The Lion and the Lamb

If you have ever gone through the process of getting to know someone, then you have had what is, I believe, a universal conversation. It's a universal conversation that lets you into gives you a little insight as to the way that the individual was raised, and that conversation always goes not just something like this, but exactly like this. I remember the time when I was a little boy or a little girl, and I remember my mother or my father had told me or us that we were never to go to X, or that we were never to touch Why, and being kids, we felt like that was exactly what we needed to do. So we went to X knowing that we weren't supposed to, or we touched Why knowing that we weren't supposed to, and as we did it, we thought we were getting away with it, when all of a sudden we looked up and there was the ominous figure of mom or dad, and we knew at that moment that we'd had it. And usually the story ends with and we didn't sit down for three days. I don't care who you are, you've had not a conversation like that, You've had that exact conversation. In fact, you've probably told that precise story, and you told that story with a smile on your face. Here's the irony and a story like that. We tell a story about a moment in our life when our parents basically terrorized us, spanked us, wounded us, hurt us. But when we tell that story, we tell the story with a smile on our face and without the slightest hint or tinge of blame toward the parent, because we know that they were absolutely correct in bringing the justice that they brought to us in that moment, and that the justice that they brought was not only absolutely correct, but that it was warranted, and beyond being correct and being warranted, it was necessary. It was warranted, it was correct, it was necessary, and it was completely consistent with their love for us, not at all inconsistent with their role as a mother or a father. Because we understand this balance between love and justice, it's unfortunate, however, that oftentimes we do not see this or appreciated in our heavenly Father. And because we don't see it or appreciate it, I believe we don't have a full orbed understanding of or appreciation for God's worthiness to be worshiped. But here in Revelation chapter five, we get a picture of that worthiness to be worshiped with the lion, who is the lamb who is worthy. Worthy is the lion and the lamb. Worthy is the lion and the lamb. Worthy is the lion who brings just It's just and vengeance, and the lamb who brings redemption for God's elect. We must have a full orbed picture of who God is, of who Christ is, if our worship is to be as deep and meaningful as it is meant to be. And that's the picture we get here in this first half of Revelation chapter five, this picture of the lion and the lamb. Who is worthy. He is worthy because he's the lion. He is worthy because he is the lamb. And there is no hint or tinge of inconsistency between those two. Revelation chapter five, beginning at verse one, and as we enter into Revelation chapter five, I said, this section of Revelation chapter four and five again, it is the clearest picture that we have of heavenly worship, I believe, anywhere in the scriptures. And because of that, it's the clearest picture that we have of the theological implications of our earthly worship anywhere in the scriptures. But I believe as we move forward in this the crescendo begins here in chapter five. Here's where we truly understand worship, because here is where we get the picture of the lion and the lamb. Beginning a verse one. Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. By the way, just as an aside, here, as we talk about the various ways that we approach the Book of Revelation, and we talked about the sort of literalistic approach and the difficulties of the literalistic approach to Revelation. People who want to take everything literally unless you're specifically told to. Well, we're not specifically told not to take this literally. But if we take it literally, then God, the Father actually has a right hand. That's a problem because God is a spirit and doesn't have a body like men. We can talk about the son having a right hand, but not the Father. So as we get here into this section in chapters four and five, and as we move forward, I just want to reiterate and emphasize the approach to revelation that we're taking the idealist approach to revelation that we're taking where we understand, based on chapter one, verse one, that the book is meant to be taken symbolically, not literally. There are signs here, there are pictures here, and it's not meant to be taken literally. It's meant to be taken symbolically, and then we try to understand what the symbols mean. And is a great example where this approach works and the literalistic approach does not work. I saw on the right hand of him who sat, who was seated on the throne, a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals, and I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals? She loved this, almost like a courtroom scene. Stands up like the sergeant at arms, a strong angel with a loud voice. And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth 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. And one of the elders said to me. Remember the twenty four elders around the throne weep no more. Behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals. And between the throne and the four living creatures, and among the elders, I saw a lamb standing as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, set out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. So we know now that the lamb is the lion. No one's worthy to take the scroll. That's okay, because the lamb and the root of the lion and the root of David is worthy to take the scroll. Now, who's taking the scroll? The lamb who was slain. The lion is the lamb. