“Worthy
Is The Lamb”
Steve W. Reeves
A. Imagine that you are an explorer sent to map out the deepest, most obscure regions
of the Amazon jungle in South America. In your exploration you discover a tribe of
primitive people who have had no contact with modern civilization. They still use
stones as weapons. They live in thatch huts. They have no knowledge of anything
outside of their territory. How would you explain electricity to them? Obviously,
electricity and light bulbs are totally outside their frame of reference. How would you
describe electric lights using imagery with which they are familiar?
1. As the aged apostle John was exiled on the foreboding island of Patmos, living
under exceedingly harsh conditions, God gave him a series of visions.
2. John was commanded to write these visions down and put them in a book that
would be sent to the churches throughout Asia Minor. As we consider these
messages from this unusual book remember that God was using imagery to
communicate great spiritual truths to people whose sphere of reference is the
physical world.
B. In chapters 4 and 5 of Revelation John had a vision in which a door was opened
between the physical realm and the spiritual realm. He was invited by the Lord,
“Come up here and I will show you what must take place after these things” (4:1).
1. John saw the throne room of heaven and was completely awestruck. The throne
was more brilliant than precious jewels. Around the one seated on the throne is the
most awe inspiring rainbow you have ever seen. There are twenty four thrones
surrounding the throne of God with twenty four elders dressed in victorious white
garments and wearing golden crowns. There are seven lamps representing the
completeness of God’s Spirit, There are four creatures that are representative of all
creation and everyone is worshipping. Creation is exclaiming, “Holy, Holy, Holy.”
The elders are bowing down and laying their crowns before God.
2. Think about the most inspiring and encouraging worship service you can
remember. It would not begin to compare with what John observed.
C. Chapter 4 is only part of John’s vision. Remember, the chapters of the Bible were
placed where they are by men, not God. Chapter 5 continues this awe-inspiring
scene. The theme of this chapter is, “Worthy is The Lamb.” As we look at these
fourteen verses you are going to see the wonder and worthiness of Jesus.
I. JESUS IS EXCLUSIVELY WORTHY
A. There has never been nor will there ever be anyone like the Lord Jesus Christ. As
chapter 5 opens notice the words of John. “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; 5 and one of
the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of
Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven
seals.”
B. As John continued to look at this majestic Heavenly scene his attention is drawn to
a book in the right hand of the one seated upon the great throne. This is not a book
as we would think of a book. It is a scroll sealed with seven seals. What is this
scroll?
1. It is the deed or title of the earth. God gave it to man. Man lost it because of sin
2. Who can redeem it? Can you redeem yourself? Is any man or woman capable of
redeeming himself or herself? Notice in verses 2 and 3 what the mighty angel
proclaimed in John’s hearing, “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.”
3. There are currently 7.6 billion people on earth. I recently read that an estimated
106 billion people have ever lived. How many are worthy to open the seals of this
book. The answer is – 0. In fact, if you took the goodness of all of them combined
there would still not be anyone worthy to open this book.
C. John said that began to weep because no one was worthy to open the book or
look into it. Then one of the elders spoke to him and said, “Stop weeping; behold,
the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to
open the book and its seven seals.”
II. JESUS IS EXCEPTIONALLY WORTHY
A. The more we learn about this lamb the more we see how exceptional He is. Why is
Jesus exceptionally worthy?
1. Because of His role in creation.
a. In verse 11 John wrote, “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels
around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of
them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands.
b. Who is praising Jesus in this scene? Angels. The living creatures
(representing the wild animals, domesticated animals, birds and humanity).
The twenty-four elders (representing the redeemed). This is all of creation.
c. John 1:1-3 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into
being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come
into being.”
d. Man cannot create life. Only God can create the elements that produce life.
One man told God he could make life from the elements found in the dirt. God
told him, “Get your own dirt!”
2. A second reason that Jesus is worthy is the cross.
a. Notice verse 5, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of
Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven
seals.”
b. Notice what John saw. It wasn’t a lion. Verse 6 says, “And I saw between the
throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if
slain.”
c. It wasn’t a lion. It was a lamb. It wasn’t just “any” lamb. The word John used
specifies it was a pure, innocent young lamb. It was a lamb like the one used
in Exodus 12 when the families of Israel killed a lamb and put the blood on the
doorposts.
d. This lamb had been slain but, notice this, it was standing. It had been raised.
e. John noticed some interesting things about this lamb.
1.) It had seven horns. A horn represented power. Seven is the perfect
number. This lamb has perfect power. It is omnipotent.
2.) It had seven eyes. Eyes symbolized wisdom or knowledge. Seven is the
perfect number. The lamb has perfect wisdom. It is omniscient.
3.) These seven eyes are the seven spirits of God (fullness of God) sent into
all the world. The lamb is omnipresent – everywhere.
3. Third, Jesus is worthy because He has conquered death. Go back to verse 5 and
see what the elder said, “The Lion of Judah, the Root of David has overcome!”
The word “overcome” fs from “nikonos” meaning, “Victory!” (The English word
Nike is from this word).
B “A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord.” He is especially, exceedingly and
exceptionally worthy.
III. JESUS IS ETERNALLY WORTHY
A. In verses 8 and 9, “When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the
twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden
bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they *sang a new
song, saying, ‘Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were
slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and
people and nation.’”
1. Look at the imagery from the Old Testament. Harps and bowls of incense.
Worship and prayer.
2. They sang a new song. A song that never grows old. We will never grow tired of
praising our Savior.
B. In verses 11-14, “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the
throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was
myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice,
‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and
might and honor and glory and blessing; 13 And every created thing which is in
heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in
them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing
and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever; 14 And the four living creatures
kept saying, “Amen; And the elders fell down and worshiped.”
B. There is no one like Jesus. There is no one like Jesus on earth or in Heaven. He is
all powerful, all knowing, all present, all loving and all victorious!
CONCLUSION:
A. Why did God give John this vision of Heaven? It’s very simple. He wanted this old,
persecuted patriarch of the church to know. “All of the pain, toil, tribulation,
persecution and distress is worth it. As Paul wrote in Romans 8, “the momentary
sufferings of this life cannot begin to compare with the glory that awaits us.”
B. Are you sharing in the victory of the Lamb? He invites you to come. Why not accept
His loving call?
