Turn with me to the book of Revelation
chapter 5. Revelation chapter 5. John, from an earlier passage, was
in the Spirit on the Lord's Day to be, as we considered before
in the Spirit. It means to have been given or
to have spiritual perception. Therefore, all believers, in
a sense, though I do realize that this is an exceptional or
extraordinary vision that has been given to the Apostle John,
but all you that believe, all you that have been given a heart
by the Lord God Himself to perceive the things of God, to hear the
things of God, to understand the things of God are by God's
grace, not by any works that we've done, or by any ability
that we have, but are in the Spirit. A door has been opened
in heaven, and John said he saw one like unto the jasper stone,
sardine stone, upon the throne, without going back over all those
things and what they meant. And around the throne, he said
there were 24 elders on 24 thrones, and it represented the total
number of all the redeemed. Now, there's one thing that we
need to be reminded of. Here, John witnesses when he
sees the 24 elders. all of God's redeemed. All of
them. John sees in a vision things
as they are right now. Back in Romans chapter 8, I understand
that you and I, and this is the way it is because of the frailty
of our flesh, God Almighty is the Amen. All things are now. with God, always have been. I
mean, even the word now, right now, is insignificant. God is
eternal. Romans 8, 29 and 30, for whom
He did foreknow. That is to say, knew beforehand. He did predestinate. He determined
the destination beforehand, to be conformed to the image of
his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."
Now, I want you to notice something. These next words that are used
in this 30th verse are written in, as they are, the past tense. For whom He did predestinate,
them He also called, Whom He called, them He also justified. Whom He justified, them He also
glorified." God's people in the eternal purpose
of Almighty God are seated with Christ right now. You say, I don't understand that.
I understand that. I perceive that statement. But
that's the way it is. And John sees in heaven things
as they are. There's all. They're there. You
say, well, that seems to not compute with this is the way
it is. John is beholding the twenty-four
elders as representatives of all God's elect. Twenty-four
elders on twenty-four thrones. No seat not taken. All of God's
people from all eternity there. Now, out of the throne, according
to verse 5 of chapter 4, there proceeds lightnings and thunders
and voices, it says. That word is disclosures. John is seeing into heaven, and
he sees the throne of God. Lightning, thunder, and disclosures,
and seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are
the seven spirits of God, complete, and a sea of glass. The settled
standing, as I said, all of these things that we've dealt with,
just to bring us back up to where we are, the settled standing
of God's people before the throne and in the midst of the throne
and round about the throne were four beasts, four cherubims,
full of eyes before and behind omniscient are these cherubim. Now, not last week, Brother Henry
was here, but week four last dealt with these cherubim. And I will obviously not go over
everything that I went over there, but to remind you, these cherubim
are emblems. They serve as an emblem of the
glorious persons of the Godhead in their covenant engagements
to redeem our fallen nature, all united with the manhood of
the Lord Jesus Christ. They speak of the revelation
of God whose face no man can see and live, or that is to say,
be saved. Now this is, I'm going to just
in 25 words or less, I'm going to try to say something that
I hope will make it more understandable in my thinking, in my looking
and asking, praying, that the Lord would give me some insight
into these cherubim. All of the things that were ever
said concerning these cherubim are always in the midst of the
throne, in the middle of the throne. They are types. Now, when we go back in the Old
Testament and we look and we see the ark that Noah and his
wife and sons and their wives got into, it's not hard for us
to perceive that that ark was a picture of Christ. You see
that. I can understand that. It's not
hard for me to perceive the rock that followed the nation of Israel
out of which the water came. I can perceive and I understand
that's a picture of Christ. Understand it. The brazen serpent. The mercy seat. There are types
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, obviously, they're not Christ. But they are types and pictures
of Christ. Earthly symbols. The table of
showbread. The brazen altar. You say, that's
a type of Christ. It's a type of Christ. Earthly
emblems. Earthly figures that I understand. That's who these cherubim are.
They're heavenly types that set forth the Lord Jesus Christ gloriously. That's why when we looked at
them, one of them had the face of a man. One of them had the
face of a calf. Or as Ezekiel said, the face
of an ox. One had the face of a lion. One
had the face of an eagle. And they had wings, and with
two of the wings they covered in Isaiah's vision Over the throne
they covered their face. This is what they were saying.