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty four elders fell down before the lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals. For you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language, and people and nation. And you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth. Amen. What a powerful passage of scripture. The word pictures here are almost overwhelming. But there are several things necessary for us to understand if we are to understand the significance of this te Next. The first is this. The first is the nature of the scroll. What is the scroll? Why is the scroll so important? There are a number of interpretations of the scroll. One is that the scroll is actually synonymous with the Lamb's Book of Life. We see the Lambs Book of Life in Revelation three, five, thirteen, eight, seventeen, eight, twenty twelve, and fifteen and twenty one twenty seven, So we see this Lambs Book of Life. So some are some are arguing that the scroll here that only the lion slash Lamb can open, is the Lamb's Book of Life. The problem with that, of course, is that the Lamb's Book of Life is a different book. We know this from Revelation chapter twenty and verse twelve, where we read and I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life, and the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. So the reference there is to a different book, another book, not the same book, not the same scroll with the seals that we read about here. Some again who take a futurist approach to this letter to this book, say that basically the scroll represents the future Great Tribulation. It represents this period that has yet to come, referred to as the Great Tribulation, this literal seven year period known as the Great Tribulation. Well, here's the problem with that. We've already alluded to it earlier. The fact that in Revelation chapter one and verse nineteen we read right therefore, the things that you have seen, those that are, and those that are to take place after this past, present, and future. What we find in these scrolls are not just about future events. But what we find in these scrolls have to do with events that are already taking place even at the time of writing. So what do we have Two things? One, the fullness of God's plan of judgment and redemption. That's what we have in the scrolls, the fullness of God's plan of judgment and redemption. Why do I say this, Well, because we see this idea of the sealed scroll or the sealed book in the prophetic literature that informs John's writing. We've said before that for the most part, there's Daniel, and there's Ezekiel, and a lot of Isaiah here. But Daniel is the book reference more than any other book. And in Daniel chapter seven and again in Daniel chapter twelve, we have references that illuminate this for us. Listen to Daniel chapter seven, verses nine through ten. As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of days took his seat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames. Its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fires issued and came out from before him. Again, this fire is a reference to judgment. One thousand thousand served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. In Ezekiel chapter two we have another example of this. There we see a court of judgment and the scrolls being opened, or the books being opened. Look in Ezekiel chapter two, verses eight through ten, But you, son of man, hear what I say to you, be not rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I get you. And when I look, behold a hand was stretching out to me, And behold a scroll of a book was in it. And he spread it before me, and it had writing on the front and on the back. Unusual, most scrolls didn't have writing on the front and on the back. Here in a revelation we have a scroll with writing on the front and on the back. In Ezekiel two, a scroll with writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe. So in Daniel we see what this book that is unsealed in a courtroom where judgment is about to be announced. In Ezekiel chapter two, we see a scroll written on both sides. What's in the scroll lamentation and woe. In Isaiah chapter twenty nine we find a similar idea Verses eleven and twelve. And the vision of all this has become to you. The words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying read this, he says I cannot, for it is sealed. And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying read this, he says I cannot read. Well. The context of Isaiah chapter twenty nine is God bringing judgment upon his enemies. So John reaching back to this prophetic literature from the Old Testament, this apocalyptic literature from the Old Testament, has the picture of a scroll that is sealed, that is written on both sides, and it is a scroll of judgment. We also know this because contextually, when we move into chapter six, what do we find. We find judgment and woes. So this is a scroll of judgment. But there is another issue as well. This scroll that is sealed with seven seals. Hearkens to its particular day in which in Roman courtrooms documents were off brought in and sealed with multiple seals, mainly last Wills and testaments, and they're sealed so that you make sure they haven't been tampered with, so that only the one who is the executor can break the seal and open the last Will and Testament and read the wishes of the deceased. So here we have judgment, redemption, and inheritance. That's why when it can't be opened, John weeps. He weeps out loud, He weeps uncontrollably because here's this sealed document. He knows that this sealed document has the picture of God's redemption of