October 23, 1999
"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. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, 'Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals" (Rev.5:2-5).
The strong angel was looking for the one qualified to open, read, or even look at the scroll. In the last couple of weeks we looked at some of the legal requirements incumbent upon a redeemer regarding that scroll. It seems almost inconceivable that no one in heaven, or on earth, or under the earth, could be found. John was so shattered over this that he fell on his face and wept. But then one of the elders comforted him and told him not to weep, because the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has succeeded in fulfilling all the requirements written on the scroll. It was He who was now able to loose the seals and to disclose the text written on the other side. What was it that was written there? What are the property rights?
Before getting into this, let's take a moment to listen and to view the courtroom scene of heaven, which is here before us. The Father Yahoveh is sitting on the judgement seat, with a scroll in His right hand: there are angels, four living creatures, twenty four elders and a myriad of other angels all around. But those are not the only ones present in this courtroom. We hear the proclamation about the Lion of the tribe of Judah. But lo and behold! Instead of a Lion we see a Lamb who looks as though it had been slain, with seven horns and seven eyes. What a grotesque animal! Is there some confusion here? No! As we watch this slain, sacrificial lamb go up to the Father and take the scroll out of His right hand, all those around the throne fall down and begin to SING A NEW SONG: "You are worthy, you have succeeded, you have prevailed, you did it, you qualified (according to all that was written on that legal document)! You have redeemed us and saved us from the wrathful judgements of Yahoveh. But not that only, you are also making us into a royal priesthood, a holy nation."
Who, we might ask, is the "us" referring to? Just the four living creatures and the twenty four elders? They were already in the heavenly courtroom sitting on thrones, dressed in white garments with crowns on their heads. Why were they not qualified to take the scroll and open the seals? Were they not of import and stature? However, whatever righteousness they attained through their faithfulness to Yahoveh, they still saw themselves as part of the redeemed of the Lamb. Something greater has taken place. So awesome was this work that they fell down and cast their crowns before the throne of Yahoveh, and sang a new song! But who else was to be redeemed by this lamb? It was the "us" from every tribe, tongue, people and nation. But who are those?
Remember that there were two sides to the scroll. On the one side were specified the qualification of the redeemer, and on the other side was the description of the inheritance. Whose inheritance? The Father's inheritance, which was made up of those who were to be redeemed. Therefore, it is their names that were written on the scroll. These are the ones who are to become kings and priests unto our Elohim, and they shall reign on the earth. Yes, it is hard to believe that the redeemed were foreordained, predestined, according to the will of the Father and inscribed on the scroll, and that this legal document was already written before the foundations of the earth. We all have this document in our library. It is called the Holy ("set apart") Scriptures. However, it is sealed with seven seals, so as to make it not entirely comprehensible. Not only are there seals, but there are also veils over our minds, which block our understanding. Only Yahoshua can open the seals and lift the veils, just as He did to the two men on the road to Emmaus, or to the Ethiopian eunuch. Therefore, as long as we see through a glass darkly we need to pray: "Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your [legal document] the Torah" (Psa.119:18).
Back to those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life from the foundation of the earth. Do the Scriptures give us any indication as to who they might be? Well, for one thing the Redeemer would have had to be of the same family, a kinsman redeemer or an elder (first born brother). Yahoshua was of the family of David, of the tribe of Judah, son of Jacob. These people, therefore, would have to be of his family, and would have to have a calling to become a kingly-priestly nation (as was promised). There is only one nation that had that calling upon it - Israel. These people become Yahoveh's inheritance by fulfilling the statute of first fruit, or first born. Since the latter, according to the Torah ordinance, all belong to God, Israel was declared to be Yahoveh's first born nation. They were His inheritance. The redeemed, Israel, having been extracted from every tribe and nation, would have needed to be sown and mixed into all these people groups on the face of the earth. They would also have to be those returning to Zion: " Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return to Zion and come with singing…." Will they be singing this new song?
Did not Yahoveh see to the scattering and dispersion of the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob into all nations? There is not any one skin color, eye color or hair texture that characterizes them. Only two attributes identify them: the faith of their father Abraham and a love for the Torah (see Rom 4:16). Oh yes, and one more… their names are written on the scroll.
Ephraim
The redeemed of the Lord shall come with singing: "Worthy, worthy is the Lamb, the All Mighty’s prevailing right hand, to take the two families of Judah and Ephraim and make them one in the land."