They were types. God Almighty is holy and no man
looks upon His face and lives. With two of the wings they covered
their feet. The providence of Almighty God is hidden. No man
knows. They're setting forth the glory
of Christ. When I look at the ark, when
Noah got in it, I can say, I see Christ, my surety. But you say, that was just a
piece of wood. I understand that. But remember,
the cherubim are set forth in Strong's Concordance as an imaginary
thing. That's the definition, Neil.
Look it up. Cherubim, an imaginary thing. Well, they're not imaginary in
the sense that it's not there, that I just made it up. But as
I was telling someone the other day, I can look at that tree
right out that back window right there, and I can see a tree.
And in my mind, in my understanding, in my heart, I perceive Christ
the vine and we are the branches. Well, somebody says, no, that's
a tree. Well, I see Him though. It's
not imaginary in the sense that it's not there, that it's not
real. The cherubim, they are the emblems,
the manifestation. Just like in the human form,
in the ark, in the brazen serpent, in the rock, those are types. John sees these as types or setting
forth the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, okay, let's get into chapter
5 now. Chapter 5, we are going to look
at the worthiness of the Lamb to open the book. That's what
I've entitled this. message. Worthy is the Lamb. The Scripture says in verse 1
of chapter 5, and I saw in the right hand of him that sat on
the throne a book. And it was written within and
on the back side, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong
angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open
the book? and to loose the seals thereof. And no man in heaven nor in earth,
neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither
to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man
was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to
look thereon." It was a book, the Scripture says, that was
in the right hand of Him that set on the throne. So I know,
concerning this book, that it was a personal book protected
by the very power of Him who is all-powerful and almighty. What book is this? What book
are we talking about? Well, there are three books spoken
of in the book of the Revelation. Number one, there's a book that's
known or set forth as the book of life. In Revelation, just
turn back possibly one page there to chapter 3, Revelation 3 and
verse 4 and 5, and the Lord said as He wrote to the church at
Sardis through the Apostle John, He says, Thou hast a few names
even in Sardis. which have not defiled their
garments, and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are
worthy. He that overcometh the same shall
be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name
out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before
My Father and before His angels." Now look over in Revelation 13
verse 8, the Scripture says, that dwell upon the earth shall
worship Him whose names are not written in the book of life of
the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world." And then one more
in Revelation 17 and verse 8, the Scripture says, "...the beast
that thou sawest..." This is not one of the four beasts. We'll
see this later. But the beast which thou sawest
was, and is not, and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and
go into perdition. And they that dwell on the earth
shall wonder whose names were not written in the book of life
from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that
was, and is not, and yet is." So the first book that we are
talking about right here is the book of life. It is the book
that contains the names or the memory of or the knowledge of. It's referred to as a book. But
it is God Almighty's knowledge of, affection for, love toward
all those from every kindred, tongue, people and nation that
the Father chose in Christ that should be holy and without blame
before Him in love." The book of life. God's book. The book of Christ. The book
in Christ. Christ the book. The book of
life. So that's the first book. The
book of life. That's not what this book is. The second book
that's referred to, we find recorded or spoken of in the 20th chapter
of Revelation. Revelation chapter 12. Revelation
20 and verse 12. And the Scripture says, And I
saw the dead, small and great, stand before God. And the books,
notice that plural, the books were opened. And another book
was opened, which is the book of life, the one we just looked
at. And the dead were judged out of those things which were
written in the books according to their works." Now turn back
to Daniel chapter 7. Daniel 7 verse 9 and 10. Daniel chapter 7 verse 9 and 10. Daniel says, you'll find that
as we're going through the book of the Revelation, there's a
lot of cross-referencing between Revelation, Daniel and Ezekiel
and Isaiah. But he says in Daniel 7, 9, I
beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the ancient of
days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of
his head like the pure wool His throne was like a fiery flame,
His wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came
forth from before Him. Thousand thousands ministered
unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him,
and the judgment was set, and the books were opened." Now here
we have, according to Daniel, In Revelation, Revelation says
the books were opened and every man was judged according to his
works. The first book, the book of life,
the names of all God's people written, recorded in God's will,
purpose eternally. Book of life. Here's a book of
works. It says in the great day of judgment, all the books are
going to be opened. Book of life. and the books. And every man is going to be
judged out of the books, which is the books of his works. Now here we have in these books,
when the books are open, the works which includes everything
concerning a man. Everything that he's done, everything
that he's said, everything that he's thought. It's all going
to be open of all who trusted in themselves for righteousness
and not the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. These
books reveal God's knowledge of man's wicked heart and the
inescapable surety of being exposed in their guilt. are going to be opened. Let me
just read this to you. You just stay there. I'll just
read this out of Matthew 9, verse 1 to 4. It says, He entered into
a ship and passed over and came into His own city. And behold,
they brought to Him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed,
and Jesus seeing their faith. I was reading that this morning
and I thought, oh, the omniscience of Him with whom we dwell. And we have to deal. He saw their
faith. You know, I can look around and
you look around and we see others and we think we see evidences
of faith. The Lord God does. He saw their
faith. And He said unto the sick of
the palsy, Son, be of good cheer. Thy sins be forgiven thee. And
behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, this
man blasphemes. And Jesus, knowing their thoughts,
said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? The books of
man's works are going to be opened for all those whose names were
written in the book of life, in Christ. They thought just
like every man else has thought. But there's one great exception.
