Absolutely No One but Christ

12/14 Reading Portions: 2 Chronicles 16; Revelation 5; Zechariah 1; John 4

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12/14 Reading Portions: 2 Chronicles 16; Revelation 5; Zechariah 1; John 4

Revelation 5:3

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

SCROLL

The scene opens with a sealed scroll in God’s right hand (Rev 5:1). Then a mighty angel proclaims loudly,

“Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” Revelation 5:2

Not merely an angel, but a mighty angel. John, as a believer and disciple of Christ, understands that this is a rhetorical question since he writes what we are considering in our verse today. The Holy Spirit has caused John to recognize two important truths from the question, and his subsequent commentary: first, the need for the scroll to be opened; and second, the hopelessness that no one in all creation can open the scroll— not angels (in heaven), not innocent animals or fallen mankind (on earth), not demonic fallen angels (under the earth). So devastating are these two truths that it caused John to weep loudly (Rev 5:4). John received the command not to weep, and was comforted by the reason; that the Lord Jesus Christ, has indeed…

“…conquered, so that He can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:5

I wrote a devotional on Revelation 5:5 three years ago, which you can read by clicking here. In that devotional, I described why this scroll is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

For our meditation today, our verse in Revelation 5:3 is a verse meant to cause us to consider the singularity of Jesus Messiah as our only Hope of salvation, as well as the heart He gives us for the lost once He has saved us. When God said, “Light be” (Gen 1:3), it was His plan all along to redeem the planet, to show Himself glorious through Jesus the Son of God for the good of His created universe. Any other avenue to His throne, any other path to His presence, and any other way to His wonderful goodness was the acme of foolishness. None of God’s creation could do what He alone could do, must do, to secure His creation’s eternity. All hope, all love, and all joy is found by grace through faith in Christ alone. So powerful is this truth, that when believers hear the gospel call, “Who is worthy to open the scroll…” or “Who is worthy to dispense the gospel?” not only should the Christian believer acknowledge that it is Christ alone, but it should also stir us, sometimes even to weep for the lost. The powerful truth of the gospel took away the Lord’s appetite for mere food (John 4:31-32). Have you ever been stirred in your soul, even to the point of weeping over the hopeless condition of the lost? I’m pretty sure you have. This is the effect of the gospel on you and me as believers when we are in the presence of God in Christ. We become undone, like Isaiah of old; and when asked by the Lord Jesus,

“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah 6:8

…will our answer be like Isaiah’s: “Here I am! Send me.”?