REVELATION 5:1-14
THEME: John Continues His Description of His Vision
of the Heavenly Glory and the Worship of Christ Around the Throne of God. Jesus Christ, The Lamb, Is Worshiped as the Redeemer and
Declared Worthy to Open the Seven-sealed Scroll.
INTRODUCTION:
Though
chapters 4-5 are seamlessly join to one another, the focal point of this glorious vision
dramatically changes. The Father, who is worshiped as the Creator in chapter 4,
now focuses His attention on the Son Jesus Christ, Who is worshiped as the Redeemer in
chapter 5. The key to this grand transition is
the sealed book in the Father’s right hand will now be given to Christ to
unleash the document and administer its content (Wilmington). It is as though a television camera in
heaven zooms in on the hand of God to show a sealed scroll which no one can open. The
camera then pans away to focus on one who is yet to be introduced in this heavenly scene. He alone is standing in
the heart and center of the throne room! By virtue of his glorious ‘triumph’ over sin and death He is supremely qualified to receive and open the sealed scroll. When
the glorious Christ does so, all heaven thunders and rings with praises reflecting on His
redemptive work (Wiersbe).
Beloved, this is an awe inspiring representation of the coronation of Jesus, our glorious Lord in
a manner consistent with ancient enthronement ceremonies of the Middle East. The steps of
such a ceremony are generally defined as exaltation, presentation, enthronement
and acclamation. The equivalent of the exaltation
is seen in verse 5,
the presentation in verse 6, the bestowal of authority in verse 7, and the acclamation in verses 8–14. So the mighty Christ-Redeemer enters upon his much deserved reign in power in this heavenly scene (Walvoord).
Now we
are able to enter into the worship experience described in Revelation 5. And we will discover
four compelling reasons why we all should worship Jesus Christ, The Redeemer.
MESSAGE:
I. Worship Because of Who The Redeemer Is (Rev 5:1-7).
A.
THE OBSERVATION (Rev. 5:1):
John
sees a seven-sealed scroll in the right hand of the Father upon His throne.
1. The Place of the Book.
The
Father’s Right Hand, “the right hand of Him that
sat on the throne.” The
focus of attention now shifts to a seven sealed scroll in the hand of God. In
John's day some books were written on scrolls. These were pieces of papyrus or vellum up
to thirty feet long, rolled up and sealed with clay or wax. Perhaps the right
hand signifies power and authority. The stage is set to transfer this very
power and authority to the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. The Purpose of the Book.
A. The Title Deed to the Earth.
1.
This format is typical of various kinds of contracts in the ancient
world, including deeds, marriage contracts, rental and lease agreements, and
wills.
2.
The inside of the scroll contained all the details of the contract, and
the outside—or back— contained a summary of the document.
3.
This particular scroll is Christ's title deed to creation— the title
deed to the earth (Jer. 32:7ff.).
Psalm 2:8, Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen [the nations] for thine
inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
B. The Last Will and Testament for the Earth.
1.
Christ Has a Right to the Earth Because of His Sacrifice.
The
Roman will was sealed with seven seals; this scroll is the will, or testament,
giving Christ the right to claim creation by virtue of His sacrifice (Rev.5: 9). The scroll
apparently contained God's final will and testament concerning his world, which
is the ushering in of his long-awaited Millennial Kingdom.
2.
Christ Has a Right to the Earth Because He is the Heir.
A will
could be opened only by the heir, and Christ is the "heir of all things"
(Heb 1:2).
Hebrews
1:2, Hath in these last days spoken unto
us by his Son, whom he hath appointed
heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
C. The Seven Seals Indicate the Seriousness and
Secrecy of the Book.
1.
The seven seals represent seven judgments that will purify the planet in
preparation for the Millennium (Rev. 6-19).
2.
Romans sealed their wills 7 times—on the edge at each roll—to prevent
unauthorized entry.
3.
Hebrew title deeds required a minimum of 3 witnesses and 3 separate
seals, with more important transactions requiring more witnesses and seals.
4.
Only the most serious documents, those dealing with life and death, had seven
seals.
The
seven seals indicate the importance of the scroll's contents, and they
guaranteed the secrecy of the document.
3. The Prophecy of the Book.
Most
likely this the book of prophecy that Daniel was told to seal up in Daniel
12:4.
Daniel
12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time
of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
A. The One Vision of Dan. 10, 11 & 12.
This
vision showed how world events will affect the Nation of Israel in the last
days. This was one continuous vision.
