Sermon for Lord's Day September 24,2023 The Ascension- From Heaven's Perspective

We are going to be reading from the book of Luke. The last three verses of the book of Luke. Lord being our helper, this will be the first from the last sermon in Luke. We have made it through the book of Luke.

I believe October 2019 we began and here we are finishing this book up. Next week we will be doing a summary of the book of Luke so I believe it might be helpful and encouraging for you as well as we kind of just skim back through Luke to kind of recap everything that we found in the book of Luke itself.

Reading Luke 24 and Praying for the Preaching

But today Luke chapter 24 and we are going to be reading verse 51, 52, and 53 in your hearing. And before we read and before I ask you to stand, let's go to the Lord in prayer. Our good and our great God as we come before your throne this morning, Lord we come today in eager anticipation as we have been of getting together with the saints of God.

Lord no doubt we want to thank you for what you have already shown to us in your word in the classrooms this morning. Thankful Lord that we were able to join our hearts and our minds and our voices together in singing praise unto you, recognizing that what you have done is worthy of all praise, all honor, all glory, and all power.

Not just for what you have done, but simply because of who you are because you are holy and you are righteous. You are set apart in God as I come this morning. I just want to ask you Lord, please help us as we stand one more time.

I pray that you'd give clarity in my mind, give me liberty with my mouth. I pray Lord that you would work mightily in the hearts and in the minds of your people through the preached word of God today, Lord that you would save the lost, Lord God that you would encourage the saint, Lord that you would revive the cold and the backslidden, and dear God that you would draw all men, all women, all boys, all girls in this place that you would draw them unto yourself for there's no better place for us to look today than unto you.

And so God, I give you great, great glory, great thanksgiving this morning for this privilege of prayer and for the witness of your Holy Spirit Lord, for it is in Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Stand with us if you would to honor the reading of God's holy word, Luke chapter 24, verses 51 through 53.

This is the word of the living God. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. They worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple blessing God.

As far as the reading of God's holy word, verses 51 through 53, you may be seated this morning. And as we step into this short little passage of scripture again, I know you need not be reminded how much truth there is in this.

The Ascension of Christ from Earth’s Perspective

As we have looked, this will be our third week on simply looking at the ascension of Christ. For the last two weeks, we've looked at why it matters, why the ascension matters. And then that was week before last, and then this past week, we looked at the exclusivity of the Christian faith.

And today, today, God being our helper, our desire is to look at the ascension one last time as we're in this passage, to look at the ascension, not from earth's perspective, but to look at the ascension from heaven's perspective.

Now, we know, just to recap, we know what has taken place thus far, right? The Lord Jesus Christ has arisen from the dead. We have it here in Luke's gospel account in 24, particularly of these two disciples who are traveling on the road to Emmaus, and Jesus walks up to them, asks why they're walking and so sad, they begin to open up to Jesus.

Jesus reveals to them the scriptures, all, matter of fact, all of the scriptures concerning him, concerning the Christ and the prophets and the law. So Jesus opens to them, their heart burns within them.

Jesus later again appears to the disciples as they're all gathered together. After Cleopas and the other disciples ran all the way back to Jerusalem, John Calvin said this, as a matter of fact, it cannot be doubted that he then, Jesus, then engraved an uncommon mark on the hearts of these two men, Cleopas and the other disciples, so that they might at length perceive that in speaking, he had breathed into them a divine warmth.

For though the word of God, I'm sorry, for though the word of the Lord is always fire common. Now, I want to real quick say this. Now, we hear the kids use this term now, I hate being so old that you have to say when the kids say something, the young people say something, but the kids these days use this term, they'll say that was fire, meaning that was good, that was awesome.

Well, John Calvin actually used this phrase, he said, though the word of the Lord is always fire, yet a fiery rigor was at that time manifested in a peculiar and an unusual manner in the discourse of Christ and was intended to be an evident proof of his divine power.

For it is he alone who baptizes in the Holy Ghost. These are the words of John Calvin. Now, there is no doubt about it that the two disciples on the road to Emmaus got their hearts absolutely lit up by the scriptures.

And the other disciples whom Jesus showed himself alive and glorified also rejoiced greatly when Jesus opened to them the scriptures. And yet, as we see in this text, we see the term used that they worshiped him.

I'm not going to attempt to pronounce the Greek term there, but we'll get into that here shortly. But we noticed in this text that their worship just seemed to continue to grow and grow and grow until they saw the Lord Jesus Christ ascend to heaven before their very eyes.

Now, we remember who wrote Luke, or I'm sorry, who wrote Luke's account? Luke. He wrote it to his friend Theophilus, most excellent Theophilus. And he wrote it so that Theophilus might have a more better, more better, maybe that's about English, a better understanding and a better knowledge of who Jesus Christ is and what he has done.

