He is worthy!

[face2face]

John was pained to find someone to open the scroll!

“Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven (angels) or on earth (living mortal) or under the earth (dead) was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it." Rev 5:2-4

No one living, dead nor angelic, could unloose the seals. Of course this knowledge was God's alone, not His Son's, for even he was not privy to it's content during his life of probation. The unfolding of the divine purpose, and its glorious consummation, required the sacrifice, and resurrection to glory, of one coming in sin prone flesh and yet rendering perfect obedience in order to accomplish this. Jesus the firstborn of many sons!

The future was all dependent upon the victory of Calvary.

This must be seen as a direct reward beyond Jesus's name, inheritance, throne and glory which of course he could not have had prior to his birth, otherwise in no way can it be such.

This breaking the seal, opening the scroll (metaphor) for being able to receive of Yahweh his God the divine plan for things which must soon come to pass, a reward indeed! Since AD 96 (or thereabouts) when John received the Revelation, the Father and Son have laboured to bring about those events written within. Even so come Lord Jesus.

Questions to consider:

Do we have an anxious desire for a full understanding of the Divine purpose like John and those characterised by the faithful in (Hebrews 11:1), as it does also those who "hunger and thirst" for knowledge today" (Habakkuk 1:2; Daniel 12:10; 1 Peter 1:10 Revelation 6:10).

Have we received the blessing pronounced upon those who search for it? (Matthew 7:7: James 1:5; Revelation 1:3).

 

[quietthinker]

It's interesting to note that when the question is asked 'who is worthy' God on the throne is also in the company of those hearing the question.
What are the implications of that?

 

[face2face]

It's interesting to note that when the question is asked 'who is worthy' God on the throne is also in the company of those hearing the question.
What are the implications of that?

No implications... because God is the only One who deems worthy - Only God knows the content of the scroll for He alone wrote it...it's for His Son & children to seek to know and understand. The focus is on the Lamb alone...
Christ's victory over the flesh opened a new phase in the Divine purpose (Matthew 28:18 & 1 Peter 3:22). He prevailed personally, and that became the guarantee that he will do so nationally and universally.

You make a good point though.

Did you notice in Revelation 5:2 "I saw a strong angel" All angels of
heaven are strong, so that the adjective serves to show that in spite of the strength of such they were not able to accomplish that which the Father did in collaboration with the Son in spite of the weakness of human nature (Hebrews 2:14 & Romans 8:3). This angel was unable to loose the seals and read the book. 1 Peter 1:12.

It reveals something uniquely special about Jesus Christ which no other created being has previously attained. This was not about physical or mental strength, but his exalted position to the right hand side of His Father in Glory. Truly remarkable.

 

[face2face]

You will recall Daniel had been told by the Angel of the Lord that the book was sealed until the end (Daniel 12:4-8); now, at the end of Jewish times (Hebrews 1:2; 9:26), it was about to be opened and read. At the end
of Gentile times (Luke 21:24; Romans 11:25), the things revealed within would begin to be fulfilled (Daniel 12:3)

 

[GTW27]

Worthy, Worthy, Worthy, is The Lord God Almighty!

 

[face2face]

Worthy, Worthy, Worthy, is The Lord God Almighty!

Ah no, in this instance the Lamb is the hero of the apocalypse - God doesn't need to be declared "worthy" - ah... that's the point. ;)

 

[quietthinker]

No implications... because God is the only One who deems worthy - Only God knows the content of the scroll for He alone wrote it...it's for His Son & children to seek to know and understand. The focus is on the Lamb alone...
Christ's victory over the flesh opened a new phase in the Divine purpose (Matthew 28:18 & 1 Peter 3:22). He prevailed personally, and that became the guarantee that he will do so nationally and universally.

You make a good point though.

Did you notice in Revelation 5:2 "I saw a strong angel" All angels of
heaven are strong, so that the adjective serves to show that in spite of the strength of such they were not able to accomplish that which the Father did in collaboration with the Son in spite of the weakness of human nature (Hebrews 2:14 & Romans 8:3). This angel was unable to loose the seals and read the book. 1 Peter 1:12.

It reveals something uniquely special about Jesus Christ which no other created being has previously attained. This was not about physical or mental strength, but his exalted position to the right hand side of His Father in Glory. Truly remarkable.

hmmmm, assuming it's the Father on the throne, and I think it's fair to say that's correct, it says no one was found worthy to open the scrolls. Whatever is going on here it's quiet traumatic for John because he weeps and weeps because no one is found worthy....including the Father! Surprising huh?
.....yet a slain lamb coming onto the scene is found worthy.

Incidentally, we find out looking forward that the scrolls are all about suffering of some sort.

How do we connect these dots ie, the one on the throne, the angels, the sealed scrolls, John's trauma because no one was found worthy to open them and the slain lamb who was.....that is the question.

 

[face2face]

hmmmm, assuming it's the Father on the throne, and I think it's fair to say that's correct, it says no one was found worthy to open the scrolls. Whatever is going on here it's quiet traumatic for John because he weeps and weeps because no one is found worthy....including the Father! Surprising huh?
.....yet a slain lamb coming onto the scene is found worthy.

Incidentally, we find out looking forward that the scrolls are all about suffering of some sort.

How do we connect these dots ie, the one on the throne, the angels, the sealed scrolls, John's trauma because no one was found worthy to open them and the slain lamb who was.....that is the question.

The principle is clearly spelled out in Hebrews 11:6. It's not for God to seek to understand God - nonsensical (maybe you are struggling to understand the meaning of the sealed scroll??? Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of Hebrews 11:6 i.e no one is worthy, not angels, not the living on earth, or dead in their graves...the only one who qualifies for perfect obedience is Jesus Christ the Lamb.

 

[quietthinker]

The principle is clearly spelled out in Hebrews 11:6. It's not for God to seek to understand God - nonsensical (maybe you are struggling to understand the meaning of the sealed scroll??? Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of Hebrews 11:6 i.e no one is worthy, not angels, not the living on earth, or dead in their graves...the only one who qualifies for perfect obedience is Jesus Christ the Lamb.

what I'm driving at is connecting the dots, not avoiding them by offering explanations which don't speak to the narrative.

 

[face2face]

what I'm driving at is connecting the dots, not avoiding them by offering explanations which don't speak to the narrative.

God was never in view...end of story - He locked this knowledge up and the only one who was deemed worthy to break the seal and open the book was Jesus Christ. I hope that much is made clear? No angel regardless of how mighty, no human whether dead or alive...only one man conquered sinful flesh! That be the Lamb...that be the Christ - who is worthy to open the scroll?