All of their evil deeds, evil thoughts, evil words, evil actions
are under the blood. That's all their hope. But all
outside Christ are going to be judged according to their works
in absolute, strict justice. And the soul that sinneth is
going to die. if a man be found with his sin
imputed to him. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute sin." Oh, now that's a blessed man. So
here we see the second book, the book of works. The Lord Jesus
Christ, back in Matthew 7, verse 21, Verse 23, the Scripture says,
Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father,
which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day,
Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name
have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful
works? And then will I profess unto
them, I never knew you. Depart from Me, ye that work
iniquity. Not every one that saith unto
Me, Lord, Lord, but he that doeth the will of My Father." Just
as a Scripture of remembrance. What is the will of the Father?
He that doeth the will of the Father. What is that? John 6
verse 40 says this, This is the will of Him that sent me, that
every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have
everlasting life, and I will raise him up the last day. O
Lord, grant me a heart to believe You, to trust You, for outside
of God's grace to grant a man, a woman, a heart to believe. They will not. They cannot do
the will of God. But then there's a third book,
and this is the book which we're speaking this morning. It's called
the book of God's decrees respecting His church and all occurrences,
all events which shall happen from the beginning to the end
of time. The book. The reason that I know
that it is the book of God's decrees is because in Psalm chapter
2 and verses 1 to 7, it says, Why do the heathen rage and the
people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves
and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against
His anointed. saying, Let us break their bands
asunder, and cast away their cords for us. He that sitteth
in the heavens shall laugh. The Lord shall have them in derisions.
Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in
his sore displeasures. Yet have I set my King upon my
holy hill of Zion. The King will say, I will declare
the decree. The Lord has said unto me, Thou
art my Son. This day have I begotten Thee."
I will declare the decree. The Lord Jesus Christ said, as
we've quoted time and time again, no man hath seen the Father. No man hath seen God at any time. The only begotten Son hath declared. That's what it says. Him is in
italics. He's declared. It's understood.
that it's God. But no man has seen God at any
time. The only begotten Son hath declared.
What is He going to declare? According to Psalm 2, I'll declare
the decrees of God Almighty that He has concerning His people. The decree that Christ declares
is the everlasting decree of peace for a chosen people by
the blood and righteousness of the Lamb slain as the sinner's
substitute. He has declared that it is the
decree. That is, it is the official and
settled decision. That's what a decree is. An official
that has the authority says, I make a decree. This is the
way he puts his stamp on it. This is what it's going to be.
Jehovah Himself has set forth the Lord Jesus Christ as the
one who declares the decree. And this is it. Whosoever believeth
on Him shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life.
So this book that is set forth here, it says, I saw in the right
hand of Him that sat on the throne a book. And from this chapter
forward, everything this book is going to be. That's why I
took just a little extra time that we might understand that
the book of Revelation is the setting forth of the book of
God's decree. And now this book, the Scripture
says, was written within and on the backside. That is to say,
it was completed, filled up, no space when John saw it, when
it was written on the Backside, frontside, it was all over. It's
not like I could take a piece of paper. I've got some notes
right here and I could take it right up here. I might run down
here a little bit. I might be able to get it. Not
this one. This book was written within and without, backside. There was no space whatsoever. Nothing. It was completely filled
up and contains the whole counsel of Almighty God. The decrees
and designs of God are fixed. This book is written. There is
no variableness. There is no shadow of turning
with Almighty God. And these decrees are a matter
of record, written down, shall not change. Matthew 4.35 says,
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. That which God Almighty has declared,
it is. And this book that was written
within and on the back side was sealed with seven seals. It's a record that is known to
none but God Himself. No man, no man knows. It's a secret book, complete,
immutable. In Isaiah chapter 29 verse 11
and 12 concerning This book, Isaiah 29, verse 11
and 12, it says, And the vision of all is coming to you as the
words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that
is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee. And he saith, I
cannot, for it is sealed. And the book is delivered to
him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee, and he
saith, I am not learned." If someone brings a book, now unless
you're a Hebrew scholar or something like that and you can actually
read Hebrew. Now I can read this, you know,
because it's written in English. But if this was written in Hebrew
and someone were to show this to me and say, would you read
that to me? Hmm, can't do it. That's sealed. I can't see it. I don't perceive. I don't know
what that is. Well, don't you think that that's...