Daniel
10:14, Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in
the latter days: for yet the vision
is for many days.
1.
Daniel Spoke of the Antichrist. Dan. 11:36-38.
2.
Daniel Spoke of the Great Tribulation.
Dan. 12:1.
This
is part of the 70th week (seven years) prophecy. Dan. 9:27.
B. The Vision is Unsealed in Rev.
6.
The
details of what Daniel saw are given in the remainder of the book; these are
the things he was not permitted to share in His lifetime.
C. The Prophecy Was Seal for Over 600 Years.
The
scroll could not be read because it was rolled up and sealed with seven seals.
John could see writing on both sides of the scroll, which meant that nothing
more could be added. What was written was completed and final.
B.
THE INTERROGATION (Rev. 5:2):
1. The Strong Angel’s Question.
A
mighty angel asks if anyone is able to break the seals and open the scroll. A title deed or will can be opened only by the
appointed heir, and this is Jesus Christ.
2. The Future is in Question.
The
scene in Revelation 5
shows that only the Lamb, Jesus Christ, is worthy to open the scroll, which
reveals the events of future history. Jesus, not Satan, holds the future. Jesus
Christ is in control; He holds the future in His capable hands! He alone is worthy to set into motion the
events of the last days of history (MacDonald).
C.
THE INVESTIGATION (Rev. 5:3):
An
unsuccessful threefold search is made.
1. In Heaven (5:3 a)
2. On Earth (5:3 b)
3. Under the Earth (5:3 c)
No one
in all the universe could be found worthy enough to break the seals. God makes
it clear that only Christ can redeem. No saint in heaven, the destiny of glory; no
person on earth, and no soul in the underworld of death, could take that sealed book. Absolutely no
one else was found to be worthy.
D.
THE LAMENTATION (Rev. 5:4):
No
wonder John wept, for he realized that God's glorious redemption plan for
mankind could never be completed until the scroll was opened. By extension John very likely wept for several reasons:
1.
He yearned to see creation set free from bondage;
2.
He wanted the promise of Rev. 4:1 to be fulfilled;
3.
He knew that the OT promises to Israel could never be fulfilled unless
the scroll could be opened.
4.
John was sharing in the "groaning" of Romans 8:22-23.
E.
THE CONSOLATION (Rev. 5:5c):
He is
told someone is indeed worthy to take the book and open the seals.
1. Christ Has Prevailed!
The
angel dried John’s tears by pointing to Christ, Who is worthy to open the book
because He has "prevailed," which means “to overcome” (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26), “conquering” (Rev. 6:2), or win “the victory” (Rev. 15:2). The Lamb has taken the victory (Rev. 17:14)! Christ has achieved victory and therefore is
worthy to take and read the sealed book.
2. Christ is the Redeemer!
The
redeemer had to be:
A.
Near of Kin,
B.
Willing to Redeem, and
C.
Able to Redeem.
Jesus
Christ meets all of the qualifications. He became flesh, so He is our Kinsman.
He loves us and is willing to redeem; and He paid the price, so He is able to
redeem (Wilmington).
F.
THE MANIFESTATION (Rev. 5:5-7):
This
someone now steps forward.
1. Who He is (Rev. 5:5 a-b, 6): Jesus Christ.
Three
unique titles are given to our Lord to describe who He is.
A. He Is Called the Lion of Judah (Rev. 5:5 a-b). (The
Coming King)
First,
Christ is the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
1.
Judah Was Designated as the Tribe of Kings.
Genesis
49:8-10, Judah, thou art he whom thy
brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy
father's children shall bow down before thee. [9] Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up:
he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and
as an old lion; who shall rouse him
up? [10] The sceptre shall not depart
from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and
unto him shall the gathering of the people be.
The
reference here is to Gen 49:8-10, where Jacob prophetically gave the scepter to Judah and
made it the tribe of the kings (Wiersbe). (God never meant for Saul to establish a
dynasty, because he came from the tribe of Benjamin. God used him to discipline
Israel because the people asked for a king; then He gave them David from the
tribe of Judah.)
2.
Judah Was Symbolized by the Lion.
The
image of "the lion" speaks of dignity,
sovereignty, courage, and victory and it speaks of Christ's royalty in the family of David. Christ
Jesus is the only living Jew who can prove His kingship from the genealogical
records. "Son of David" was a title often used when He was ministering on earth
(see Matt. 1).
