THE SEVEN SEALED
BOOK (Revelation 5:1-4)
Bro. Micael
Jacob
WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT
NO MAN WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE BOOK?
The book contains the
events of the future. Since time immemorial there have been those who
tried to unveil the future. Charlatans, Soothsayers, Spiritualists, Magicians,
Astrologers and Fortune tellers have pretended to have power to foretell events
to come. But except they have received revelation from God, all are
helpless.
WAS THIS THE REASON FOR
JOHN'S WEEPING BECAUSE NO ONE HAD BEEN FOUND WORTHY TO OPEN THE BOOK AND READ
WHAT THE FUTURE HELD ?
No. There is much more
involved. To fully understand the meaning of the seven-sealed book and the
opening of its seals, we must understand something of what man has lost by sin.
In the beginning, man was made in the image of God and given dominion over the
earth. However, in his yielding to Satan's temptation in the Garden, a terrible
change took place. Man's dominion was transferred to the devil. Satan says, Luke
4: 5-6......." And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give Thee, and
the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me". In the Fall, man came under
the curse of sin, sickness and death.
The book in the hand of
Him that sat on the throne, evidently contains the title-deed of the earth. In
the scene portrayed in Rev 4 and 5, the time has come for the whole
earth to be restored to its rightful heirs. The price of the redemption was paid
by Christ.
But the question is, who
will open the seals and demand possession. John looked for someone in heaven or
earth who could match the power of Satan, loose the seals. But he looked in
vain, until one of the Elders said - " Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe
of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the
seven seals thereof". (Rev 5:.5).
THE LAW OF THE KINSMAN
REDEEMER
WHY COULD NOT AN ANGEL
HAVE BEEN FOUND WORTHY TO OPEN THE BOOK AND LOOSE THE SEALS ?
An angel is unqualified.
According to the law of inheritance, only a near kinsman may redeem a lost
possession. Neither angel nor archangels qualify'; they are of a different
order. Moreover, among those of the human race, no man in heaven or earth could
be found worthy to perform the act of redemption. When John saw that there was
no one to open the book, and therefore, no hope of redemption, it is small
wonder that he wept. But John's sorrow was brief, for Christ appeared on the
scene. He being the near kinsman was both qualified and worthy. This
is beautifully illustrated in the story of Boaz and Ruth ( Ruth 4:1-12)
Christ has the right of
redemption:
i) by this reason of
His incarnation in a human body and becoming a near - kinsman (Luke 1:30 -35)
ii) by His ransom of the
race, accomplished on the Cross (Math. 20 : 28).
So He takes the book and
proceeds to dispossess Satan and his angels who have usurped the possession. The
inheritance will now be redeemed and given to those to whom it is rightfully
due.
IS THIS PROMISE OF THE
REDEMPTION OF THE PURCHASED POSSESSION ANTICIPATED ELSEWHERE IN THE NEW
TESTAMENT ?
Yes. Paul speaks of it in
Ephesians 1: 13-14 "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye
were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our
inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of
His glory".
Here we are told that
Christ seals His promise with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is the
earnest of our inheritance until the day of the redemption of the purchased
possession. With the rapture of the Saints (Rev 4), this event now begins to
unfold. |