No, I don't know. It's sealed. So this record is
a sealed record. Sealed with seven seals. Perfectly
sealed. No man knows it but God Almighty. And He says in verse 2, I saw
a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice. And He said, Who
is worthy? to open the book and to loose
the seals thereof." Now, just like John was given seven letters
to the seven churches, that is to say, it was a perfect message
to all the churches for all of time. Remember, the book started
with the book of Ephesus, the first letter. all the way to
the book at Laodicea, to the church at Laodicea. All seven
letters were to Katie Baptist Church. They're all seven letters. It's a perfect message to God's
church. Seven letters. Perfect letters. There's not seven dispensations,
as I said before, if it was seven periods of time and six of them
were already gone and had no significance to us Right now,
well, let's just skip the first six. Let's just get down to what
pertains to us today. But every letter was to every
church. There's not a person in this
congregation this morning, as was stated in the book to Ephesus,
that hasn't left their first love. Every one of us have. All
of us have. And to the book at Laodicea,
there's not a person in and of themselves that is not lukewarm.
And the Lord's will to every one of us is that we would be
hot and cold. That was His will. And for all
those called out of darkness, they are hot and cold. If you
didn't hear the message, go back and get that one. I won't go
over that one again. I'm running out of time, Ben.
So now John has written these seven letters to seven churches.
a message to all of them. And just like he hears this proclamation
that has been made throughout the whole realm of man's existence. Remember, John is seeing as things
are right now in heaven and as they always have been in time. It's an amazing thing. This is
not a one-time thing. I saw a strong angel proclaiming
with a loud voice and has been proclaiming. The voice of this
angel has reached to the uttermost parts of heaven and earth. As
I said, not just a one-time proclamation. A strong angel or a mighty messenger
is what that means. Proclaiming, that is, preaching. with a loud voice, the word loud
there means greatest, the greatest voice or the greatest disclosure. He says, who is worthy to open,
to unveil the meaning? Who is worthy to open? Who is
worthy to set forth the meaning of this book and to loose or
to break the seals thereof? Now, it doesn't take a rocket
scientist to figure out that this strong angel sets forth
the glorious person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Probably, though
it's not stated, I believe that it's so, Linda. I believe that
this is Christ Himself, the mighty angel. The strongest, the mightiest
angel is what that word insinuates. The messenger of God Almighty
who has preached through pastors, through types, through shadows,
from the Garden of Eden until the end of time with the greatest
of speech, all things said by Him through types and figures
a man is standing before you this morning. What does Paul
say? We preach to you in Christ's stead. This is God's message. I'm saying this. These are the
words of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. So therefore, if we
get right down to it, who is the mighty angel? Who is the
mighty messenger? It's Christ Himself. And the Scripture says that this
strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, and he said, Who's
worthy? Who is worthy to open? Not just simply able, but worthy. Who is deserving? Who deserves
the right? Who has the right to open the
book and to loose the seals thereof? Now with this question, every
creature must honestly consider his own worthiness or unworthiness. Personal dignity. Who is worthy? Who has the moral fitness to
open this? Or in other words, who is righteous
enough? Who is holy enough? Who is worthy? to open this book and to loose
the seals thereof. And John says, And no man in
heaven nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to
open the book, neither to look thereon. No man. That word, no man, that's one
word. No man. Not two words in the Greek. It's one word. No man. No man. It does mean none or nobody or
nothing, but it's one word. No man. For example, the same
words is used where it says, no man can serve two masters. Nobody. No man knoweth the Son,
but the Father. No man has seen God at any time. And he says, no man in heaven,
that is, resting in the eternal dwelling of God, because the
word in, I-N, where it says no man in heaven, there's two different
words for in. In heaven, nor in earth. Those two words, I-N, right there,
are two different words. One of them means no man in heaven. That word in there means to dwell
in eternal dwelling in heaven eternally. Stay there forever. No man. Or, no man in earth. That word, in, means superimposed