1 Kings
2:45, And king Solomon shall be blessed,
and the throne of David shall be
established before the Lord for ever.
Isaiah
9:7,
Of the increase of his government
and peace there shall be no end, upon
the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it
with judgment and with justice from
henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
3.
The Lion Anticipates the Second Coming.
This
also anticipates Christ's Second Coming as the Lion. The Lion and the Lamb surely refer to Christ, with the Lamb referring to
His first coming and His death and the Lion referring to His second coming and
His sovereign judgment of the world. As the lion Jesus Christ is the judge who will
punish his enemies (MacDonald).
B. He Is Called the Root of David (Rev. 5:5). (The
God-Man)
But He
is also the Root of David, which means He brought David into existence.
1.
Christ’s Deity and Humanity.
A. Christ is David’s Son—Rooted in David.
As far
as His humanity is concerned, Jesus had His roots in David.
Isaiah
11:1 And there shall come forth a rod
out of the stem of Jesse, and a
Branch shall grow out of his roots:
B. Christ is David’s Sovereign— the Root of
David.
But as
far as His deity is concerned, Jesus is the Root of David. Thus the "Root of David" speaks of His deity, the One through whom David came.
Isaiah
11:10, And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for
an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be
glorious.
2.
David’s Lord and Son.
This
speaks, of course, of our Lord's eternality! How the Messiah could both be
David's Lord and David's son was a problem Jesus presented to the Pharisees,
and they could not (or would not) answer Him (Matt
22:41-46).
C. He Is Called the Lamb of Jehovah (Rev. 5:6). (The
Perfect Sacrifice)
When
John turned to see, he saw not a lion but a lamb!
1.
The Lamb in The Revelation (this book).
Jesus
Christ is called "the Lamb" at least twenty-eight times in the Book of Revelation (the
Greek word used means "a little pet lamb") and the emphasis is not
hard to miss.
A. God's wrath is "the wrath of the Lamb" (Rev 6:16).
B. Cleansing is by "the blood of the Lamb" (Rev 7:14).
C. The church is "the
bride of the Lamb" (Rev 19:7; 21:9).
2.
The Lamb in Revelation (the body of Scriptures).
The
theme of "the Lamb" is an important one throughout Scripture, for it presents
the person and work of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer.
A. The Passover Lamb.
In the
Bible, the Exodus is the fundamental picture of redemption; the slain Lamb then
is the Passover lamb.
God
required the Jews to bring the Passover lamb into their houses for 4 days,
essentially making it a pet, before it was to be violently slain.
Exodus
12:3, Speak ye unto all the congregation
of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the
house of their fathers, a lamb for an
house:
Exodus
12:6, And ye shall keep it up until the
fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of
Israel shall kill it in the evening.
B. The Slaughtered Lamb.
We
also recall the slaughtered lamb of Is. 53:7, the Servant of the Lord, suffering in innocence for all
humankind. Isaiah 53:7, He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he
opened not his mouth: he is brought as a
lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he
openeth not his mouth.
C. The God Lamb.
The
Old Testament question, "Where is the
lamb?" (Gen
22:7) was answered by John the Baptist who
cried, "Behold the Lamb of God, which
taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). There is no
wonder why the choir of heaven sang, "Worthy
is the Lamb!" (Rev 5:12)
3.
The Lamb in Representation. (He is
Literal and Symbolic at the same time).
The
description of the Lamb (Rev 5:6), if produced literally by an artist, would provide a
grotesque picture; but when understood symbolically, conveys spiritual truth.
A. He Was Slain, but Standing.
“The
Lamb” appeared
to have been “slain” or sacrificed. This is the true Passover Lamb, God’s Son (Is. 53:7; Jer. 11:19; John 1:29) pointing back to his first coming. The wounds from its slaughter are
still clearly visible, but it is standing—it is alive.
Jeremiah
11:19, But I was like a lamb or an ox
that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices
against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us
cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more
remembered.
Yes,
the Lamb was standing in the center of the throne room, alive and victorious! Perhaps pointing to his death and resurrection which was the main aspects of his
first coming and what qualifies Him to take the title deed of the earth (Rev 5:9).
B. He Has Seven Horns. (Omnipotence)
Since
seven is the number of perfection, these seven horns signify complete or
perfect Power–Strength.
