Thru the Bible

Guest (Male): If you've ever been part of a great worship service, where Jesus' name is lifted high by everyone singing with all their hearts, then you've had just a glimpse of heaven. That's the scene that we're going to hear more about this time on Thru the Bible. We join Dr. J. Vernon McGee in Revelation 5, a chapter about the day when all of creation worships Jesus Christ as Savior and sovereign of the universe.

We'll see Jesus as both a powerful lion and a gentle lamb. So, as you grab your Bible and open to Revelation chapter 5, here's a great letter from a listener in Karnataka, India, who writes, "This study of God's Word helps us understand precious truths in our own language and become strong in our faith.

Although we are believers, we lived without understanding the deeper meaning of the Word or the power of prayer. Through this tool, God has given us new hope. My children and I are now living blessed lives. Thank you to all involved in this teaching."

Would you join us as we thank God for working in the lives of this writer as well as their family? And then, would you pray for His Word as it goes out in more than 250 languages around the world? You know you can sign up for our World Prayer Team. It's easy in our app or over at TTB.org.

Let's praise God and pray for each other now. Father in heaven, we thank you for your love for each one of us, a love that pursues and draws us to yourself. Lord, as we study, show us your glory in the face of Jesus Christ, whom we worship as our sovereign and Savior. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Guest (Male): Now, off to Revelation 5 on Thru the Bible with Dr. J. Vernon McGee.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee: Now, last time we were in the fifth chapter. In fact, we just got our foot in the door of the fifth chapter of Revelation, and we saw first this book with seven seals.

And we were attempting to identify the book, just what it was. There have been many suggestions, and I would like to make this suggestion because, very candidly, I feel like that it's more in line than any other that I have come across.

And I believe that, to be more specific, it represents God's new covenant with Israel, and He talks about that a great deal. Jeremiah had said that behold, he would make a new covenant, that he would write the law, not upon tables of stone, but upon their hearts.

And now in Romans, the 11th chapter, we find Paul writing, beginning at verse 26 and 27. I'm reading now, "And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written, there shall come out of Zion the deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. For this is My covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins."

Now, if you turn over to Hebrews, the 10th chapter, at verse 16, you'll read language like this, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them."

Now, that is the thing that Jeremiah had mentioned in the 31st chapter. Now I'll read on here in Hebrews, the 10th chapter, at verse 17, "And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."

Now, "Where remission of these is, there's no more offering of sins." You see, the Old Covenant God had made with Israel depended on man. The Ten Commandments said, "Do, do, do," and it depended upon the weak arm of the flesh, and as a result, it failed.

Not because there was anything wrong with the Ten Commandments or with the Law God gave. The problem was with man. It's just the same thing that you have in the Garden of Eden. So many people feel like there was something wrong with that fruit or that that tree was something unusual. Well, I think it was good fruit and just like any other. The problem was not the fruit on the tree, it was the pair on the ground where the problem was.

Now, this new covenant depends on the power of the throne of God. It depends upon the Lord Jesus Christ. We have in verse 2 this, "And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof?" Now, who has a right and title to this world? Who can rule it? Who can establish justice and righteousness?

Do you think maybe the Democrats can do it? Do you think the Republicans can do it? Do you think this country can do it? Do you think the United Nations can do it? I trust that you are not so deluded at this late time in the history of the world that you believe that man can solve his own problems.

The Word of God makes it very clear that he can't. When it says here a strong angel, it means a powerful angel, and he has a loud voice. We're speaking now of power, that which is needed to make this new covenant effective.

Now I read verse 3, "And no man in heaven, or on earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon." In other words, there was no man of Adam's line that had a right to it. There have been a great many that have tried to do it. Adam lost dominion through sin. Moses was the Lawgiver, but he was also a lawbreaker. David and his line failed. None of Adam's line qualifies. There's none today. The ruler must be a redeemer. The sovereign must be a Savior of mankind.

He's the only one. Now John says here that this disturbed him, that Adam, well, stand aside, Adam, you can't do it. And none of your children. All Adam's children can't do it. And Satan, he's working at it, but he can't do it. And who's going to be able to do it?

Well, notice what happened. John says, "I wept much because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon." This disturbed John a great deal. This man had a real passion for prophecy, and he had a holy affection and a pious curiosity. He wanted to look into the things that even angels can't look into. And John enters into the drama because he's come from earth, and the Revelation, you see, was written in tears.

Is the earth to continue in sin and sorrow? Is there no future for the earth? Well, listen to Paul in Romans 8:23, "And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."

Is no one competent to rule this earth? John is overwhelmed by the possibility that there may be no one. Paul again says, "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." Romans 8:22. Personally, I think evolution is the most pessimistic philosophy and theory that anyone can entertain today. No wonder it's led to so many suicides among the intelligentsia.

What hope is there if it took millions of years to get where we are today? Well, what is the hope for the future? Is there someone that can straighten out this problem? And it's so petty and so little and narrow-minded to hear politicians say, "We're going to make peace in our time. We're going to do that." And it is even more tragic to hear the church say today that they can straighten out the affairs of the world or that they can even evangelize the world.

