Recently the 4th and 5th chapters of Revelation have come up several times on different occasions, so I decided to do a lectio divina reading of those two sections of scripture. What stood out for me in chapter 5 is this phrase …. “Who is worthy….?”
There is great anguish in heaven because nobody is found worthy to open the scroll that will describe the fate of the world. The reason no one is worthy is simple and can be boiled down to one word — SIN. This is a motif that is repeated over and over in the Bible.. For example is Psalm 14:
“They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.” Psalm 14:3
And Romans 3:23
“… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
The Jewish people believed that if they could keep just the Sabbath perfectly three times in a row, the Messiah would come. They couldn’t do it. He came only through the grace and mercy of God.
You’re not worthy; I’m not worthy; but thankfully there is One who is: Jesus, the Lamb of God. He took away our sins and set us free to be children of God. He holds the world in His hands. Thanks be to God! Amen!
For more about the book of Revelation see:
Lutheran Ladies Connection 