The Lord has had me lingering in Revelation 5 during my footstool time recently. There are remarkable truths to be found in every page of Scripture but some of the things in Revelation 5 are blowing me away. In verse 2, when John saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice (by the way, there are some angels stronger than others, and there are times when we can see them and hear them speak) “Who is worthy to open the book and break its seals?” This was a rhetorical question because everyone and every creature in this heavenly scene knew already who the One was that could open the book and look into it and break it seals. John was weeping when no one was found who is worthy, but he was the only one in the scene weeping because all the others already knew the answer. They knew that it was the Lamb who was also a Lion that was open the book, brrak its seals, look into it and change what is written. The enemy tries to tell us that our actions have sealed what will be written about us, and what the narrative of our story will be, but the slain Lamb, and overcoming lion broke every seal and changed the narrative at the Cross, and therefore for of all those who have embraced the good news His finished work. Jesus has unsealed everything, and for those who are in Christ, our past, present, and future are no longer our story or the devil’s story. Regardless of what you may have done in the past or even this morning, what is written about you now by Jesus is that you are the righteousness of God in Christ, and that Christ is now your life, so that your daily practice can actually mirror your righteous position before God. Your entire fallen story, past present and future, has been wiped away by the blood of Jesus, and the One who is, was, and is to come is now the heartbeat and life source of your new story in Christ.
As the scene in Revelation 5 unfolds, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fall down before the Lamb, each with a harp and a golden bowl full of incense, singing a new song, “You are worthy to take the book, and to break it seals; for You were slain, and did purchase for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
The slain Lamb redeemed us from our fallen condition and the risen Lion made us to be kings (I think that’s the best translation, instead of “kingdom”) and priests to our God; and we will reign upon the earth.”
“For if by the transgressions of the one (Adam) death reigned through the one; much more those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness SHALL REIGN in life through that One Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17)
You have a new history in Christ. His history is your history. You also have a new identity, and assignment. You are kings and priests to our God, and as kings and priests you have authority to bring man to God and God to mankind. In Christ, you are a king, and are therefore called to reign in life, and rule over all the works of the devil