter? A lamb. And not just any lamb, but a slain lamb covered in its own blood. The juxtaposition of this image is jarring and plays on the common Jewish beliefs of who the Messiah was to be and the shocking revelation of who He actually was. A lion is an image of strength and power; he comes bearing sharp teeth and vicious claws, bringing about his will through sheer force. The lamb, on the other hand, appears weak and defenseless. If we had to pick the creature with the power and strength to fix the world, logic would dictate the lion is the better choice. However, that is not what John sees. The Lamb is worthy. The Lamb opens the scroll. The Lamb accomplishes God’s plan of redeeming creation. The Jewish vision of the Messiah did not play out as expected when He came to earth as a poor laborer living in a small town in Galilee.
The surprising part of this chapter is that the Messiah is not one or the other of these two creatures, but is both. This is the culmination of how God’s power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Jesus is the victorious Lion ruling over the earth BECAUSE he is the sacrificial Lamb redeeming God’s creation to Him. This is why Jesus our Messiah is worthy to open the scroll and to receive all honor and glory in heaven.
As we continue through the chapter, we see the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders bowing down and giving worship to the Lamb. Each of them has a harp and a golden bowl full of incense, which we are told are actually our prayers. We are invited into the story. Our prayers and our worship are a sweet smelling aroma in heaven, given as offerings to the Messiah, our Redeemer. Then in verse 9, a new song is sung. A song describing how Jesus’s sacrifice not only purchased each and every one of us, from all tribes and languages and nations, but also transformed us into a kingdom of priests to our God, and we have been given reign on the earth!
Now as we take on our roles as workers in the kingdom, we choose our path to participate in God’s plan of redemption. There are many ways that past Christians have chosen to act, but it seems clear that the way we achieve our goals as Christians is just as important as having the right goals. What may seem like the easiest way to bring about God’s will may in fact be harmful to our witness as God’s people. If we take this idea one step farther, there will be times that our faithfulness to God will appear to fail in much the same way that Jesus’s death on the cross initially appeared as a failure.
God chose to redeem creation through the ultimate act of self-sacrificial love. Jesus alone was worthy to open the scroll because He faithfully lived this out. For us, the task is to draw on His power and authority and bring His love to a hurting world. Bringing the love of Jesus to the challenges of our world, both big and small, is the only way to provide the healing the creation so desperately craves.
When we start to think those anxious thoughts and fear that evil is winning, it’s important to remember the One who was worthy. Remember the Lamb conquered Satan, the Lamb opened the scroll, and the Lamb rules over creation.