Verse by Verse

Hi. I'm Jeremy, and this is verse by verse. A short podcast all about exploring the insights and lessons of the inspired word of God. The book of Revelation is a recorded vision that the apostle John received from Jesus Christ, and it is a whirlwind. It gives us some important glimpses into the events that will play out as the world we know comes to an end, and the kingdom of God is established on the earth.

But those glimpses can be incredibly confusing. They rely on symbolism and illusions that have perplexed readers for nearly 2000 years. Now we do have a couple

booklets on understanding prophecy in general and understanding revelation specifically and you can find those in

the show notes. But one of the key symbols of revelation is a rolled up scroll held by God the father. It's sealed with 7 seals, and those seals correspond to key end time events. When John first sees this scroll in his vision, he's weeping. Revelation 5:3 says, no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look at it.

This important document, this important progression of end time events that culminates in the kingdom of God, no one in John's vision is qualified to open it up. And that's when John sees the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, a lamb looking as if it had been slain with 7 horns and 7 eyes. All this symbolism represents the resurrected Jesus Christ, having conquered both sin and death through his sacrifice. As Jesus takes the scroll in John's vision, some of the heavenly beings around God's throne begin singing a song of praise to Christ on behalf of God's people. Today, we're looking at the first part of that song in Revelation 5 verse 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. Now that song is continued by the host of angels around God's throne. The number of them was 10000 times 10000 and 1000 of 1000, verse 11. And finally, by every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the sea and such as are in the sea, verse 13. After this incredible display of praise, Jesus begins opening the seals 1 by 1.

As the seals are opened, all manner of devastation begins plaguing the earth. False religion, war, famine, disease. The earth is shaken. The sun turns black. The moon becomes like blood.

The stars of heaven begin to fall. The sky recedes like a scroll, and every mountain and island on the planet is moved out of its place. These are not pleasant events, and if you've read the rest of the book then you know that it gets much much worse before it gets better, but it does get better. It gets better than it's ever been before. It gets better than it could possibly ever be if God left us all to our own devices.

The kingdom of God will be a time when finally, finally, everything that we've managed to break or damage during our time on this planet will be remade and improved. No more injustice. No more pain and suffering. No more cruelty and greed and selfishness that grinds down the lives of others and reduces our own lives to empty shells. The world will finally become what it should have been all along, but we can't get there on our own.

The human race has proven over and over again that we don't know how to get there on our own. And as dark, and as scary, and as intimidating as the 7 seals are on that scroll, a world where those seals stay shut and God's kingdom never arrives is infinitely more terrifying. I don't personally look forward to seeing what will happen to the world as that scroll is unfurled. It's going to be humanity's darkest hour. But I am glad that there's someone worthy of taking that scroll and opening it, Because without him, none of us would have the opportunity to be part of humanity's brightest future.

Verse by Verse is a companion podcast to the daily bible verse blog, which you can find on the Life, Hope, and Truth Learning Center. Check out the show notes for more.