for a while. In earth. We're just here for
a while. This is just our dwelling place
for a while. We're just like pilgrims for
a while. So, no man. No man. In heaven, no man in earth, no
man under the earth, beneath the earth was able to open the
book, neither to look thereon. No man was able. It just wasn't
possible because no man was worthy. That is, no creature, no one
as born in Adam, no created angel, nothing, no one, nobody was able. created being was able, because
no man was worthy to open or to take the object and reveal
the entire contents of it, the purpose of it, neither to look
thereon. That look thereon is kind of
a, we don't get the exact meaning of it. Neither to look thereon
means to give heed or to make a guess at. No man was even worthy
to make a stab at it, Neil, not even guess. No man said, well,
I tell you what I think, you're not worthy to think. Well, I
tell you what my opinion is, who cares? No man's worthy. You're not worthy
to even think about it. No man's worthy to open it. No
man is able to open it because of unworthiness. No man's even
worthy to make a guess at it. That's unworthy. I can't even
make a stab at it. And I wept much. After this verse,
I'll just stop. I wept much because No man was
found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look their
own. Now remember, this is a vision. I know it's a vision. I'll show
you why. I'm perfectly sure. Look at Revelation 9.17. John
said concerning the horses, and thus I saw the
horses in the vision, and them that sat on them having breastplates
of fire and of jacinth, brimstone, the heads of the horses were
the heads of lions, and out of their mouths issued fire and
smoke and brimstone." The point that I want to make is this.
This is a vision in the sense that John is actually on the
earth. And he's seeing. A door has been
opened and he's seeing heaven as it is. But knowing that it
is a vision is how we can understand why the statement is made, and
I wept much. You see, the word vision in the
Scripture we just read, Revelation 9, 17, is the same word, to look,
in Revelation 4.3. And he that sat was to look upon
like jasper in a sardine stone. He was a vision. In Revelation
4.3 also, the word sight means the same thing. He says there
was a rainbow round about the throne in sight, like unto an
emerald. It was a vision. He saw John
is on the earth. The reason that I made that statement,
made such an issue out of it being a vision, it says, and
I wept much. John is here weeping and weeping
a lot. He is a man on earth in the spirit
sorrowing. And in heaven, according to Revelation
7, 17, God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. There
won't be any weeping in heaven. But here, John's mind is kept
in suspense for the greater joy that's going to follow. One would
ask, but wasn't John the one that leaned upon the Lord's breast? Yes. Wasn't John One of the ones that
was on the Mount of Transfiguration and saw just a glimmer of the
glory of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself? Yes. Wasn't the ascension? Wasn't John standing? The same
John. Wasn't he standing there? in
the first chapter of the book of Acts when the Lord just ascended
into heaven and a cloud received Him out of their sight? Yes. And you're saying that John,
when this strong angel said, Who is worthy to open the books
and to loose the seals thereof? in heaven or under the earth
was found able to open the book and to reveal God's eternal decrees
to His people. When no man was found worthy
to open it up and disclose what God Almighty has got to say,
John began to weep. Doesn't it seem like John would
remember that? Surely, you're not saying John
would forget, let me ask you this, do you ever need remembering? Do you ever need to be reminded
afresh until it be revealed afresh to you? You don't know. I need a fresh
reminder right now. I don't have the capability.
Someone says, but I can remember, Marvin, what you just preached
Wednesday. I can remember what Brother Henry
preached. I remember what Brother Scott just read. I remember all
that. You know why you remember? Because He's given you a heart.
He said, without Me, you can't do anything. You can't even remember
of the mercy and grace of Almighty God. We're passing through the
Valley of Baca. The valley of weeping. And Scripture
says, they that sow in tears. John says, I saw no man was worthy
and I wept much. Why? Because I wanted to know. We sow in tears and we'll reap
in joy. And Scripture says, and with
this I'm going to close. And Lord willing, I'll just pick
it up tonight. And one of the angels stood up and said, Weep
not. Behold, the line of the tribe
of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book
and to loose the seven seals thereof. Don't cry. Don't weep. I've got some good
news for you. I've got some great joy. for
you. Behold the Lamb. Gary, you come later.