LESSON #20

REVELATION AND THE SECOND COMING
LESSON #20
THE ONE WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL – REV 5

• MEMORY VERSE: REV 5:12

• PREPARATION:
• DO YOU UNDERSTAND THESE WORDS?
• VINDICATION (VINDICATE):
• TO CLEAR A PERSON FROM AN ACCUSATION, TO JUSTIFY OR MAKE RIGHT (JUSTIFICATION).
• TO DEFEND SOMEONE AGAINST OPPOSITION; AS IN A COURT OF LAW.
• PERSPECTIVE:
• SOMEONE’S MENTAL VIEW OF FACTS, IDEAS, AND HOW THEY RELATE TO EACH OTHER.
• REDEEM:
• TO BUY OR PAY OFF A DEBT. TO OBTAIN FREEDOM FROM CAPTIVITY BY PAYING A RANSOM.
• THERE ARE THREE ASPECTS TO THIS WORD IN THE BIBLE:
• =1= TO GO INTO THE SLAVE MARKET AND PURCHASE A PERSON SO THAT HE IS FOREVER A SLAVE, ABLE TO BE SOLD OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
• =2= TO GO INTO THE SLAVE MARKET, PURCHASE A SLAVE AND BRING HIM HOME TO SERVE YOU AND NEVER TO BE SOLD AGAIN.
• =3= TO GO INTO THE SLAVE MARKET, PURCHASE A SLAVE AND SET HIM FREE BY REMOVING THE SHACKLES SO THAT HE IS NEVER SOLD AS A SLAVE AGAIN.
• REDEMPTION:
• THE ACT OF BEING REDEEMED AS IN #3 ABOVE.
• REDEEMER:
• THE PERSON WHO PAYS OFF A DEBT FOR SOMEONE ELSE.

• READ REV 5:1-5 THE SCROLL
• GOD SITTING ON HIS THRONE IN FULL SOVEREIGNTY.
• WHAT IS THE SCROLL, AND WHAT DOES THE SCROLL REPRESENT?
• NOTICE THAT THE SCROLL IS WRITTEN INSIDE AND ON THE BACK SIDE AND HAS 7 SEALS.
• THE SCROLL IS A SEALED LEGAL DOCUMENT:
• A SCRIBE WOULD WRITE FOR AWHILE, THEN STOP, ROLL UP THE PARCHMENT TO COVER HIS WORDS, SEAL IT WITH A WAX SEAL, AND THEN RESUME WRITING AND SEALING UNTIL HE FINISHED IT HAVING A TOTAL OF 7 SEALS INDICATING COMPLETENESS.
• THIS PROCESS PREVENTED UNAUTHORIZED PERSONS FROM READING IT
• A JEWISH FAMILY WHO LOST POSSESSIONS OR LAND THROUGH ECONOMIC HARDSHIP WOULD HAVE THEIR PROPERTY LISTED IN A SCROLL AND SEALED 7 TIMES. THEN THE CONDITIONS NECESSARY TO BUY BACK OR REDEEM THE LAND AND POSSESSIONS WERE WRITTEN ON THE BACK SIDE AWAITING A REDEEMER.
• THE BOOK OF RUTH IS A STORY OF A REDEEMER PAYING THE REDEMPTION PRICE TO BUY BACK LOST POSSESSIONS.
• THE SCROLL IS THE TITLE DEED TO THE EARTH GIVEN TO ADAM BY GOD (GEN 1:28 HEB 2:7)
• ADAM LOST THE TITLE DEED TO SATAN THROUGH SIN (GEN 3:1-6).
• SATAN THEN BECAME THE GOD OF THIS WORLD HOLDING THE TITLE DEED (2COR 4:4).
• GOD IS THE OWNER BUT SATAN HAS TEMPORARY POSSESSION. THE EARTH AND ALL THAT IS IN IT NEEDS REDEEMING (ROM 8:19-25).
• JESUS CHRIST CAME TO BE THE REDEEMER AND AS WELL AS THE PRICE OF REDEMPTION (GAL 4:4-5 TIT 2:14 ROM 3:25 1COR 6:20).
• CHRIST PAID THE PRICE ON THE CROSS, BUT HE DID NOT TAKE BACK THE TITLE DEED TO THE EARTH AT THAT TIME.
• WE SEE HIM DO IT HERE IN REV 5.
• READ ZEC 5:1-4
• WE SEE THAT THE SCROLL IS RELATED TO JUDGMENT.
• THE TRIBULATION PERIOD IS ALSO RELATED TO JUDGMENT.
• IN REVELATION, WHEN EACH SEAL IS OPENED, JUDGMENT IS DELIVERED TO THE EARTH.
• THE STRONG ANGEL
• PROBABLY GABRIEL (DAN 8:16 DAN 9:21 DAN 12:9)
• “…NEITHER LOOK ON IT” (3)
• BECAUSE OF THE JUDGMENTS INCLUDED WITH EACH SEAL, FOR HAVING BROKEN GOD’S LAW, THE DOCUMENT WAS TERRIBLE EVEN TO LOOK AT.
• THE NAMES FOR JESUS CHRIST FOUND IN REV 5 THAT SHOW US THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST:
• THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH
• WHAT DOES IT MEAN AND WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE?
• GEN 49:9 IS A PROPHECY OF A COMING KING. JESUS CHRIST IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THAT PROPHECY BECAUSE HE WAS FROM THE TRIBE OF JUDAH.
• ROOT OF DAVID
• WHAT DOES IT MEAN AND WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE?
• THERE IS A FURTHER PROGRESSION OF THE PROPHECY THAT THE KING WOULD COME THROUGH THE LINE OF DAVID (ISA 11:10 MAT 1:1)
• THE LAMB
• JESUS CHRIST IS THE LAMB OF GOD THAT TAKES AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD. (JOH 1:29)
• IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THEY SACRIFICED A LAMB TO PAY FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT JESUS CHRIST IS THE OFFERING FOR SIN. (HEB 10:10-11)
• WHY IS THE LAMB THE ONLY ONE WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL?
• THE SCRIPTURE INDICATES HERE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE PERFECT REDEEMER WHO IS WORTHY TO PAY THE REDEMPTION PRICE.
• JESUS IS NOT ONLY THE REDEEMER, BUT HE IS ALSO THE REDEMPTION PRICE, THE PERFECT SACRIFICE WITHOUT PERSONAL SIN.
• READ REV 5:6-11
• THE DESCRIPTION OF THE WORTHY LAMB:
• 7 HORNS = PERFECT, COMPLETE POWER
• 7 EYES = PERFECT, COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OR DISCERNMENT
• 7 SPIRITS OF GOD = 7 FOLD ANOINTED MINISTRY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
• NOTICE THE LAMB IS STANDING. JESUS HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN SEEN IN SCRIPTURE SEATED AT THE FATHER’S RIGHT HAND. THIS SEEMS TO INDICATE HE IS NOW STANDING READY FOR ACTION.
• THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS ARE AS INCENSE BEFORE GOD.
• ALL THE PRAYERS FROM ALL HISTORY FOR DELIVERANCE AND REDEMPTION HAVE BEEN KEPT BY GOD THROUGH THE CENTURIES. (PSA 141:2)
• 4 LIVING CREATURES = THE SERAPHIM ANGELS FROM REV 4.
• 24 ELDERS = REPRESENTATIVE OF ALL BELIEVERS IN JESUS:
• THE 12 OLD TESTAMENT TRIBES
• THE 12 DISCIPLES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
• WE SHALL REIGN ON THE EARTH (10)
• THE DOMINION THAT ADAM LOST IS BOUGHT BACK HERE FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST.
• BELIEVERS WILL RULE AND REIGN WITH CHRIST IN THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM OF JESUS CHRIST FOR 1,000 YEARS.
• TEN THOUSAND TIMES TEN THOUSAND AND THOUSANDS OF THOUSANDS
• THESE ARE EITHER ALL ANGELS OR ANGELS WITH RAPTURED BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST.