1. But the Lamb has seven horns, which signifies immense authority (1 Kings 22:11), strength–power
(Ps. 75:4–7)
and royal status (Zc. 1:18).
2. In the animal kingdom horns are used to exert
power and inflict wounds in combat.
3. This represents the Messiah as the powerful leader (The Ram!) of the
flock of God, who delivers the sheep, conquering the wild beasts who seek to
destroy them.
4. Unlike other defenseless lambs, this One has
complete, sovereign power as a ruler.
This is how the symbol is used in other places.
Daniel
7:24, And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and
another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he
shall subdue three kings.
Rev.
13:1, And I stood upon the sand of the sea,
and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and
upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
C. He Has Seven Eyes. (Omniscience)
Signifying
perfect wisdom and all knowledge. In Zc. 4:10 it is God who has seven eyes, symbolizing omniscience;
here they are identified with the seven
spirits of God sent forth into all the earth, in harmony with the teaching
of Jn. 16:7–11.
The Messiah of OT promise thus stands revealed in terms of new covenant
fulfillment.
D. He Has Seven Spirits of God.
(Omnipresence)
The “seven eyes” defined as “the seven spirits of God”
(Zech. 3:9;
4:10) symbolically represent the Holy Spirit (Rev. 1:4, 4:5) and perfect
presence (seven Spirits in all the earth).
Jesus Christ was indwelt by the full measure of the Holy Spirit which
suggests omnipresence.
John
3:34, For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
The
theologians would call these qualities omnipotence, omniscience, and
omnipresence and all three are attributes of God. The Lamb is God the Son,
Christ Jesus! All of which points to Him
as being free of any error in the judgment He will unleash on the world.
2. What He Does (Rev. 5:7): He takes the
scroll from the right hand of the enthroned Father.
A.
He Receives the Title Deed.
The
scroll represents Christ's "title
deed" to all that the Father promised Him because of His sacrifice on
the cross. "Ask of Me, and I shall give
Thee the heathen [nations] for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth
for Thy possession" (Ps 2:8). Jesus Christ is the
"Heir of all things" (Heb 1:2). He is our beloved "kinsman-redeemer"
who was willing to give His life to set us free from bondage and to restore our
lost inheritance (see Lev 25:23-46; the Book of
Ruth; Jer 32:6-15).
B. He Opens the Seven Seals.
The
Lord Jesus is infinitely qualified to take the scroll and release these
judgments upon the earth. He is so
qualified by His wisdom, by divine decree (Jn.
5:22,27), by personal excellence, and by His
achievement at Calvary. As Christ
removed the seals, various dramatic events took place. The seventh seal
introduced the seven trumpet judgments (Rev
8:1-2). Then, when the seventh trumpet had
blown, the great day of God's wrath was announced, ushering in the "vial [bowl] judgments" that
brought to a climax the wrath of God (Rev 11:15
ff; 15:1). It is possible that the trumpet
judgments were written on one side of the scroll and the bowl judgments on the
other.
We
worship Jesus Christ because of who He is. But there is a second reason why we
worship Him.
II. Worship Because of Where The Redeemer Is (Rev 5:5-7, v. 6).
A. HE
IS IN HEAVEN. (Rev. 5:6)
To
begin with, Jesus is in heaven.
Ephes.
1:19-23, And what is the exceeding
greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his
mighty power, [20] Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the
heavenly places, [21] Far above all principality, and power, and might, and
dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in
that which is to come: [22] And hath put all things under his feet, and gave
him to be the head over all things to the church, [23] Which is his body, the
fulness of him that filleth all in all.
1. He Is Not in the Manger, in Jerusalem, on the
Cross, or in the Tomb.
2. He Is Ascended and Exalted in Heaven.
What
an encouragement this is to suffering Christians, to know that their Savior has
defeated every enemy and is now controlling events from glory! He too suffered,
but God turned His suffering into glory.
But, Why is the Exaltation
important to Christ? What is the Significance of His Ascension and Exaltation
to Him?
A.
It revealed His power and victory over death.
B.
It confirms all His claims of being the Divine Son of God.
C.
It confirms His full acceptance by God and that of His work.
D.
It crowns the process of the redemption of the world.
E.
It forms the beginning of that new creation and eternal life, and over
which death can have no power.
F.
It is the entrance of the Son of God into the power and glory of the New
Kingdom, or the restored Kingdom of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe.
1.
He awaits His perfect triumph over all His foes (Heb 10:13).