his elect and God's judgment on the wicked. And he looks at this document waiting for God to unleash his judgment on the wicked and to consummate his redemption of his elect and for the Last Will and Testament to be read. And the Angel says, who is there who can open this? And the answer is no one in heaven and on earth and under the earth. John weeps. Listen to what Hendrickson writes. Here's why John's weeping. This means for John that history will not be governed in the interest of the church, and that there will be no protection for God's children in the hour of bitter trial, no judgment upon a persecuting world, no ultimate triumph for believers, no heaven, no hearth, no new Heaven, no new Earth, and no future inheritance. That's what it means. If there's no one worthy to open the scroll, and that's why John weeps. He weeps because if the scroll is not opened, things are not brought to their full conclusion in the way that God intends. If the scroll is not opened, there is no end to this persecution that God's people are experiencing. If the scroll is not opened, then there's not going to be justice for God's elect If the scroll is not open, there is no inheritance for the people of God. He weeps because the scroll must be opened, and there must be justice, and there must be redemption. Ten verse five, one of the elders said to me, weep no more. Behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scrolls and its seven seals. Now this is extremely important. Note that he uses these two references to Christ. He refers to him as the lion of the tribe of Judah and the root of David. Now, when he refers to him as the lion of the tribe of Judah, we know that this is a reference to Genesis chapter forty nine. And we understand that Jesus is the lion of the tribe of Judah because of his lineage Genesis forty nine. Beginning at verse eight, we read Judah, your brother shall praise you, which is a play on words, because the name Judah means praise. Your brothers shall praise you. Your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies. Your father's son shall bow before you. Judah is a lion's cub from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down. He crouched as a lion, and as a lioness who dares rouse him. The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet until comes to him, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples, binding his foal to the vine and his donkey's cult to the choice vine. He has washed his garments in wine, and his vestures and the blood of grapes. His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth whiter than milk. There is a picture of divine judgment. So what does the angel say? There is one who can open the scroll of the judgment of God because he is the one foretold in the line of Judah. He is the lion of the tribe of Judah. Jesus Christ is able to judge the world because he is the lion of the tribe of Judah. He is the justice of God. We see that picture of him in Revelation chapter nineteen that we've looked at time and time again, and it looks a lot like this picture that we find in Genesis chapter forty nine. Jesus Christ is a judge. We don't like to speak about him in those terms. Listen, beloved, If you don't like speaking about Jesus in those terms, then you are missing one of the most important aspects of who he is. Because what pray tell does redemption mean? If there is no justice, what are you saved from? If there is no wrath of God, what are you rescued from? If there is not a day that is going to come when He actually does exact vengeance upon the wicked? What have you been transferred from? If not from darkness and judgment to light and redemption, you cannot appreciate the redemption that you have in Christ unless you understand the justice and judgment of God that will that must come against the wicked. And you will never turn to Christ unless you understand this, because you don't have anything to flee from. If there is no justice or judgment of the wicked. You don't believe you need a savior if you don't believe that there is justice against the wicked. And so we have this picture of lowly Jesus, meek and mild, who just wants to be your friend, and he's pining over you because he doesn't have enough friends, especially friends like you. And your greatest sin is depriving Jesus of you. That's not the gospel. Gospel says you are a wretched sinner, and you sinned against a holy and righteous God. And the day is coming when you will face that God and his justice will be poured out. Flee from your sin and run to the only one who can save you, who is Christ himself. The Judge is the only one who can save you, the lion of the tribe of Judah. Bow before him now, or bow before him then, But you will bow. Then there is this phrase the root of David. Again we go back to Isaiah Isaiah chapter eleven, verses one through five. Then shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit, and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and the fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ear is here. But with righteousness he shall judge the poor and decide with equity for the meek of the earth. And he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips. He shall kill the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt of his waste, and faithfulness the belt of his loins. He shall kill the wicked. We don't even like to read that, because again, it doesn't fit this picture of lowly Jesus, meek and mild, that is who he is. Why is this important? Is this important? Because as Christians, you know, we just we need this picture of Jesus so that we can think that we're tough, so we can think that we're invincible, so that we can think why is this so significant? It's so significant because God is holy, and God is