SueAnn Porter

Yes, this song was originally done by the Kinks, and later done by the Pretenders.  Hang in there, I am going somewhere with this. 😉

I read this passage yesterday from the book of Revelation Chapter 5. John tells us in Chapter 4 that he saw an open door in heaven. And the voice told him, “Come up here, and I will show you must take place in the future.”

Then moving into the beginning of Chapter 5:

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.

² Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” ³ 

And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

⁴ So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.

*** Spoiler Alert: Someone IS worthy to open and read the scroll, but we’re not there yet.

It doesn’t say how much time passed between the angel asking “Who is worthy to open the scroll?” and The One Who is Worthy steps forward. But there was a time of questioning, looking around, looking at heaven, the earth and under the earth, looking for who can open the scroll. John didn’t see an answer to the question. Then John wept much. He had himself a good sob.

Here’s where our timing and God’s timing are different. To John, it felt like an impossible situation: no one could be found who was worthy, and he sobbed. In reality Jesus was probably just getting up off His throne to answer the question. Many times in my life I look around and can’t find the answer anywhere and wonder “where is my answer?” and sob my little heart out. But God’s timing is not the same as ours, and He’s not in a panic like I am.

To continue Chapter 5:

⁵ But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”

⁶ And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. ⁷ Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

One of the elders tells John, “Do not weep.” Stop your sobbing!  “Look! The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David–He is worthy to open the scroll.”

John looked and in the midst of the throne, the four living creatures and the elders, stood a Lamb. Jesus was standing. Jesus then came over and took the scroll out of the right hand of God the Father.

Continuing:

⁸ Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. ⁹ 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,
¹⁰ And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”

¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

¹³ And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

¹⁴ Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.

The scroll hasn’t been opened yet. We don’t know what’s inside it yet. Instead of bugging Jesus, “What does it say? Open it, we’re curious!” everyone stops and praises Jesus. It IS a big deal after all. No one else is worthy to open the scroll. He deserves to be praised. The answer is here, and we need to stop and praise Him.

[In Chapter 6, Jesus begins opening the seals on the scroll. That’s a story for another day.}

So I will try to stop my sobbing when the answers don’t arrive quickly enough for my liking, and remember that the elders hold my prayers in golden bowls in heaven, to be poured out in God’s timing.