2. He shall come again to judge the world (Acts 1:11; Matt 25:31-32).
The
following Scriptures among many others may be consulted: (Rev 1:18; Acts 2:24; Rom 1:4; 1 Cor 15:20; John 5:25; Rom
4:25; 6:4-5; Col 2:12; Phil 3:10; Rom 6:9).
APPLICATION:
Look at where Jesus is “in the midst of the
throne,” standing on that central
space immediately in front of the throne of heaven! He is the center of that
entire holy throng, on whom all eyes rest, to whom every knee bows, and every
tongue confesses. And what a circle that is! Notice its elite members. But He
is the center of heaven; it is to Him their adoring worship is given. Truly He
is the center of heavenly adoration! But,
what about down here on earth? Are we in harmony with this grand
concentration on Jesus? Is He the center of our heart's worship and love? There
in Heaven Is the Adoration of the Lamb.
Let us join in it. We can only do so if we remember what He has
revealed in these verses, and that He is the Administrator of all our
affairs.
B. HE
IS IN THE MIDST. (Rev. 5:6)
But where is Christ in heaven? He is in the midst.
1 Peter
3:21-22, The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the
putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience
toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: [22] Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and
authorities and powers being made subject unto him.
1. All of Heaven is Centered on Him.
The
Lamb is the center of all that transpires in heaven, this coronation ceremony,
the reception of the sealed scroll, and the worship that follows is focused on
Christ as the Redeemer.
2. All of Creation is Centered in Him.
This
is represented by the four beautiful beasts whole symbolize all creation and
especially the earth.
3. All of God’s People are Centered in Him.
He is
in the midst of all of God's people represented by the 24 elders around the
throne.
The
angels around the throne encircle the Savior and praise Him.
4. All of God’s Administrations are Centered in
Him.
His
Central Position in Heaven Symbolizes His Ministry as Mediator and Administrator.
A. Christ is the Supreme Mediator and the Ultimate
Administrator
He
currently serves as the Mediator between God and His fallen creation and as the
Administrator of His Future Redemption Plan which involves all of creation.
Ephes.
1:19-23, And what is the exceeding
greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his
mighty power, [20] Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the
heavenly places, [21] Far above all
principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is
named, not only in this world, but also
in that which is to come: [22] And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, [23] Which is his body,
the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
He is
poised to wage war on Satan and Sin where ever its found in the universe.
B. Christ Will Conquer All Evil, Including
Death. (See Rev 20:14).
1 Cor.
15:24-28, Then cometh the end [of the
Resurrections], when he [Christ] shall have
delivered up the kingdom to God [The
Millennial Kingdom], even the Father; when he [Christ, the Son of Man]
shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. [25] For he [Christ, the Son of Man] must reign, till he [Christ] hath put all
enemies under his feet. [26] The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death [at the Great White Throne Judgment]. [27] For he [The Father] hath put all things under his [Christ] feet. But when he [The Father] saith, all
things are put under him [Christ], it is manifest [obvious,
really clear] that he [The Father] is excepted [Excluded], which did put
all things under him [Christ]. [28] And when all things shall be subdued unto him [Christ, the Son of Man],
then shall the Son also himself [Christ, the
Son of Man] be subject unto him [The Father] that put all
things under him [Christ, the Son of Man], that God [The Father] may be all in all.
Rev.
20:14, And death and hell were cast into the
lake of fire. This is the second death.
Christ
will destroy completely all dominion, authority and power that oppose God and
then hand over the kingdom to God the Father. At His resurrection, Christ began
the destruction of Satan and all his dominion. At the resurrection of the dead,
all Satan's power will be broken. After Christ has brought everything into
subjection, He will hand the kingdom back to God in perfect condition. Having accomplished the work of redemption
and restoration for which He became a Man.
He will reside forever as the God-Man because this is the necessary link
between God and fallen creation. The key
to total reconciliation.
C. Christ Will Reign as the Ultimate Ruler.
Christ
“must reign,” that is definitely without any doubt, because God has ordained it and will not change it. This will prevail because He has put all his
enemies under his feet in total conquest.
Psalm
110:1, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make
thine enemies thy footstool.
Because
the resurrection of Christ is an accomplished
fact and because the promise of the resurrection is a future fact, the promise of Christ's ultimate and final reign can
be trusted as fact and anticipated by every believer.
D. Christ and the Father are Equal in Person
but, Christ is Subject in Purpose.