just, and God is righteous, and if we delight in his holiness and delight in his righteousness, then we must delight in the punishment of the wicked. We must we must rejoice in the vengeance of God against the wicked. But there's something else. This is why we don't avenge ourselves. We don't live like the Hatfields and McCoy's hutuds and the tutsis. We don't live like that. Why because we do not have a sense that says the only way justice is ever going to come is if I exacted myself. Do you understand that the belief in God's ultimate judgment of the wicked is the only thing that keeps you and me from barbaric retribution in the here and the now. The only way that you and I can even think about not avenging ourselves is when we understand that there is a God who is just, and there is a day coming when God will make all things right. The classic example of this is Psalm seventy three and Psalm seventy three, David says, my feet had almost slipped. Why because he looks at the wicked, and they seem to be prospering, and their lives seem to be going well. And they're wicked people out there, and they've got lots of stuff, and they're healthy. They're not sick, and I got sickness, I got problems with my kids. They're driving around in nice cars, they got nice clothes, and they're horrible people. They're absolutely awful, horrible, ungodly people, and it's just not fair. Then the psalm turns right there, I think around verse thirteen or over fourteen, and he says, and then I considered their end, and it changes everything. They literally do have their best life now, Amen, I considered their end. If you consider the fact that life is but a vapor, if you consider the fact that what an individual can do to your body is a very small thing, When you consider the fact that we will spend eternity somewhere, when you consider how insignificant things really are, then all of a sudden, you turn from being envious of the wicked to almost having pity on them, because this is as good as it gets for them, and it will never satisfy. They will live a life continually trying to pursue things to fill a void that will never be filled, and then when it's all said and done, they will die and face the judgment and justice of Almighty God. That is sad. It is only when we were leave in the justice of God. It is only when we see Christ as the lion of the tribe of Judah and the root of David, who will bring ultimate justice, that we can let go of our own sense of vengeance. But there is another piece. Not only do we see this lion who is worthy to open this book of judgment, but we also see that the last atom is worthy to execute the will. Notice this at the beginning of Ourse six, and between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a lamb standing between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders. It is he one of the living creatures? No, he's not exactly. Is he one of the elders, Well, not exactly. Is he the one seated on the throne, Well, not exactly. He's between the throne and the creatures and the elders. So what is being referred to here, what's being referred to as the fact that he is the lion, He is the lamb, he is one worthy of worship God. But he is also man. He is the God. Man. He is God who has wrapped himself in flesh and dwelt among us. And so in this picture of the throne room, where everything is very clear. You look in the throne room, and there's the throne, and God is seated on the throne. And here are the living creatures, these four living creatures, the four corners of the earth, the creatures of the earth who worship God. And here are the elders. This representation of the people of God throughout time. And where do you put the lamb? Wherever he pleases. He sits on the throne, at the right hand of him who is on the throne. He's worthy. He stands before the throne. He's worthy. And so here we see him between the throne. And this is important. And it's important also that he's Lamb who is about to open the scroll. Remember what I said about the will. A will is only enacted when there has been a death. And then there's the one who dies, and the one who's the executor. The one who's the executor is the one who lives after the one who has died. Who is the lamb. He is the one who died and lives again, so that he is the executor and the author. Listen to this from Beki. God promised to Adam that he would reign over the earth. Although Adam forfeited this promise, Christ the last Adam, was to inherit it. A human person had to open the book because the promise was made to humanity, but no person was found worthy to open it, because all are sinners and stand under the judgment contained in the book. Nevertheless, Christ was found worthy because he suffered the final judgment as an innocent, sacrificial victim on behalf of his people, whom he represented, and consequently redeemed. That's just good. He is able to open the scroll because he's the last at him. He is able to open our inheritance because he is the god Man, because he is the lamb who was slain, and yet he lives. We also see a picture of the lamb who is worthy to consummate the redemption of God's elect Look at verses six through eight. I saw a lamb standing as though it had been slain, with seven horns. These horns are a picture of authority with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures, and the twenty four elders fell down before the lamb. What do we see? Number one? We see that he has died and he has risen again. He's a lamb who was slain, but he's standing. He died, but he rose again. Christ is worthy to take the scroll because of his resurrection. He defeated death, hell, and the grave. He is worthy to take the scroll because he died and he lives again. And he is worthy of worship because he died and lives again. This