Jesus is Worthy: We Trust His Leadership
I. THE GRAND DRAMA IN HEAVEN: JESUS RECEIVES THE SCROLL (REV. 5:7)
A. Rev. 5 one of the grand chapters in Scripture that magnifies Jesus. The Father draws back the veil to give us insight
into Jesus’ destiny on the earth as a Man. Jesus as creator (Gen. 1) and the second Person of the Trinity is fully God. He
is also fully man. This is a great mystery.
16 Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh… (1 Tim 3:16)
B. Rev. 5 gives us insight into what the Father promised Jesus as a faithful Man who overcame Satan and darkness
by His humility and obedience on earth.
8 He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death…9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and
given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in
heaven, and of those on earth… (Phil. 2:8-10)
8 I (the Father) will give You (Jesus) the nations for Your inheritance (Millennium)... (Ps. 2:8)
C. The Father gives the title deed of the earth to Jesus as a human King. The scroll speaks of the title deed of the earth
and God’s controversial action plan to cleanse the earth of evil (Rev. 6-19) and to restructure the governments of the
entire earth (Rev. 20:4-6) so that righteousness, justice, meekness and love and the glory of God fill the earth
(Ps. 45:3-5; Hab. 2:14).
1 I saw in the right hand of Him (the Father) who sat on the Throne a scroll…sealed with seven seals. 2 I saw a strong
angel proclaiming…, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?"…5 One of the elders said, "…The Lion of
the tribe of Judah…has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals." 6 In the midst of the Throne…stood a
Lamb as though…slain. 7 He took the scroll out of the right hand of Him…on the Throne. (Rev. 5:1-7)
1. To take the scroll means Jesus accepts the honor and responsibility to lead the entire earth. What man has the
right to own the whole world and lead all its governments (v. 2)? It is not amazing that God owns the earth but that He
gave it all to one Man. John sees a Jewish Man who has the boldness of a lion and the meekness of a Lamb.
2. God gave the dominion (authority) of the earth to Adam as a representative of the human race as an eternal
stewardship. To reverse this decision would have been an injustice.
26 God said, "Let Us make man in Our image…let them have dominion… over all the earth…" 28 God said to them,
"Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion…over every living thing that moves on the earth."
(Gen. 1:26-28)
D. By sinning, Adam forfeited his authority to Satan (Gen. 3; Lk. 4:6). Jesus came to win back the dominion given to humans.
Jesus, as the last Adam, won the rights to the dominion of the earth.
5 The devil…showed Him all the kingdoms of the world…6 and said…, "All this authority I will give You…for this has been
delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.” (Lk. 4:5-6)
4 Whose minds the god of this age (Satan) has blinded, who do not believe. (2 Cor 4:4)
E. To take the scroll is to accept the responsibility to cleanse and rule the earth for God’s glory. To be worthy is to
be deserving and capable to open the seals of the scroll and rule the earth.
8 When He (Jesus) had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb…
9 They sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals (release God’s judgments); for
You were slain, and have redeemed us to God (proved Your leadership and love) by Your blood out of every tribe…and
nation, 10 and have made us kings and priests to God; and we shall reign on the earth." (Rev. 5:8-10)
F. To “open the seals” means to release the judgments in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 6-19) to cleanse the planet
from evil. What man has the wisdom, humility and power to do this? Jesus has the ability to open the seals (release God’s
judgments) to produce righteousness and love. God’s judgments make the nations very angry so that they accuse
Him (Rev. 11:18).
G. Many in the Church do not have a theology of a good God who uses judgment to remove sin. Many think that judgment
is a contradiction to love. God’s judgments remove what hinders love. Love and judgment are the same subject. God’s
judgments reflect His commitment to manifest love on the planet. Love requires that man has a free will. Judgment is
necessary because man uses his free will to oppose God and His love.