Although
God the Father and God the Son are equal (Phil
2:6), each has a special work to do and an
area of sovereign control (1Cor. 15:28). Christ is not inferior to the Father, but his work is to
defeat all evil on earth. First, he defeated sin and death on the cross, and in
the last days, he will completely defeat Satan and all evil.
APPLICATION: World events may seem out of control, and
justice may seem scarce. But God is in control, allowing evil to remain for a
time until he sends Jesus to earth again. Then Christ will ultimately present
to God a perfect new world. We, too, have special roles to play in God's plan.
Much of Christ's work is done in us, and requires our cooperation and
obedience. To also participate in Christ's work, we must allow his words and
presence to direct our relationships and decisions.
C. HE
IS AT THE THRONE. (Rev. 5:6)
He is
also at the throne of the Majesty on High.
1. He is No Longer Living in Humiliation.
Some
sentimental Christian poetry and hymns dethrones our Savior and emphasizes only
His earthly life. These poems and songs glamorize "the gentle Carpenter" or "the humble Teacher," but they fail to exalt the risen
Lord! We do not worship a Babe in a manger or a corpse on a cross. We worship
the living, reigning Lamb of God who is in the midst of all in heaven (MacDonald).
2. He is Now Living in Exaltation.
Philip.
2:9-11, Wherefore God also hath highly
exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: [10] That at
the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in
earth, and things under the earth; [11] And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory
of God the Father.
A. Very
Little Emphasis Has Been Placed on Jesus' Ascending for His People.
That
is viewing the ascension as an act of
love for us instead of as a selfish pursuit of power, recognition, and
honor. This love was manifests in the
sending of His Spirit, and His ministry as High Priest; both are acts dependent
upon Jesus' ascension.
John
14:3, And if I go and prepare a place for
you, I will come again, and receive you
unto myself; that where I am, there ye
may be also.
John
16:7, Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It
is expedient for you that I go away:
for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
Ephes.
4:8-10, Wherefore he saith, When he ascended
up on high, he led captivity captive,
and gave gifts unto men. [9] (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he
also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? [10] He that descended
is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all
things.)
Hebrews
6:20, Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest
for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Hebrews
9:24, For Christ is not entered into the
holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven
itself, now to appear in the presence of
God for us:
Hebrews
4:14, Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus
the Son of God, let us hold fast our
profession.
These
are references to Jesus ascending "on
our behalf" and they further connect the ascension with Jesus' atoning
work.
APPLICATION:
We cannot allow ourselves to erroneously view His
exaltation as being some self-oriented, power-seeking act! No, absolutely not! We must see it as
flowing from the same self-sacrificial love Jesus demonstrated for us sinners
in His incarnation (2 Cor 8:9) and crucifixion (Rom 5:6-8). The same
love that brought Him to earth for us,
took Him to the cross for us, also
took Him back to Heaven for us.
B. Why is His Ascension and Exaltation So Important
to Us?
The
ascension of Christ is also closely related to the peace, sanctification, and hope
of believers.
1. We Have an Ascended Lord Who Is with Us in
Our Struggles Here (Mark 16:19-20).
This
brings peace to our hearts as we live
out His will.
A. He Is Our Heavenly Advocate (1 John 2:1).
B. He Is Still Interceding for Our Perfection (John 17:20-24).
C. He Powerfully Attracts Us to Things above (Col 3:1-4).
2. We Are Encouraged in Faithful
and Confident Prayer (Heb 4:14-16).
This
affords us motivation to be a truly holy
people unto Him.
3. We Have a Place Prepared for Us in Heaven By
Christ Our Lord.
This
is a wonderful part of our great blessed hope
package as we venture through this world. We know that he has gone to heaven to
secure our interest, and to prepare our eternal homes (John 14:2; Heb 6:20).
APPLICATION: The Exaltation of Christ means that all
authority has been given unto Him in heaven and on earth. We must believe in,
trust, and submit to the One Glorified Christ who thus administers the kingdom
of God in perfect harmony with the will of the Father. Yes, we must remember
his earthly life and ministry as pitiful, tender, serving, helping, restoring,
saving, and triumphant. For in this we find instruction for our service for the
Lord. But we must not overlook His
exaltation for His mediatorial and final redemptive ministry. He is the Head of
His church; He is the Lord of angels and men; He is the Master of the
ages.
Not
only do we worship Him because of Who He is and Where He is, but also because
of:
