His Perfect Love

Guest (Male): Pastor Matt says, Revelation chapter 5 reminds us of something very important about who's really in control.

Matt VanderVen: You've heard me say before, there's no such thing as this world is crazy or out of control. It's downward spiraling, but it's not out of control. Just this passage alone gives me comfort that Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, holds everything, the title deed to the earth. He holds it all in his hand, and he systematically with the all decency and order breaks a seal, breaks a seal.

Guest (Male): Well, we are delighted to share the next half hour together with you. This is his perfect love with our pastor and teacher Matt Vanderven. We enter a new chapter in our study of Revelation, and that's chapter 5. As the apostle John is ushered up into heaven for a look around, he described what he saw. And today we'll notice that he focuses on a scroll on the right side of God. The question is asked, who is worthy to open the scroll? And as we'll discover today, the answer is Jesus, the Lamb of God.

Matt VanderVen: Well, as you just saw we read, it said, and I saw chapter 5 verse 1 here, 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. So verse 1 obviously here in chapter 5, just looking back even at Revelation chapter 4, John presented a description of what he saw and heard in his heavenly vision, right? How he saw God the Father seated on his throne, and he heard the host of heaven offering him continual worship. Well, Revelation chapter 5 moves with us.

It begins to take this forward here, and it really amps it up as you've just read together with me this morning. Now the apostle seems to narrow his focus. The whole chapter is really what's in the right side or right hand of God. And it's a scroll, and it has seven seals on it. And the whole chapter is focused on this scroll and these seven seals because the unfolding of this scroll and these seven seals are going to lead to the rest of the chapter six all the way through 19, some even argue to chapter 22 of the Bible, which is why it's very necessary to understand what is the significance of the scroll, and specifically why the right hand or the right side of God.

You're going to keep hearing me say that. And the reason I'm saying this is because in the Greek manuscript hand is not there. I don't know if you've ever read a Greek manuscript in in the our translation of our Bibles, a lot of times what you'll see when it's not in the original manuscript is you will see that the translators turned and they would italicize a word to give us the understanding that that was not in the original manuscript. So if you look at that passage again, this is how it would read in the Greek originally.

And I saw on the right and that word in the Greek idea is right side. He's actually saying on the right side, and this is significant. Some have gone and implied meaning of right hand because maybe that's what's saying. But in the Greek manuscript it says right of him who sat on the throne, a scroll written inside and on the back sealed with seven seals. It doesn't actually say hand, but it's important of what it's trying to apply here, right? The idea here is that all of heaven all of heaven is searching for one that's qualified to open its seals and reveal its message.

That is the whole point of what God wants us to see in chapter 5. If we come to chapter 5 and we don't get that that it's about the fact that no one other than Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is worthy to open the scroll then we have missed the significance of this entire chapter. Now this chapter again is extremely important because it provides a fitting introduction to God's revelation, really his program that's going to continue to unfold as I mentioned chapter 6 through 22. Now the seven seals here, that's significant as well and very important.

It's a series of end time judgments from God. And it's interesting that as we look at these seven seals, they're not they're not opened all at one time. And again, I know we're going to get really into the weeds here as I like to say this or I like to say the meat, the meat of the word. We're going to get really into the details here in the Greek. We're going to go through some of these things because so often people take a cursory reading of this, and in their mind's eye they let the video play and they actually are watching the wrong movie.

The idea here is on the right side of God there's a scroll. What appears to be in maybe his hand or something on the right side of his body, we're going to realize who else is on the right side of God. It's always said in scripture that there's one that stands or sits on the right side of God. It's significant in what the right side means. The second point is there's seven seals. Why are seven seals put on this scroll? And it's significant that he doesn't take his finger, he, Jesus Christ, the only one worthy, and he doesn't go like this.

How many of you have taken a letter? You receive a letter in the mail, maybe even have a letter opener, or you take your finger and what do you do? Well, some of you just rip it, right? Okay. But a lot many of us turn around and we take our finger, right? We got enough paper cuts to prove it, and we slide it right across to open the envelope, right? Breaking that seal on the envelope. That is not the picture here. First of all, remember our scrolls are left to right or right to left, okay?

Our scrolls are not vertical, they're horizontal. The normal scroll that you would see, and this is again I'm getting into the details, is not written on both sides. How could you read a scroll when it has documentations on both sides? You'd have to unroll the entire scroll to do what? Turn it over and then begin to read it again. You follow? There's something unique about this scroll that's different. Also when you would open a scroll, normally speaking, you would picture that there would be one and you would just like I said slide your finger. Not so here.

Each time Jesus breaks a seal, there's a judgment going forward. So how is it that God it's going to change, it's going to change your video here? Is it really one scroll or is it scrolls? Please look again. It says scroll. The idea is singular, but the way that it's written when he breaks a seal, he is unfolding another portion of that scroll. And then he breaks another seal and unfolds another portion of that scroll, and then he breaks another seal and unfolds another portion of the scroll. This isn't all at once like we would with an envelope.

There's a progression to this. And I think we think about that because we know the seal judgments. We understand that there's bowl and vial judgment, trumpet judgments first before the bowl and vial. And we think about that, but many times we don't study the the words slow down enough to go wait a minute. That's not what it actually is saying. He's saying somehow when he opens this scroll, he is hitting one seal at a time, and then he gets a judgment, and it doesn't go any further. He is in absolute control of when he breaks the next seal.

And it's all timed perfectly. You You've heard me say before, there's no such thing as this world is crazy or out of control. It's downward spiraling, but it's not out of control. Just this passage alone gives me comfort that Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God holds everything, the title deed to the earth. He holds it all in his hand, and he systematically with all decency and order breaks a seal, breaks a seal, okay? I just want us to see that. Now the seals that are going to be broken, it's going to be described in Revelation chapter 6 verses 1 through 17, and we'll we'll cover that in future weeks.

And then also there's a portion because we get sort of this break in between. It's not necessarily a parenthetical chapter, but John's focus shifts in the middle of this seal judgment, okay? And we're going to talk about that. But But chapter 8 verses 1 through 5 is the additional aspect of the seal judgment. Now in John's vision the seven seals hold again a closed scroll in heaven, and each seal is broken a new judgment is unleashed on the earth. And following the seal judgments are the trumpet judgments that we'll see afterwards. And then after the trumpet judgments are the bowl, or if you prefer the King James, the vial judgments.

And we read that John saw again God's right side or hand if you prefer in regards to the scroll and the scripture. It's important the scripture has several several words for this word right, right? And it's translated in many different ways. And so I just want to take a few moments to kind of go through this because I want to understand what is God trying to tell me? God could have said this in so many different ways. What is John seeing and he's trying to communicate to me through inspiration of the Holy Spirit? Why is he bringing this out?

Why does it matter what side it's on, the scroll is? There's significance. He says in there God doesn't waste his words or his grammar that way. John sees God, he sees the he notices something's in God's side or God's hand. He also noticed that it's closed. It not open. John can't see it at a distance and or read it. This word right, okay, is dexeos. Can you all say that with me? Dexeos. That's right, dexeos. It's G1188. If you're looking in a lexicon or your Greek lexicon it would be G1188. And the usage of this term right or right hand is it's we're using it here or the translators are using it.

It It can range from a lot of different things. It can range from direction. Uh maybe you're going the opposite or wrong way. And the opposite of that is the right way. It can mean that. It can also mean something that is just or something that conforms to an established standard. So we we kind of think of that it's right or maybe we'd use the word correct, right? Adjust or establish standard. The other thing that it doesn't necessarily we don't maybe use that word today, it can connote or give an idea of a place of honor or authority.

We might say, oh that's that person's right, that person's correct. But we don't necessarily esteem honor or authority to that person when we say that. We're simply saying what they orientated, what they spoke out of their mouth was accurate or correct. The original Greek of that word also meant that person was established in authority and that person was given honor. So that's something that we've lost down through the centuries, through the the years of the original understanding of this word. Now in in a case of it can also mean in a case of division or an appointment in the Bible, right?

The right side of the left which comes first, right? So that's a sort of a division. Is it on the right? Is it on the left? Which comes first? Just think about Israel. Jacob, right? Jacob. He divided the blessing of Joseph's sons before he died. Genesis 48 13 and 14 verses 13 and 14. So that was a division. And this same if you were to use a Septuagint lexicon and you were to look back that word is the same in the Greek Septuagint. It's the same word we get for right here. It could also mean or it could have been used, excuse me, divisionally to say, you know, this or this to kind of organize.

In addition, a persons of high rank who put someone at his right hand gave him equal honor. Now we're getting closer what Jesus is because Jesus is equal with God. Now we're starting to understand a little bit more about what is God the Father trying to tell us as well about the fact that it's on his right side, that it's given equal and or honor and to the person that is on God's right side. And it 's also in in regards to recognizing them as a possessing equal dignity and authority. Ephesians, just please turn in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 1.

Hold your finger here. Chapter 1 verse 19 please this morning. You see I This is what the apostle Paul writes of Jesus, Jesus Christ to the Ephesians. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 19 in your Bible. You'll read and what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places far above. Now we're seeing not only right as in he's coequal with God, but far above. Now we see authority and position and rank far above all principality and power and might and dominion.