means that he was sinless and death could not hold him. It also means that he was a substitute, and he died on behalf of others who had sinned, even though he himself had not. And so we see the picture of the lamb as the sinless substitute for the people of God. That is who Jesus is. He is our sinless substitute. He had no sin of his own, but he took upon himself our sin. God made him, who knew no sin, to become sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. There is also this picture of seven horns. These seven horns, again, that number seven a number of completion. Horns. What do they represent? These horns represent authority. Deuteronomy thirty three seventeen one, Kings twenty to eleven, Psalm eighty nine seventeen, Daniel seven seven through eight twenty four. We see horns as representing authority, and here he has complete authority. There is also an irony here because of the creature in Daniel chapter seven, who has these seven horns, but ultimately is not able to hold on to them. Amen, here we see the lamb with all authority. The lamb is worthy to consummate the redemption of God's elect because he has all authority. So here's the lion and the root of David, who is able to open the scroll and to inaugurate the judgment of God because he is the lion. And here's the Lamb who died and rose again and has all authority. By the way, is that not what he says in the Great Commission? All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. There's the picture of the lamb with seven horns. Then there are seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Here he is omniscient. This is a picture of the spirit of God. But it's also a picture of complete omniscience, knowing everything, seeing everything. He is worthy. He is worthy to judge because he sees everything, and he sees everything rightly, and he's worthy to redeem God's elect because of his omniscience. And finally, he receives worship from the heavenly court, which points to the fact that he is God. If he's not God, they bow down, and he immediately says, get up. But he is God. So the Lamb stands there, and the elders and the four living creatures fall down before him. They bow down and worship him, and he receives it because he is God. Christ is worthy. The Lamb is worthy because he died in roads again, he died on our behalf. He's worthy because he has all authority, and there is none other who is worthy. He shares his authority and his worship with no one. He's worthy because he's omniscient and he's all powerful, and he's worthy. That's illustrated by the fact that these heavenly beings around the throne bow down and offer him worship. How much more is he worthy of your worship? How much more is the Lamb of God worthy of your worship. Listen to this again from Daniel, chapter seven, verses thirteen and fourteen. I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, there came one like a son of man, and he came to the ancient of days and was presented before him, and to him was given dominion and glory and the kingdom, that all people's nations and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed, which goes right into the song at the end of our text. The Lamb makes God left worthy. Look at verses nine and ten, and they sang a new song, saying, worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood your ransomed people for God, from every tribe and language, and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth. The Lamb makes his people worthy to worship him. We've seen this earlier in chapter one, but notice this song. You're worthy to take the scroll and open up its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransom for God from every tribe, language, and people and nations. You ransom to people for God from every tribe, language, people and nation. There's that number four again to what does that number four refer? That number four refers to completion on the earth. By his blood he ransomed for God a people from all over the earth. Now here's what you need to understand. Jesus did not come and shed his blood in hopes that maybe someone would be ransomed. The picture here is that by the shedding of his blood, he ransomed a particular people for God from every tribe, nation, kindred and people. The lamb did not come to offer himself as a sacrifice in hopes that possibly someone would come to him. The lamb was sent by the one seated on the throne to ransom particular people for God. And that's precisely what the lamb has done. And he is worthy of worship because he has ransomed a particular people for God. This particular people whom he's ransom for God have been ransomed from every tribe and language, and people and nation, which literally means a people from all the four corners of the earth. Later on, going to see a picture of this unnumbered multitude that is worshiping the Lamb and proclaiming his worthiness. But even before then, we see now that the Lamb is worthy, because in the midst of executing judgment on the earth, he doesn't just execute judgment. Think of this for a moment. If all Christ does is come to the earth to announce the judgment that is to come, and if every human being is shut up in condemnation, and every human being is devoured by Almighty God because of the wickedness of every human being, and by the way every human being deserves to be devoured and utterly consumed by the righteousness of God, God would have been glorified. If that's all Christ does is come and announce you're a wicked, sinful people, and God is going to judge every last one of you. God would have been glorified and worthy of worship because of the way that His righteousness was displayed against the sinfulness of man. But that's not what Christ does. Christ comes and he announces the inauguration of this