This, to me, is the greatest GRACE chapter in the entire Bible and the story of the greatest rescue of all time: OURS!
Notice the chapter number? 5 is the number of Grace!
It begins with John and the angels weeping over the seven-sealed scroll. No one was found worthy to open it. But why on earth were they weeping when every time a seal was opened in heaven, something really bad happened on the earth? I'm thinkin', "Keep it sealed!"
Check it out. This is what happened in chapter 6 when the first seal was broken:
1 "Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse.
He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out CONQUERING AND TO CONQUER."
If really bad stuff happens when each seal is opened, what's all the crying about? There's gotta be something about this scroll that I don't understand. What is this scroll?
Why is the Holy Spirit using this language: "Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle?" Who is the son of your uncle? Your cousin, right? Why doesn't He just say so? Because He wanted to include their names. Hanamel means "the grace (hana) of God (el). Shallulm comes from the Hebrew word, "shelem," which means "paid." Who paid for the grace of God? Jesus! Anathoth means, "Answers to prayers!"
In this passage, Jeremiah is acting as a "Goel--a Kinsman Redeemer," for his cousin like Boaz was for Ruth and Jesus for us. In order to qualify to be a goel for someone, a man had to be:
#1: a close relative:
#2: wealthy enough to redeem the lost property; and
#3: willing to purchase what was lost and restore it to the relative freely, no strings attached.
This whole perfect earthly paradise created for us by God was forfeited to satan by Adam. He bowed his knee to that outlaw spirit instead of to the Holy Spirit in the garden, committing high treason.
God had given man the keys to the earth to rule over and subdue it. "Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work." It was basically a six day lease. Remember, now, that a day to God is as a thousand years so it's clear that our 6,000 year lease is going to be up soon. When the seventh day arrives, God will once again take back control of the earth. HALLELUJAH!
Since it was a man that forfeited our inheritance, it legally had to be a Man to buy it back. That's why God had to send Jesus. Only He could buy back our forfeited inheritance. We are poor, blind and naked and not in a position to redeem anything. NOPE. We needed a strong Goel.
Take a good look at the sealed scroll in the picture. Can you see that part of the scroll is open and part is sealed, and that there is writing both within and without?
Jer. 32:10 "And I SIGNED THE DEED AND SEALED IT, took witnesses, and weighed the money on the scales. 11 So I took the purchase deed, both that which was SEALED according to the law and custom, and that which was OPEN;"
Then further on in verse 14 of Jeremiah 32 it says,
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
“Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is SEALED and this deed which is OPEN, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days.” 15 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.”’
The scroll is sealed with witnesses names on the outside; terms and conditions on the inside. AS LONG AS THE SCROLL REMAINS SEALED, THE INHERITANCE REMAINS FORFEITED.
Until someone from our family, a human being, a rich relative, could come to our aide who could buy back our land and unseal the scroll, our inheritance remained legally forfeited. All the terms and conditions of the scroll written inside remain in effect until it is legally redeemed by our Goel.
Now do you understand why John and the angels were weeping?
But our AWESOME Abba, in the fullness of time, sent His beloved son, Jesus. HE WAS THE ONLY ONE FOUND WORTHY TO OPEN THE SEALS!!! The Lion of the tribe of Judah!
Jesus is His Name!!!
Jesus death was actually an OVERPAYMENT of the debt levied against us! He bought back that scroll from the devil's hand, unsealed the seven seals from every born again person and freed us from ALL those curses listed in graphic, terrifying detail in Deuteronomy 28. They were our FORMER inheritance.
HALLELUJAH!!! Thanks to Jesus, these seven seals have NO MORE CLAIM ON US; no more right to affect us and our earth. Believers are standing on NO CURSE GROUND!
But, as I said of unbelievers, the devil can pick on them any time he pleases. I would say they are at his mercy but he doesn't have any.
Below are listed all the evils that have been UNsealed off the life of every believer:
Revelation 6:
The 1st seal--->the counterfeit rider on a white horse: the spirit of anti-Christ.
We are not affected by his wiles. We have eyes to see, ears to hear and supernatural discernment.
Why so many are blind enough to select leaders that are clearly evil? Why is there so much anti-Semitism and anti Christian rhetoric running amock in the world today? Persecution and murder of Jews and Christians? Mindless violence in diverse places and global terrorism?
Those who are still sealed are being affected by THE RIDER ON THE WHITE HORSE: the spirit of anti-Christ.
