Friday, February 16, 2024

Open the Book

So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. Revelation 5:4

I love God’s word!  My desire is to be consumed by it!  To fill up my life so completely with it that it flows from me like a river of love wherever I go.  I want my life and activities to reflect the goodness of God contained in it and to be a walking demonstration of all that God reveals to us from His word.

As we begin reading today in chapter 5 of Revelation, the apostle John continued to write about what he saw in heaven at the throne of God.  He saw a scroll in the hand of Him who sat on the throne.  Essentially, a scroll is like a book, it is a written document, but it is rolled up and this one is sealed with the seal of God signifying who the message on the scroll is from.  Later on in this chapter we will read that this scroll contains the answers to the prayers of God’s people on the earth. Our heavenly Father who is sitting on the throne is holding up the scroll and a very powerful angel asked the question of “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break the seals.  Everyone there recognized that they are not the person to open the scroll.  It became so evident that John started weeping, and not just a few tears, the passage says he wept much.  This was no doubt an ugly cry.  So ugly that the elders noticed him crying and give him hope that Jesus is coming to open the message from God.  John knew that the scroll was God’s message, God’s Word and he desired to have it opened and know it so much that when it seems like he couldn’t get to it, he cried uncontrollably.

What a picture this is of what our desire for God’s word should be like today.  That we would want to know God’s word to the degree that we hung on every word and looked forward to every opportunity to read, meditate and focus on it.  The access we have today to God’s word is greater than any other time in history.  Along with that comes the greatest responsibility to know what is in His Word.  The scroll that was in the hand of God in this heavenly scene had the answers on it to the prayers of God’s people that were suffering on the earth (see vs. 8). Likewise, His timeless book that we can hold in our hands and hearts every day has answers for us and what we are going through today.  Oh, that we would saturate our lives in it while we still time and that we would live our lives governed by this book of God and His kingdom principles that He gives in it. God’s ways are our owners manual for how things were designed to operate in this world. When you follow the manual, you will have no missing parts.

Today I want to encourage you to stir up your desire for God’s word and His message of hope for whatever you are facing in life.  Take time to read, meditate and dwell in His words that contain everything you need to be successful in your mission and purpose for Him.  Make any adjustments to your habits and attitudes that need to come into agreement with His kingdom principles and then your answers to the prayers you have been looking for will show up and you will give Him the glory that He is worthy to receive!

Today’s scripture reading: Revelation 5:1-7

1 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. 

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.