Oh, my brother, there's just not any around here that can qualify to open this book and take charge of this earth that we're on. And John weeps a great deal because of that. And it's a good thing that this book was not opened here or shown here in Southern California, because we've got just a whole parcel of preachers that could tell you what's in the book on the inside, on the outside, and all around it. They can even tell you what's on the cover. They have all the answers today.

Well, poor John, it's too bad that he, instead of being in Patmos, he could have just been in California because we've got them that can give you the answers today. Well, John didn't have the answer. We're going to have to find one that can open that book. Now we are told, and we come now to Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and the Lamb which has been slain.

And I read here, "And one from among the elders," -- I'm reading my translation -- "said unto me, 'Weep not. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath overcome to open the book and the seven seals thereof.'" And I'd like to say to John also, "Don't weep, John. If you don't find anyone in heaven that can open the book and has got all the answers, just come on here to Southern California. We've got them. They'll give you the answer to all of these."

Now will you notice, evidently, anyone of the elders could have answered. They had a spiritual illumination. And this, I think, further identifies them as the church. The Lord Jesus had said to His own in John 15:15, "Henceforth, I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth, but I've called you friends for all things that I've heard of My Father, I've made known unto you."

Now, the Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who has the right and title to this earth. He not only redeemed you and me, but He redeemed the earth. He is identified in this section in all His ministries that relate to the earth. Now He's called the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and the Root of David.

The Lion of the tribe of Judah identifies Him, of course, with the tribe of Judah. That was the thing that you recall that old Jacob, when he was dying, called his 12 sons around him. Why we find that at that time, he gave a prophecy concerning Judah, and that's in Genesis 49:9-10. "Judah is a lion's whelp. From the prey, my son, thou art gone up. He stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion. Who shall rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh come, and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be."

The Lord Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Now He's the Root of David. In 2 Samuel, the 7th chapter, that great chapter there of God's covenant with David, "I'm going to break one in your line that will rule not only over these people, but over the whole earth."

Now, the Lord Jesus Christ, He has the right to rule, as He is the fulfillment of the prophecies made in the Old Testament relative to the future of the world. All of those prophecies will be fulfilled at His second coming to the earth to establish His kingdom.

Now I read, "And behold, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb." We're a little confused here. We saw a lion, and now he's a lamb. "Stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns, seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth."

Now John's still a spectator to this scene. He said, "I beheld. I saw this." Now, a lamb, here the word for lamb is in the diminutive. Literally, it means a little lamb. It denotes its gentleness and its willingness to be sacrificed. He's "led as a lamb to the slaughter." And he didn't open his mouth at all. That was the picture of it. He was the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. And as it had been slain, that indicates the redemptive and vicarious substitutionary death of Christ, and the emphasis is upon the fact that He was slain with violence here.

And He stood. Rather, He's standing. Well, that speaks of resurrection. He's no longer seated at the right hand of God. He's moving now, and He's moving to power, and He's coming to this earth. The judgment of the tribulation is getting ready to strike the earth. The winds are already blowing on the earth. Now He's in the midst of the throne. That is indicative of the fact that He's before the throne and ready to act as the righteous judge. And seven horns denotes perfect power.

Now a horn speaks of power. Turn to Daniel 7:8 if you want to have a confirmation of that. He is omnipotent. And seven eyes denotes He has perfect knowledge. He's omniscient. He is the omnipotent and the omniscient God. And He moves in the fullness of the Spirit, who is the Spirit of wisdom and understanding.

Now, here He is a lion and a lamb. The lion character refers to His second coming. The lamb character refers to His first coming. The lion speaks of His majesty. The lamb speaks of His meekness. As a lion, He is a sovereign. As a lamb, He is a Savior. As a lion, He is a judge. As a lamb, He is judged. The lion speaks of the government of God, and the lamb speaks of the grace of God.

Now verse 7, "He came and took out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne." And took, is correctly, He hath taken. He moves to the throne through the tribulation. He judges the world in righteousness before He reigns in righteousness. He's no longer the intercessor of the church, for the church is now with Him. He's beginning to act as judge, and the movement here is important.

Verse 8, "And when He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints." Now when He took the book, and that is aorist tense, this is the great movement of all creation. And He takes over now. Notice the worship of the Lamb by the four living creatures and the 24 elders. And the harp denotes praise.

Now the elders do not play on the harps, if you notice. That's just a token of praise to God. I'm so glad to find out I'm not going to be an angel, and I'm not going to play on a harp. That just doesn't appeal to me. You may want a harp, and I guess if you want one, they'll get you one in heaven, but I'm thankful I don't have to have one.

Now, the four and twenty elders act as priests. Only the church is a priesthood of believers in heaven. Dr. Karl Armedeen gives this arresting thought, "The prayer of Christ for believers is answered in the elders, that they might know Him." Here they are right in His presence, "that they might be with Him." They're with Him there, "that they might behold His glory."

Now, the vials full of odors is more accurately, bowls full of incense, and that's the prayers of the saints. You see, this just happens to be the church there. They are the priesthood.

