Who Is Worthy?

Who Is Worthy?
Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” —Revelation 5: 2
In the Old Testament, God established certain laws concerning redemption. If you owed a debt you couldn’t pay, you could be sold as a slave in order to pay off that debt. If you had a sympathetic relative, they could pay the debt for you and set you free. Such a relative was called the goel, or the “kinsman redeemer.” The same law held true for property issues. If you needed to sell your field, the goel could redeem the field for you.
When John recognizes that no one has been found worthy to redeem the earth back from Satan’s clutches, he begins to sob. But then an elder tells him, “Do not weep. Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals” (Revelation 5: 5). Jesus was worthy to take the scroll. He paid the price to redeem us from our sin, and to redeem the world from the powers of darkness.
** It won’t be long before this scene plays out in heaven. It is just a matter of time before this redemption comes due, and Jesus will step forth to loose the seals and to declare that “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11: 15).
Father, we thank You for the glorious salvation that Jesus Christ purchased for us at such a great price; that as a result of this redemption we have hope for Your coming kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.