Grace World Outreach Church
Pastor Daniel K Norris
A Revelation of Jesus The Lamb
Return of the King
Week two: How are we to fight in the final days?
Text: Rev 4&5
Key Passage:
(Re 5:1–5). Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Revelation - to cause something to be fully known—‘to reveal, to disclose, to make fully known, Revelation.
A few helps for understanding Revelation.
1) Remember, it is a revelation of King Jesus.
2) Remember, it was written to seven actual churches in Asia Minor. It can not mean something now that it did not mean then. Context is important.
3) Remember, the imagery in Revelation is drawn from the Old Testament. Let scripture interpret scripture.
4) Remember, it is a book of hope and encouragement, not doom and gloom.
John is shown three key images at the beginning of his second vision—He sees a Throne, He sees a scroll, and He sees a Lamb
1) JOHN SEES A VISION OF A THRONE
4:2 At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne. 3 And he who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian, and around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. 4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings and peals of thunder, and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God, 6 and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass, like crystal.
The throne is a revelation:
A revelation of God’s Glory (vs 2) (Ezekiel 1)
A revelation of God’s Grace (vs 3) (Gen 9:13-16)
A revelation of God’s Government (vs 4) (Is 9:6-7)
Where we cannot find peace, we have found a place where God needs to be enthroned!
2) JOHN SEES A VISION OF A SCROLL
"Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals."
The scroll is...
- In His Right Hand
- Is covered in writing
- Word of Judgement
- Word of Salvation
- Word of Redemption
- Is Sealed
- awaiting the right time
- awaiting the right person
There is nothing but weeping without Jesus!
3) JOHN SEES A VISION OF A LION WHO IS A LAMB
behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Re 5:5).
I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. (Re 5:6–7)
Often what we ultimately see turns out to be different from what we thought we heard
The Beautiful Contrast
- He is a Lion who is a lamb
- He conquered through sacrifice
Question: So how do we fight in the final days? How do we overcome in this world?
We follow his example
11 For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15 Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 17 But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
(1 Jn 3:11–18).