THE SCROLL

Today’s Reading: Revelation 5 

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

This is a several hundred year old Torah scroll that is on display in the “Quick Study” TV studio in Orangeville, Ontario. Rod Hembree, a former producer of the 100 Huntley Street daily TV show, is now host of “Quick Study.”

Key Verse: Revelation 5:9

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.

Jim and Kathy Cantelon write today’s 100 Words segment (originally published in Crossroads’ “Day Unto Day” devotional series)…

John now sees a “scroll” in “the right hand of Him who sat on the throne” (verse 1). It has writing on both sides and is sealed with seven seals. The value of its message is so great that no one “in Heaven or on earth” can break the seals and read it (verse 3). John laments, but then hears one of the elders say, “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals” (verse 5).

But, rather than a Lion, John sees a Lamb, “looking as if it had been slain, standing in the centre of the throne” (verse 6). The multi-dimensional factor is very evident here, in that “the One who sat on the throne” (verses 1, 7b) is still sitting there, even while the Lamb is at the “centre of the throne.” His “seven horns and seven eyes” represent “the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth” (verse 6). The “seven spirits” were previously described as seven lamps, but in this instance they may be a reflection of the seven eyes of God in Zechariah 4:10, “which range throughout the earth”.

The seven horns speak of power – omnipotence. The seven eyes speak of knowledge – omniscience. The Lamb of God is all-knowing and all-powerful. He is, in every way, very God. He is the only One “worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals” (verse 9). He and the One “who sits on the throne” are One. The hosts of Heaven sing, “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!” (verse 13). The Lamb is worthy!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I join the billions of people who, along with the angels, say with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain!” “Worthy!” “Worthy!” “Worthy!” I believe in Your infinite worth, Lamb of God. In You there is power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing. I speak as just one of that great multitude, and I’m confident that You hear me. As the hymn writer put it, “I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, and wonder how He could love me, a sinner condemned, unclean. How marvellous! How wonderful, then my song shall ever be! How marvellous! How wonderful is my Saviour’s love for me.” Amen and amen!!! (David’s prayer and the prayer of all who will join him)

100 PERSONAL WORDS:.

In our worship service in church recently we sang with a great congregation the Words of Revelation 5:12-13. I was lifted in spirit into the throne room of Heaven to join the 100 billion or so worshippers (5:11) in singing “Worthy is the Lamb!” (click here to join in). According to reports, there were at least 1,000,000,000 (one billion) here on earth in church Sunday morning who were singing hymns of worship to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Yours for the day when the saints go marching in. I want to be in that number, and by God’s grace alone, I will!!!,

David

P.S. My son-in-law, Bruce Stacey, wrote a magnificent musical work called, The Scroll. It was the centrepiece musical work for our Crossroads “Pavilion of Promise” at three of the four World Expositions in which Crossroads participated. Revelation 5 was his inspiration for this composition.

Close-up view of a Hebrew scroll. Rod Hembree has the most interesting artifacts on his TV show.