"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. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, 'Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals" (Rev.5:2-5).
The strong angel was looking for the one qualified to open, read, or even look at the scroll. In the last couple of weeks we looked at some of the legal requirements incumbent upon a redeemer regarding that scroll. It seems almost inconceivable that no one in heaven, or on earth, or under the earth, could be found. John was so shattered over this that he fell on his face and wept. But then one of the elders comforted him and told him not to weep, because the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has succeeded in fulfilling all the requirements written on the scroll. It was He who was now able to loose the seals and to disclose the text written on the other side. What was it that was written there? What are the property rights?
Before getting into this, let's take a moment to listen and to view the courtroom scene of heaven, which is here before us. The Father Yahoveh is sitting on the judgement seat, with a scroll in His right hand: there are angels, four living creatures, twenty four elders and a myriad of other angels all around. But those are not the only ones present in this courtroom. We hear the proclamation about the Lion of the tribe of Judah. But lo and behold! Instead of a Lion we see a Lamb who looks as though it had been slain, with seven horns and seven eyes. What a grotesque animal! Is there some confusion here? No! As we watch this slain, sacrificial lamb go up to the Father and take the scroll out of His right hand, all those around the throne fall down and begin to SING A NEW SONG: "You are worthy, you have succeeded, you have prevailed, you did it, you qualified (according to all that was written on that legal document)! You have redeemed us and saved us from the wrathful judgements of Yahoveh. But not that only, you are also making us into a royal priesthood, a holy nation."
Who, we might ask, is the "us" referring to? Just the four living creatures and the twenty four elders? They were already in the heavenly courtroom sitting on thrones, dressed in white garments with crowns on their heads. Why were they not qualified to take the scroll and open the seals? Were they not of import and stature? However, whatever righteousness they attained through their faithfulness to Yahoveh, they still saw themselves as part of the redeemed of the Lamb. Something greater has taken place. So awesome was this work that they fell down and cast their crowns before the throne of Yahoveh, and sang a new song! But who else was to be redeemed by this lamb? It was the "us" from every tribe, tongue, people and nation. But who are those?
Remember that there were two sides to the scroll. On the one side were specified the qualification of the redeemer, and on the other side was the description of the inheritance. Whose inheritance? The Father's inheritance, which was made up of those who were to be redeemed. Therefore, it is their names that were written on the scroll. These are the ones who are to become kings and priests unto our Elohim, and they shall reign on the earth. Yes, it is hard to believe that the redeemed were foreordained, predestined, according to the will of the Father and inscribed on the scroll, and that this legal document was already written before the foundations of the earth. We all have this document in our library. It is called the Holy ("set apart") Scriptures. However, it is sealed with seven seals, so as to make it not entirely comprehensible. Not only are there seals, but there are also veils over our minds, which block our understanding. Only Yahoshua can open the seals and lift the veils, just as He did to the two men on the road to Emmaus, or to the Ethiopian eunuch. Therefore, as long as we see through a glass darkly we need to pray: "Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your [legal document] the Torah" (Psa.119:18).
Back to those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life from the foundation of the earth. Do the Scriptures give us any indication as to who they might be? Well, for one thing the Redeemer would have had to be of the same family, a kinsman redeemer or an elder (first born brother). Yahoshua was of the family of David, of the tribe of Judah, son of Jacob. These people, therefore, would have to be of his family, and would have to have a calling to become a kingly-priestly nation (as was promised). There is only one nation that had that calling upon it - Israel. These people become Yahoveh's inheritance by fulfilling the statute of first fruit, or first born. Since the latter, according to the Torah ordinance, all belong to God, Israel was declared to be Yahoveh's first born nation. They were His inheritance. The redeemed, Israel, having been extracted from every tribe and nation, would have needed to be sown and mixed into all these people groups on the face of the earth. They would also have to be those returning to Zion: " Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return to Zion and come with singing…." Will they be singing this new song?
Did not Yahoveh see to the scattering and dispersion of the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob into all nations? There is not any one skin color, eye color or hair texture that characterizes them. Only two attributes identify them: the faith of their father Abraham and a love for the Torah (see Rom 4:16). Oh yes, and one more… their names are written on the scroll.
Ephraim
The redeemed of the Lord shall come with singing: "Worthy, worthy is the Lamb, the All Mighty’s prevailing right hand, to take the two families of Judah and Ephraim and make them one in the land."