Everything. That what he's covering there, everything. And every name that is named not only in this age but also that which is to come for all eternity, okay? So that's one of those you know, somebody might say something when we are growing up and you want to give a word back. Oh well, that an infinity, right? Well, that's kind of what the apostle Paul did. He just He said that an infinity, right? It goes on and on. There's no one equal to God but God himself. And the apostle Paul understood that direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

So here we see that God is exalting Jesus above all others by seating him at the right hand of the Father. Now again this term God's right hand, right? In prophecy, if we look it up prophetically because now we getting a little closer what what is the you know, book of Revelation, much of it a third of it at least is prophetic, right? In prophecy God's right hand has a messianic promise and or meaning as well. He says in Psalm 110:1 and Psalm 110:18 excuse me, Psalm 118 verse 16 he says that he is given all power and authority to subdue his enemies.

So again, something to do with rank, something to do with all powerful. This also speaks to the right side or right hand of God. And to help us understand this we need to look at some Old Testament, New Testament passages because if we just look at Matthew chapter 22 turn with me there this morning, Matthew 22 in your Bibles, right? We're going to look at verse 44. And I'll I'll cover this a little bit more detail here. But But Jesus himself used this passage to help us understand as well as the religious leaders, specifically the Pharisees in in regards to Jesus's lordship as Messiah because he was using David and the Davidic covenant.

And he's going to use that to kind of help them understand well who is he because there's a dual nature or purpose to Messiah Jesus. And And this is also being communicated when he says on the right side because there's no one else that's qualified to be through the right side of God the Father but Jesus Christ the Son. Do we recognize that in the Holy Spirit? So he wants us to understand that. Look at Matthew 22:41. While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them saying, what do you think about the Christ? Now that is the word for Messiah in the Hebrew.

In the Greek it's called Christ. It's just the same term for Savior, a Greek translation to a Hebrew translation. Hebrew would be Messiah, Savior is Greek. Okay? Whose son is he? So Jesus asked this question to the Pharisees, and they said to him, the son of David. So there automatically they answered correctly and rightly one aspect of Jesus's nature, okay? And he said to them, how then does David in the spirit call him Lord saying, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand. This is a quote of Psalm 110 till I make your enemies your footstool, okay?

It's a simple question, right? If David is Lord in this passage, then why would the Father call David son? Right? That means David has to be if if if they were applying it correctly is is Jesus of the lineage of David or the line of Judah? Of course he is. But it's more than that. It's a fulfillment of the Davidic covenant, the messianic promise that through the line of Judah, through the line of David that uh there would be one that would reign on the throne forever and never and never. And so what is what is being brought out here, right?

Well, this messianic Psalm, the son of David is claimed to by the Lord Jesus Christ that he is greater. That's what he's communicating here. He's greater than the son of David or he is the Messiah. And that's what he's trying to communicate to all those that would understand this. In this passage of Matthew 22 again Jesus questions the Pharisees about what they think of the Christ and who the Messiah is. The position of the Messiah is at God's right hand or right side. And further in context the fact that Jesus Christ is at is at the right hand or is at the right side of God is a sign to all the disciples.

It a sign to all of you and I, born again believers, that Jesus had indeed gone to heaven, right? So this is also pointing to who he is and his rightful place. There were still people at the time that the book of Revelation was given to us because it's about 80 90 to 95 in which this book was given to us by God. There were still Gnostics and many people walking around that were either doubting the humanity and or divinity of Jesus. There was There's been always an attack on his nature because if people can try to uh undermine his authority by his divinity, well then, oh he's not really God.

He's just a man and he's just a prophet or he's just a good person, right? Um and they try to attack him that way. Others try to say, well he was never really human. Why is that such a big deal? Why would they make a big deal about his humanity? Because he needed to come and suffer and die, right? A perfect sinless human being to fulfill the law. So by attacking the humanity it then made him not worthy or his sacrifice unworthy if he wasn't truly human because then it doesn't undo what the first Adam did by bringing us into original sin.

So there's a whole lot at stake here when you talk about the humanity and divinity theologically. And that's exactly what Jesus is trying to bring out. And in the book of Revelation it's settling the whole thing by him just saying, and I saw on the right hand of him who sat on the throne. You know, I know just read a sentence. Seems good, right? Okay, let's keep going. No, Jesus is No, God the Father is communicating who is at the right hand but Jesus Christ the Son. He's alive. And he's going to turn around and take that scroll as we're going to read here, right?

And the fact is he's in heaven, right? And so if he's in heaven, what's that mean for you and I? That means the resurrection and everything he promised, the first fruits of the resurrection, the one that will not only redeem our souls as he's done, but what who is our greatest greatest fan if I could say it that way? And even more, who is the one that when we stand in heaven uh guilty of our sin, he stands up and says, no, my blood, the blood of the Lamb has covered and washed this man, this woman, and they have not a single thing against them.

