March 26, 2023

And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:9-10

The heavenly throne room scene in Revelation 4 and 5 was shown to the apostle John after he was given the letters from Jesus to the seven churches on earth. The moment that Jesus took the sealed scroll in hand, John saw the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures celebrating and singing: glorious details related to the joyful enthronement ceremony of Christ following His victory on the cross of Calvary. You will remember the all-encompassing promise He gave to the overcomers addressed at the last:

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” (3:21)

Before revealing how His promise to the overcomers to join Him on His throne will be realized, John shows us Jesus, who overcame and sat with His Father on His throne. In chapter 4 we see God the Father upon the heavenly throne. Chapter 5 is focused upon Jesus who overcame the world, ascended into heaven, and joined the Father there. Note that it is not until chapter 7 that John gives a magnificent glimpse ahead describing multitudes of the redeemed participating in worship in the heavenly setting. The whole of Chapter 7 is an answer to the question asked by worldlings at the end of chapter 6 as the Lamb of God is approaching:

“For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

At this point (very soon to come!), to those who have squandered their opportunities to walk closely with the Lord, and thus missing His divine work of purification, it seems that no one could possibly stand in His presence. The events that unfold with the opening of the seven seals of that scroll correspond directly to the events of the church on earth that we saw in the seven letters. The installment of Christ on the heavenly throne corresponded to the time of Pentecost. The resurrected Christ Jesus became, in the eyes of the watching universe, the legitimate ruler of earth. His Holy Spirit descended powerfully upon the disciples to fulfill the promise Jesus had made to them:

“And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you. John 14:16-18

At Pentecost, Peter spoke to the crowd: “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’ Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2:32-36