justice of God and judgment against unrighteousness. But in the midst of it, he lays down his life on behalf of a people from all over the face of the earth, so that they might be redeemed from their sin by the death that he dies, encouraging the judgment and justice that was due to them, that they might join this heavenly chorus and worship God out of their redemption in spite of the fact that they were sinful creatures. God is good, His worthiness and his righteousness is seen as he pours out his wrath, but how much more so as objects of his wrath are transformed by the blood of the Lamb, by his death on the cross, so that we do might join the heavenly chorus and worship the one who lives forever Endevor how dare I think this is all about me? How dare how dare I be anything but overwhelmed by the mercy of God when I think about this? How dare I? How dare I think so much of myself? Finally, you have made them a kingdom of priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth. Here's another piece of the puzzle. The lion comes, and he's worthy to open the scroll of God's justice and judgment. But the lion is also the Lamb who redeems the people for God, and he redeems this people for God, that they who sat under the judgment of God might re redeemed and join this heavenly chorus. But he doesn't just redeem us and then take us up to the heavenly chorus. He redeems us and then threw us. There is a rain even on the earth. Now is it the complete consummated rain. No, it's not. It's the already not yet rain that we've spoken of before. But he reigns, He reigns. How does he reign? He reigns through his people. How does he ring? He reigns through his church. How do we see his ring? We see his reign as individuals who are sinners, who are worthy of and sitting under the justice and judgment of God, who are waiting for the judgment of God. And that's every human being all around us. There are millions upon millions of people just waiting for the moment when they drop off into eternity and the judgment of God consumes them, and they experience that, and all of a sudden, God, through his Church, pronounces his gospel on the earth. And men who are worthy of and about to fall into judgment hear the gospel, they're redeemed, and they go from darkness to light, from one kingdom to another. And the Kingdom of God expands and reigns even on the earth as now they're transformed from the inside out, and even obey God on earth. It is in heaven, Our Father, in heaven. How will be your name, your kingdom Come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. How does that happen? As the Lamb sheds his blood and redeems a people for God and transforms them even here and now, and the rule and reign of Heaven is seen on the earth. What a glorious picture. There is even a picture on the earth of the worship that the Lamb receives before the throne, when we gather one day and seven to offer him the very same thing. The Lion and the Lamb are worthy. The lion and the Lamb are worthy. Jesus is the lion of the tribe of Judah and the root of David. And he does open this scroll and inaugurate the judgment and justice of God against the wicked. And as the people of God, we cry out, by the way there are these prayers. Let me say, a worried about these prayers. There are these incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And as we go forward in the Book of Revelation, what you find is that there are prayers of the saints that continue to go up. What these are? These are prayers of the martyrs who continue to cry out, how long? How long? How long before? What? How long before you vindicate us? Oh God, how long before you've indicated us? We were faithful to you unto death. They killed us. How long before you've indicated us? So the context here is that there are these prayers of the saints. Prayers are the saints for what? Well, what else makes sense here in the context of this particular passage. The President the saints for what? President? The President the saints for for you know, to have a good day tomorrow, to have a good day at school. No, what's the scroll? The scroll is the justice of God and the judgment of God that is poured out on the wicked. That's what the scroll is. And in conjunction with that, it is the redemption of God's elect in the midst of the judgment that is poured out on the wicked, and the inheritance for God's elect In that context, these prayers are the prayers that cry out, how long prayers are martyrs who say, when are we going to be vindicated? And the answer is soon and in due season, and when it happens, when the vindication comes. The vindication is not one that is meant to puff up those who have been martyred, but to make much of the lamb, who, by the way, was martyred. That's the picture. The lion and the lamb are worthy of worship. And as you go through the rest of your day and the rest of your life, please don't be satisfied with a skewed, partial, one sided view of who Jesus is. Yes, he is the Lamb of God, and for that we are grateful. But he is also the lion of the tribe of Judah, and for that we must be grateful as well. Because our desire is that the justice of God would reign. It's the very thing that makes us hate sin even in ourselves. We long for it. We yearn for it. The Psalmist wrote of it again and again and again, and it will come. But in the meantime it may look like the wicked prosper it may look like justice is delayed. But don't you dare weep and wail because John just showed you that there is one in heaven who is worthy to open this groll and to loosen its seals. He is the second person of the Trinity. He is Jesus Christ. He is the Lion and the Lamb. He is our Savior, our King, our Master, our Lord, our elder brother, our bridegroom, and our friend. Would youbaie with me?