Reading Revelation .. Chapter 5

April 21-27

Revelation 5:1-14

The Lamb Alone is Worthy to Open God’s Scroll (Revelation 5)

Dr. Robert Wall

Suggestions for Daily Readings

5:1-14, first time through – focus on the vision

(What does this scene look like?)

 

5:1-14, second time through – focus on the characters
(Who appears in this scene?)

5:1-14, third time through – focus on the message
(What are the characters saying?)

5:9-10    Meditate:

And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
    and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
    and with your blood you purchased for God
    persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
    and they will reign on the earth.”

5:12        Memorize

In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!”

Intro

 

Fresh from Good Friday and Easter we encounter Jesus being described as the Lamb in Revelation chapter 5.  The Jesus of Revelation is the one whose sacrifice on the cross and victory over sin gives him the ability and authority to proclaim God's final work of salvation.  Dr. Wall reminds us that “Lamb” is the dominant metaphor for Jesus in this book – used 28 times in a variety of settings.  We also encounter a scroll, which “contains God’s complete and final plan for putting a broken and battered creation to rights.”  There’s only one problem.  The plan can’t be initiated until someone with divine authority opens the scroll.  Just when all hope seems lost, it's revealed that there is one worthy of opening it – “Worthy is the Lamb.”  Think of the resurrected Jesus carrying out God’s kingdom plan throughout the rest of Revelation.   As you encounter in Chapter 5 the Lamb worthy to open the scroll and begin God’s decisive saving work, here are some questions to reflect upon or discuss. 

The Scene

• What does the scene look like?  What stands out to you visually?

• Revelation contains a strange mix of vision elements – some readily understood and others quite mysterious.  What do you understand?  What remains mysterious?

 

The Characters

• Who are the living characters who appear in this scene?  What does the text tell you about them? 

 

• How do they interact with one another…what is the dramatic action? 

• What remains mysterious about them?

 

The Message

• What do the characters do or say or sing? If you were to summarize this in a word or phrase, how would you put it? 

• What remains unclear or mysterious with regard to a message in the text?

Question for Application

How is Jesus the center of your worship?  How do you express in worship that Jesus is worthy of honor and praise?

 

Memorize Revelation 5:12

In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!”