This rider signifies want and lack. It is a seal and cannot be overcome by human effort.
The only sure source of supply is our Lord Jesus. Your security cannot be in the stock market, it must be in Jesus. His children will not go begging bread for The Lord Jesus Himself, He is our Shepherd; WE SHALL NOT LACK.
There will be many in these last days who will suffer lack. You cannot help them except to tell them about Jesus.
Their only hope is The One Who can open the seal.
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah: Jesus is His Name!
4th seal--->The Rider on the pale horse. 7"And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
The word in Greek for "beasts of the earth," is not like a lion or tiger; it's a diminutive term referring to something very tiny, invisible to the naked eye, microorganisms that cause all manner of diseases. Ebola; SARS; Bird Flu; Legionnaires disease, and so on. (For more on this topic, follow this link: http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2015/05/psalm-91-part-5-angels-watching-over-us.html)
Church, we have Psalm 91 and others in which to find refuge. We have a strong tower and solid rock, Jesus, to defend us!
Those who remain sealed are fair game. The devil can pick their number any time he pleases.
They cannot stop it.
It is a seal.
The only hope for them is The One Who can open the seal.
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah: Jesus is His Name!
Every seal GONE, UNsealed off the life of every believer! All those bowls of judgment, which should be poured over us, were poured out on Jesus; one after another after another until all God's holy wrath and judgment was spent and it was FINISHED!!! As He took our place, we now take His place!
These horsemen and all those bowls of wrath will not, CANNOT harm the sheep of His flock! They have been UNsealed off your life!
So Church, don't be afraid to read this wonderful book. Read it with the understanding that JESUS FINISHED THE WORK. He could not sit down at the right hand of The Father because He's God, although He is....Or the Son of a God.....although He is. NO! "Having purged all our sins, He had a righteous foundation. He sat down" because HE FINISHED THE WORK!
Revelation now becomes a book of hope, of the promise because we have been redeemed from EVERY CURSE, EVERY JUDGMENT!!!
Come under the shelter of His wings if you haven't yet. Come! Let Jesus unseal your life from the destruction that is even now beginning to take place in these last days. You don't need to let all those seals affect you life; your earth, your family. No! Stand on the safe, solid, rainbow-encircled, NO JUDGMENT GROUND of the redeemed of The Lord!
Then neither you nor any of your loved ones will have anything to fear from the
SCROLL WITH SEVEN SEALS.
Check it out. This is what happened in chapter 6 when the first seal was broken:
1 "Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse.
He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out CONQUERING AND TO CONQUER."
Scripture is it's own best commentary so let's find out what it has to say about what is a sealed scroll.
There are lots of commentaries out there, as you know. Seems everybody has an opinion. But instead of reading someone else's idea, I prefer to let the Bible explain itself. Otherwise, we'll just be rehashing old, familiar theologies.
There are lots of commentaries out there, as you know. Seems everybody has an opinion. But instead of reading someone else's idea, I prefer to let the Bible explain itself. Otherwise, we'll just be rehashing old, familiar theologies.
Is there any other place in the Bible that mentions a sealed scroll? Yes! Jeremiah 32 records that he, referring to himself, was in prison where King Zedekiah, had thrown him. Old Zed was the king of Judah at that time; in fact, he was the last one before the Babylonian captivity.
He was not a very nice guy which is kinda strange since his name in Hebrew means "God is righteous." Not much like his namesake. Not very smart either throwing in prison the only man who spoke for God at that time. If there were ever a time when he needed to hear from God, it was then.
Let's follow the story:
6 "And Jeremiah said, 'The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 7 ‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying, “Buy my field which is in Anathoth, for the RIGHT OF REDEMPTION IS YOURS to buy it.”’
8 Then Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said to me, ‘Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin; for the RIGHT OF INHERITANCE IS YOURS, and the REDEMPTION YOURS; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.
9 So I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle who was in Anathoth, and weighed out to him the money—seventeen shekels of silver. 10 And I SIGNED THE DEED AND SEALED IT, took witnesses, and weighed the money on the scales. 11 So I took the purchase deed, both that which was SEALED according to the law and custom, and that which was OPEN; 12 and I gave the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the purchase deed, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the prison."
8 Then Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said to me, ‘Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin; for the RIGHT OF INHERITANCE IS YOURS, and the REDEMPTION YOURS; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.