• READ REV 5:12-14 PRAISE AND GLORY TO GOD AND JESUS
• WHY IS THERE SO MUCH REJOICING WHEN THE LAMB BEGINS TO OPEN THE SCROLL? WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE SEE JUDGMENT RESULT FROM THE OPENING OF THE SCROLL?
• IT IS AN ENDING TO ALL THE SUFFERING, INJUSTICE, SATANIC ACTIVITY, DECEPTION, EVIL ETC.
• IT IS THE ANSWER TO PRAYERS FOR DELIVERANCE FROM ALL HISTORY.
• IT IS THE ANSWER TO PRAYERS FOR VINDICATION FOR ALL HISTORY.
• IT IS A FULFILLMENT OF THE PRAYERS FOR VICTORY FOR GOD’S PEOPLE THROUGH HISTORY.
• IT IS THE FULFILLMENT OF THE REDEMPTION THAT JESUS PURCHASED ON THE CROSS.
• THE NEW SONG BY THE 24 ELDERS
• READ 1PET 1:10-12
• EVERY CREATURE “UNDER THE EARTH”
• THIS MAY REFER TO FALLEN ANGELS THAT WILL BE FORCED TO PRAISE GOD, OR MAY REFER TO ALL DEAD UNBELIEVERS AWAITING THE JUDGMENT WHOSE KNEE WILL BOW TO CHRIST AT THE JUDGMENT AND THUS BE FORCED TO PRAISE HIM, OR IT MAY REFER TO BOTH.
• APPLICATION:
• WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT PRAYER FROM THIS CHAPTER?
• EVEN IF WE DO NOT TAKE OUR PRAYERS SERIOUSLY AND OFTEN FORGET WHAT WE PRAYED, GOD NEVER FORGETS.
• HE WILL FULFILL ALL PRAYER.

HOMEWORK
A TRIBULATION OVERVIEW
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF REVELATION 5
• REFLECT ON ALL THAT IT MEANS WHEN WE SAY JESUS IS OUR REDEEMER.
• SPEND TIME IN WORSHIP OF HIM AS YOUR REDEEMER.

• THINK ABOUT YOUR PRAYER LIFE. DOES IT HAVE AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE?
• MAKE A LIST OF YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS:

• BY FAITH SEE THESE PRAYERS CONTINUALLY BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD. PICTURE THEM ANSWERED, REDEEMED, VINDICATED, DELIVERED, VICTORIOUS. BY FAITH, PRAISE GOD FOR THE ANSWERS.

• PREPARATION FOR AN OVERVIEW OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD:
• READ THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES AND WRITE WHAT YOU LEARN GENERALLY ABOUT THE TRIBULATION PERIOD AND ITS PURPOSE.
• REV 6:1-17

• REV 8:1-2,7

• ISA 26:21

• 2THE 2:11-12

• REV 16:2

• MAT 24:7

• REV 19:15

• LUK 21:24

• DAN 12:1

• HOS 3:4-5

• EZE 20:33-44

• JER 36:7

• REV 7:9-17

• ZEC 12:10-11

• ZEC 13:1

• MAT 13:3-8; 24-30

• MEMORY VERSE: PSA 9:10