Now in verses 9 and 10, "And they sung a new song, saying, 'Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof, for Thou wast slain, Thou hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation, and hast made us unto God a kingdom of priests, and we shall reign on the earth.'" And probably I should read my translation all the way through. Let me read it. "They sing a new song, saying, 'Worthy art Thou to take the book, to open the seals of it, for Thou wast slain, didst purchase unto God in Thy blood men of every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, and made us them unto our God a kingdom and priests, and they shall reign on the earth.'"

Now, they indicates that both living creatures and elders sing this song. The angelic hosts join the church here in praise. And they sing. That denotes the continuation of praise. Praise is directed to the Lamb with the book. He's praised now as the Redeemer of man in all ages and races. And this is going to be the first time that I'm going to sing. I've never been able to sing, but I'm going to be in that chorus, friends. I'm going to sing praises unto Him.

Now, the new song is the song of redemption. The old song is the song of creation. You remember, way back in the Book of Job, that the sons of God, you know, they sang. And they were singing because God was the creator. They didn't know anything really about the love of God then. And now we can sing about it, you know. We have a Savior that loves us, gave Himself for us. What a picture we have here!

Now, worthy reveals that He now fills the entire horizon of praise and worship. And that's what worship is. It's returning to worth what belongs to Him. And He's the only one worthy of praise. They sing of His shed blood in heaven. Down here, many denominational churches are taking the blood from their hymn books. But, may I say it, in heaven, they're going to put it back in the hymn book. They're going to sing about the blood up there.

And I guess maybe that's the reason the Lord's not going to embarrass some of them by taking them into heaven, because they'd have to sing about the blood. Now, the change of pronoun from "us" to "them" is important. They are praising the Lamb for those yet to be saved on the earth, the tribulation saints. And a kingdom and priests refer to the tribulation saints. The church will not reign on the earth, but over the earth, and that's important.

Now there are myriads of angels of heaven that join in this song. I'm reading my translation, "And I saw and I heard a voice of many angels round about the throne, and the living creatures, and the elders, and the number of them was 10,000s of 10,000s, myriads and myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a great voice, 'Worthy is the Lamb that has been slain to take the power, and riches, and wisdom, and might, and honor, and glory, and blessing.'" It all belongs to Him. John says, "I saw and I heard." Many angels around the throne. And the number of them's fantastic.

I think that they're probably innumerable, and that's what he means. John says, "I looked, and I saw a company around the elders, and I thought that is great," and they were singing. And then he says, "All of a sudden, I looked out yonder, and boy, there was a crowd I couldn't count them. Nobody could count them. A computer couldn't count them." His created intelligences praising Him.

You see, I don't know why you want to go to heaven if you don't want to praise Him and worship Him down here. Now we have the universal worship of the Savior and sovereign of the universe, and it closes on this note. Verses 13 and 14, "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, 'Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.'"

"And the four living creatures said, 'Amen.' And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped Him that liveth forever and ever." Every animate creature of God joins in this universal act of worship, both in heaven and earth. Evidently the animals in the earth and the fish in the sea join in this volume of praise. And the living creatures add their "amen" to it. And the church here falls down in silent adoration and praise.

Oh, my friend, I think the proper way to conclude this today would be for me to sing the Hallelujah Chorus. But I can't sing, and I don't have the Hallelujah Chorus before me. And you're very fortunate that I don't. But I do believe that as we come to the end of this very remarkable scene in heaven, that we see that all praise and honor and worship must go to the Lord Jesus Christ.

And if you're not in the habit of praising Him and worshipping Him, why don't you start right now, because next time we're going to move into that period known as the Great Tribulation Period, when we see the opening of the seven-sealed book. And I want to tell you, it's a tremendous picture that's given to us there. So until next time, may God richly bless you, my beloved.

Guest (Male): 10,000s of 10,000s, all saying with a great voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain." Wow, what an incredible scene that we have to look forward to ourselves. Keep this little glimpse of heaven in mind because we're heading back to Earth in our study of Revelation chapter 6. If you've just hopped aboard the Bible bus, then you need to know that it's not over. When we get to the end of this book, we hit reset in a sense and begin a brand new trip through the Bible, beginning back in Genesis. And if you're a bit behind, why not download our app or visit TTB.org? You can listen at your own pace or catch up in a hurry. It's all up to you.

The study is also available in our Bible companion for Revelation. In addition to prompts to listen to Dr. McGee's message and read the scripture for yourself, you'll also find some great questions for reflection or group study and discussion. So visit TTB.org to download your free copy or purchase Dr. McGee's New Testament Bible companions in softcover by calling 1-800-65 Bible. That's TTB.org or 1-800-65 Bible.

And when you're in touch, tell us how you listen to Thru the Bible. Just give us the call letters of your radio station, or tell us if you listen by app or online or any of the other ways that we make the study available. I'm Steve Schwetz, and I'll save you a seat as the Bible bus continues to roll through Revelation.

Guest (Male): Our story on the Bible bus today is just one step in a five-year journey through the entire Word of God. Come along for the ride and you'll study both the Old Testament and New Testament, discovering God's great redemption story. Is this your story too?