9 So I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle who was in Anathoth, and weighed out to him the money—seventeen shekels of silver. 10 And I SIGNED THE DEED AND SEALED IT, took witnesses, and weighed the money on the scales. 11 So I took the purchase deed, both that which was SEALED according to the law and custom, and that which was OPEN; 12 and I gave the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the purchase deed, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the prison."
In this passage, Jeremiah is acting as a "Goel--a Kinsman Redeemer," for his cousin like Boaz was for Ruth and Jesus for us. In order to qualify to be a goel for someone, a man had to be:
#1: a close relative:
#2: wealthy enough to redeem the lost property; and
#3: willing to purchase what was lost and restore it to the relative freely, no strings attached.
This whole perfect earthly paradise created for us by God was forfeited to satan by Adam. He bowed his knee to that outlaw spirit instead of to the Holy Spirit in the garden, committing high treason.
God had given man the keys to the earth to rule over and subdue it. "Six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work." It was basically a six day lease. Remember, now, that a day to God is as a thousand years so it's clear that our 6,000 year lease is going to be up soon. When the seventh day arrives, God will once again take back control of the earth. HALLELUJAH!
Since Adam legally forfeited his inheritance, the earth is still fallen. Do you really think that God would allow wars, sickness, poverty, famine, lack and all manner of misery if He was in charge? AS IF! The One Who gave up His beloved Son to save us??!! I DON'T THINK SO.
But, because of the terms of our lease, He cannot legally intervene in any of our affairs unless we ask Him to. God can only help those who have a covenant with him. That's why we pray. It activates our covenant.
Those who are outside of Christ, however, ALL BETS ARE OFF, since they have no covenant with God. They are on their own with absolutely no defense against a very real devil. He hates God and hates us who are made in His image. Since he cannot strike at God directly, he strikes at us instead. Oh yeah; you DON'T want to be out from under His protection!
(For more on this topic, follow this link: http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2015/01/why-we-pray.html)
Take a good look at the sealed scroll in the picture. Can you see that part of the scroll is open and part is sealed, and that there is writing both within and without?
Then further on in verse 14 of Jeremiah 32 it says,
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
“Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is SEALED and this deed which is OPEN, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days.” 15 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: “Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.”’
The scroll is sealed with witnesses names on the outside; terms and conditions on the inside. AS LONG AS THE SCROLL REMAINS SEALED, THE INHERITANCE REMAINS FORFEITED.
Until someone from our family, a human being, a rich relative, could come to our aide who could buy back our land and unseal the scroll, our inheritance remained legally forfeited. All the terms and conditions of the scroll written inside remain in effect until it is legally redeemed by our Goel.
Now do you understand why John and the angels were weeping?
But our AWESOME Abba, in the fullness of time, sent His beloved son, Jesus. HE WAS THE ONLY ONE FOUND WORTHY TO OPEN THE SEALS!!! The Lion of the tribe of Judah!
Jesus is His Name!!!
What are these seals? Ephesians 4:30 says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were SEALED for the day of redemption.”
If you can be SEALED by the Holy Spirit Who is good, you can be SEALED by evils spirits. There are SEVEN on this scroll.
HALLELUJAH!!! Thanks to Jesus, these seven seals have NO MORE CLAIM ON US; no more right to affect us and our earth. Believers are standing on NO CURSE GROUND!
But, as I said of unbelievers, the devil can pick on them any time he pleases. I would say they are at his mercy but he doesn't have any.
Below are listed all the evils that have been UNsealed off the life of every believer:
Revelation 6:
The 1st seal--->the counterfeit rider on a white horse: the spirit of anti-Christ.
We are not affected by his wiles. We have eyes to see, ears to hear and supernatural discernment.
Why so many are blind enough to select leaders that are clearly evil? Why is there so much anti-Semitism and anti Christian rhetoric running amock in the world today? Persecution and murder of Jews and Christians? Mindless violence in diverse places and global terrorism?
Those who are still sealed are being affected by THE RIDER ON THE WHITE HORSE: the spirit of anti-Christ.
Notice it isn't "anti-God?" It is antichrist! The Bible doesn't say, "At the name of God every knee will bow," but "AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW!!!"
You cannot reason with these people.
It is a seal on their lives.
The only hope for them is only One Who can break the seal and open their eyes:
The Lion of the tribe of Judah: Jesus is His Name!
The 2nd seal--->The rider on the red horse. He takes peace from the earth "so that PEOPLE SHOULD KILL ONE ANOTHER."
