SEVEN SCENES IN HEAVEN (3): THE SEALED SCROLL (REVELATION 5:1-4)

(Message by Tanny Keng)

1. Revelation  

a) John wrote Revelation while a prisoner on the Island of Patmos, approximately 85-95 A.D. Its purpose is to give encouragement and hope for all Christians to continue watching for the return and triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ. It also is to warn of the Final Judgment that nonbelievers will endure on that Last Day.

b) John wrote that Revelation is special because,“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near” (Revelation 1:3).

c) A brief view of the Book of Revelation. It gives you some basic understanding of the book of Revelation. 

2.  The Book With Seven Seals

Revelation 5:1-4 

5 I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. 4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it.

3. The Sealed Book

a) A book 

i) This book was in the form of a scroll. Three things are true of it.

@1. It is in God's right hand. It is God's word, it is true and genuine, and carries his authority.

@2. It is written inside and on the back. It is complete, lacking nothing, and nothing more is ever to be added to it.

@3.`It is sealed up with seven seals. The word could not be released until someone fulfils a condition laid down by God in order to gain the right to open the book and release its message.

ii) There are no prizes for guessing what the scroll contains. It is, of course, the gospel, God's plan and promise of salvation.

4. Who Can Open The Book?

a) Worthy to open 

i) Someone had to be found who is worthy to break the seals of the word, open it, and look into it. The prophets of old, and the angels of heaven, had desired to look into the gospel of salvation, but were not allowed (1 Peter 1:10-12).

b) No one 

i) No one "in heaven or on earth or under the earth" was worthy to open the book. 

ii) They searched among:.

@1. Heaven's angels.

@2. Earth's population.

@3. The world of the dead.

iii) No one could one be found worthy to give effect to God's plan of salvation. The only one who would be worthy to open the scroll is one who is so worthy as to be able to offer up his own life for the sins of the world and have God accept his offering.

iv) John wept greatly, because the world needs the gospel and the plan of salvation that is shut up in this scroll, yet no one could open it. This is the end of the scene, but in the next scene John will stop weeping, for a unique one will be found who is worthy to open the scroll.  

The End ...