Go in peace. Enter into thy reward. You see this is everything that he's there. He's not in a grave. He's not like Father Abraham. He's not like Buddha. He's not like any other man that's ever lived that finds themselves in a grave and is not ascended up into heaven with the Lord, God the Father. In John chapter 16 verses 7 through 15 Jesus told the disciples that he had to go away and he would send the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, the seal, okay? So the coming of the Holy Spirit in the upper room on the day of Pentecost, all this is in God's perfect timing.

Acts 2 1 through 13 was proof positive that Jesus was indeed in heaven and seated at the right hand of God. This is also confirmed in Romans chapter 8 and verse 34 where the apostle Paul writes that Christ is sitting at God's right hand making intercession for us. So that's the other thing that Jesus is doing there, constantly interceding for you and I when we blow it on earth, constantly interceding for us. Doesn't ever take a break from interceding from us for us, excuse me. So all this is happening on God the Father's right side and what else is sitting on that side that John notices?

It's It's right in his proverbial if use the term hand. What's in his hand? These scrolls. And it's very very important. Why Why on the right side? Obviously Jesus is there, but there's something else about that, right? So we can say that God's right hand refers to Messiah the Lord Jesus and certainly he's an equal position, high power, authority of God. I mean we could read John 1 1 through 5 and get all of that pretty quickly. But what's the point? John is describing the setting that he sees that's no longer focus on anything else going on around but the right side of God the Father.

And on that right side is him, Jesus who's going to come actually center. It's going to say in the midst. The translation of the Greek actually means he's going to come into the center of the throne room area. We haven't got there yet. We We read it in our responsive reading, but it gives us an idea. He's there. So let the video play accurately now from the Greek, from the word. You have God the Father sitting on the throne. You have Jesus on his right side. You have a scroll with seven seals. In a moment Jesus is going to stand up and he is going to take He's going to come, excuse me for turning my back to you, take out of the hand of God the Father the scroll which he alone is worthy.

And this is very very important because there's a whole um sort of event that happens in heaven for this to go down because we're told very very quickly. Just turn to John chapter 5 and you can see this with your own eyes. John chapter 5 please. There's only one that was given this authority to ever do this. John chapter 5 verse 22 please. Very very important. It's all significant because it ties together everything that we understand in a harmony of scripture. Look at John chapter 5 verse 22. For the Father judges what? Remind me what the scroll is again?

A scroll of judgments, of of seals that are going to be broken that are poured out. It's on his right side. God the Father has it in his hand, but right here in scripture it says very clearly that God the Father is not going to judge anyone. So if God the Father would have taken and open that scrolls himself, you and I would have said what? Time out on the field. We have a contradictory passage in scripture. The scriptures never contradict each other. We got to be Bereans of the scriptures though, students of the scripture.

For the Father judges no one but has committed all judgment to the son, Jesus that all should honor the son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the son does not honor the Father who sent him. Do you see this, the significance of everything taking place on the right side and John focusing not on the left side but on the right side of of God, on the right hand of God that way, right? Because he's declaring that the scrolls on his right side along with the side of one who's given all authority over judgment, and therefore the only one that was worthy to open the scroll of judgment and says for the Father judges no one but has committed all judgment to the son.

So so much is implied by this right side of right hand. And just didn't want to skip over this this morning um because it's an important detail that John is illuminating for us that actually corresponds in harmony with so many other passages in the scripture. These things needs be.

Guest (Male): That is Pastor Matt Vanderven on his perfect love. We're going through Revelation at the present time, and I'll remind you that you can hear the program again when you visit hisperfectlove.org. That's hisperfectlove.org. We're also at oneplace.com and look for us wherever you get your podcasts. We also offer a mobile app. This is a great way to take Pastor Matt's teachings with you on the go. You can learn more about the mobile app and start your download when you visit our website hisperfectlove.org. We can't thank you enough for your prayers for this ministry. Please pray that as God's word goes forth that lives will be greatly impacted for the glory of God, and people would grow by his grace and love or even enter into a relationship with him.

And if you have a prayer request, please send that our way. You can email that to us through our website at hisperfectlove.org. If you live in the Mechanicsburg PA area, we hope you'll stop by for a visit just like you hear on the radio. Pastor Matt teaches verse by verse through the Bible here at Calvary Chapel Harrisburg West Shore. Sunday morning services begin at 8:30 and 10:30. We have a midweek gathering on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. We're located at 28 North Locust Point Road in Mechanicsburg PA. Go to ccharrisburg.org for more information. And then join us next time when Pastor Matt will pick up where we left off in Revelation here on his perfect love.

Guest (Male): His perfect love is brought to you by Calvary Chapel Harrisburg West Shore.