Sound familiar? All the violence in Ferguson; Hamas suddenly attacking Israel; persecution of Christians and Jews around the globe; random killings; brutal murders; Newtown, CT, USA; racial tensions running wild, random killing of law enforcement people; ISIS in the rampage, senseless killings of innocent children; the global threat by radical Islam. These people are being affected by the RIDER ON THE RED HORSE.
You cannot reason with them. It is a seal on their lives.
The only hope for them is the One Who can open the seals and open their eyes.
The Lion of the tribe of Judah: Jesus is the His Name!
3rd seal--->The rider on the black horse. He who sat on it had a "pair of scales in his hand," signifying lack: "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
You cannot reason with these people.
It is a seal on their lives.
The only hope for them is only One Who can break the seal and open their eyes:
The Lion of the tribe of Judah: Jesus is His Name!
Sound familiar? All the violence in Ferguson; Hamas suddenly attacking Israel; persecution of Christians and Jews around the globe; random killings; brutal murders; Newtown, CT, USA; racial tensions running wild, random killing of law enforcement people; ISIS in the rampage, senseless killings of innocent children; the global threat by radical Islam. These people are being affected by the RIDER ON THE RED HORSE.
You cannot reason with them. It is a seal on their lives.
The only hope for them is the One Who can open the seals and open their eyes.
The Lion of the tribe of Judah: Jesus is the His Name!
3rd seal--->The rider on the black horse. He who sat on it had a "pair of scales in his hand," signifying lack: "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
This rider signifies want and lack. It is a seal and cannot be overcome by human effort.
The only sure source of supply is our Lord Jesus. Your security cannot be in the stock market, it must be in Jesus. His children will not go begging bread for The Lord Jesus Himself, He is our Shepherd; WE SHALL NOT LACK.
There will be many in these last days who will suffer lack. You cannot help them except to tell them about Jesus.
Their only hope is The One Who can open the seal.
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah: Jesus is His Name!
4th seal--->The Rider on the pale horse. 7"And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
The word in Greek for "beasts of the earth," is not like a lion or tiger; it's a diminutive term referring to something very tiny, invisible to the naked eye, microorganisms that cause all manner of diseases. Ebola; SARS; Bird Flu; Legionnaires disease, and so on. (For more on this topic, follow this link: http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2015/05/psalm-91-part-5-angels-watching-over-us.html)
Church, we have Psalm 91 and others in which to find refuge. We have a strong tower and solid rock, Jesus, to defend us!
Those who remain sealed are fair game. The devil can pick their number any time he pleases.
They cannot stop it.
It is a seal.
The only hope for them is The One Who can open the seal.
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah: Jesus is His Name!
5th seal: Martyrdom, This seal is self-explanatory. We have nothing to fear.
The 6th seal: Cosmic disturbances. As Jesus stilled the storm with one word, "Shalom," so we too can still the storm. We have to say four words though: Shalom in Jesus' Name.
The 7th seal: Silence. God is not silent in our lives! We have full, open, blessed and continuous fellowship with Him. This silence is the calm before the storm. It ushers in the seven Angels with the seven trumpets. The worst calamities ever to hit planet earth with be unleashed.
We won't be here, Church. WE'LL BE SITTING DOWN AT THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB!
These horsemen and all those bowls of wrath will not, CANNOT harm the sheep of His flock! They have been UNsealed off your life!
So Church, don't be afraid to read this wonderful book. Read it with the understanding that JESUS FINISHED THE WORK. He could not sit down at the right hand of The Father because He's God, although He is....Or the Son of a God.....although He is. NO! "Having purged all our sins, He had a righteous foundation. He sat down" because HE FINISHED THE WORK!
Revelation now becomes a book of hope, of the promise because we have been redeemed from EVERY CURSE, EVERY JUDGMENT!!!
Come under the shelter of His wings if you haven't yet. Come! Let Jesus unseal your life from the destruction that is even now beginning to take place in these last days. You don't need to let all those seals affect you life; your earth, your family. No! Stand on the safe, solid, rainbow-encircled, NO JUDGMENT GROUND of the redeemed of The Lord!
Say "Yes!" to THE ONE WHO PAID FOR IT ALL and holds in His nail-pierced hand your paid-in-full receipt.....IF you'll accept it!
Then neither you nor any of your loved ones will have anything to fear from the
SCROLL WITH SEVEN SEALS.
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