H. The 4 living creatures (angelic) and the 24 elders (human) agree with the “great love song” that Jesus is worthy.
They proclaim their agreement with the Father’s decree to give Jesus the title deed of the earth and the authority to
administrate the plan to drive sin off the planet.
I. Jesus is worthy: the great love song of the ages
1. Jesus is worth it: the devil seeks to stir up self pity in us by telling us that we are getting a bad deal from God and
from people and that it is no longer worth the trouble to seek God with diligence. The devil says, “Give in and give up
because it is too hard”. Paul’s response to the excellency of Jesus was to give all to Him with extravagant love.
7 What things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the
excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them
as rubbish… (Phil. 3:7-8)
2. Jesus deserves it: Father will give the leadership of the earth to Jesus as a Man as He once gave it to Adam because
Jesus has proven Himself by making every choice in His life in righteousness, meekness and love.
3. Jesus is capable: to drive evil off the earth and reorganize all the governments.
J. Jesus was slain to redeem (purchase) men for God (v. 9) and to share the government of the planet with us as
His Bride (v. 10).
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you
through His poverty might become rich. (2 Cor. 8:9)
K. Jesus being slain: He had to become Human and live in obedience and dependence on the Spirit.
1. Jesus had to become human forever: to qualify as a sacrifice for humans.
2. Jesus lived in perfect love, humility and righteousness: to qualify to bear God’s wrath.
3. Jesus lived dependent on the anointing of the Spirit: ever since the incarnation, Jesus has “never ever been less
than God” but He has lived as though He was “never more than a man.” For the 33 years on the earth He lived in
dependence on the Spirit as a Man. He waited on the Father in prayer and obedience for Him to release the Spirit
every time.
L. The humility of Jesus is beyond our understanding in His humanity, anointing and intercession.
M. Jesus receives from the Father an unprecedented measure of power and favor to rule the earth. All heaven rejoices to
see the implications of Jesus’ 7-fold leadership over the earth. These are 7 manifestations of His leadership over the
Millennial earth and the response of the nations to Him.
11 I heard the voice of many angels around the Throne, the living creatures, and the elders…12 saying with a loud voice:
"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and
blessing!" (Rev. 5:11-12)
1. Power (political) – Jesus will receive governmental leadership over all nations.
2. Riches (financial) – all the money on earth will be under Jesus’ leadership.
3. Wisdom (intellectual) – Jesus will administrate God’s End-Time action plan in the Tribulation producing a
glorious Church and rebuilding society in every sphere of life.
4. Strength (emotional) – Jesus will have strength in His inner man (Eph. 3:16) so as to continue steadfastly
to contend against all resistance until He prevails.
5. Glory (supernatural) – Jesus will operate in the supernatural realm.
6. Honor (relational) – Jesus will have favor in all nations who will honor and love Him.
7. Blessing (social) – all will fully cooperate with His leadership resulting in the mightiest work force in history.
Honor esteems a person while blessing agrees thus cooperates.
II. THE NATIONS WILL SEE JESUS’ UNVEILED BEAUTY IN THE MILLENNIUM
17 Your eyes will see the King in His beauty… (Isa. 33:17)
2 In that day the Branch of the Lord (Jesus as Man) shall be beautiful and glorious. (Isa. 4:2)
III. AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIUM, JESUS WILL GIVE THE NATIONS TO HIS FATHER
A. Father’s promise to Jesus: to make Him preeminent in all things
18 He is the head of the Body…that in all things He may have the preeminence. (Col. 1:18)
B. Jesus earned the right to rule the earth but then willingly gives it to the Father because Jesus delights in humility. The
Father gives the Son a Bride and the Son gives the Father a family.
24 Then comes the end, when He (Jesus) delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He (Jesus) puts an end to all
rule (hostile, evil authorities during the Millennium)…28 Now when all things are made subject to Him (Jesus), then the
Son Himself will also be subject to Him (the Father) who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all. (1 Cor. 15:24-28)
10 The 24 elders fall down…and cast their crowns before the Throne… (Rev. 4:10)