Now, if you jump over one chapter, we see Luke, John, and then the book of Acts. Luke also wrote the book of Acts. And again, we mentioned last week, it is as if that there is very little to none difference where Luke just picks right back up as we see in the introduction to the book of Acts.

For example, if you read Acts 1, you read this, in the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during 40 days and speaking to them about the kingdom of God. And as the scripture continues, while staying with them, he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait, to wait for the promise of the father, which he said, you heard from me for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.

So when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And he said to them, it is not for you to know the times or the seasons that the father has fixed by his own authority.

The question of eschatology came up then, it comes up now. How do we address these issues? We always go to the word. But Jesus said, it's not for you to know the times or the seasons that the father has fixed by his own authority.

But he said, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be witnesses where in Jerusalem, in Judea and in Samaria and into the uttermost hearts of the earth. McLaren said this concerning that passage in Acts, Alexander McLaren, the contemporary of Charles Spurgeon in the mid -1800s, said the equipment for the work is investiture with divine power.

It's a partial bestowal of the spirit, which is the father's promise, took place while Jesus spoke when he said, I sinned, refers to something done at that moment. But the fuller clothing with that garment of power was to be waited for in expectancy and desire.

Jesus said, wait in Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high. Alexander McLaren said no man can do the Christian work of witnessing for and of Christ without the clothing of that power. It was granted as an abiding gift on Pentecost.

Thanks be to God there. It needs perpetual renewal. We all may have it. Without it, eloquence, learning and all else are but a sounding brass and as a tinkling symbol. Unless the spirit of God works in the heart and in the mind of the boys and the girls of the men and the women who sit under the preaching and the teaching of the word of God, unless the Lord builds the house, all is done in vain.

But you can be sure if the Lord builds the house, your foundation is certain. Your foundation is sure. Your foundation is secure. It's unmovable because it is the foundation of Jesus Christ himself. The chief cornerstone is what we have according to the word of God.

The Ascension in Acts 1 and the Promise of the Spirit

Now if we look just a little bit further in to the book of Acts chapter one, we read these words and when he had said these things as they were, I'm sorry, Acts chapter one, as they were looking, he was lifted up and the scripture describes this to us where Luke doesn't describe it to us in his gospel, but here in Acts, the continuation, we see the description of the ascension of Jesus Christ.

Now this is beautiful when you stop and you actually think about what we are reading. He was lifted up and the scripture says a cloud took him out of their sight. Can you imagine? I would say probably not.

I don't know of any of us that have ever seen anybody be taken up to heaven on a cloud. The disciples were unique in this. Another reason that the apostles were unique in their ministry. They saw Christ be taken and raised up into heaven, ascended into heaven on a cloud as we have Luke writing this in the word of God and the Bible says they're continuing in Acts and while they were gazing into heaven, I believe somewhat awestruck, somewhat amazed, somewhat dumbfounded, somewhat stupefied, somehow, some way, maybe one of them was trying to figure out now how is this happening?

How is this going on? But two men stood by them in white, the angels of the Lord, and they looked at the disciples and the disciples looked at them and they said, you men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven?

That's what they said. Why do you stand gazing into heaven? For this same Jesus, this same Jesus who was taken from you into heaven will also come again in like manner. Now that is the view from the ground.

That is what the disciples view. This is what we have recorded for us in God's inspired word. This is what we have to look at and some may say, could there be any more? And I'm going to say holding topic to the scriptures.

Absolutely. Yes, there is. We go on. So verse 52 and verse 53 here in Acts, notice the words, and they were, so while he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven, verse 52, and they worshiped him and they returned to Jerusalem with great joy and the scripture says, and they were continually in the temple blessing God.

Matthew Poole in his commentary said this, their faith was now come to the highest pitch. They did no longer look upon him only as one sent of God or as a good prophet, nor even as only the son of David, the promised Messiah.

In the meantime, not rightly taking the notion of the Messiah, remember the disciples were looking for a whole different kind of kingdom. They were looking for an earthly kingdom that would come and destroy Rome and take over the earth and they would sit there and rule around the earth.

But the kingdom they were looking for was not the kingdom that Jesus brought. But Matthew Poole goes on to say this, but they were looking upon him as one who should be a temporary savior and a deliverer of his people.

They now believe him to be the eternal son of God. Question for you today, do you believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal son of God? I appreciate the testimony there of Troy this morning that he had to come to the realization that Jesus was either the Messiah, the son of God, or he was not.

And my friend, to be saved by God's grace, God supernaturally will work the work of regeneration in your heart and in your mind so that you can recognize that Jesus Christ is the son of God. As a matter of fact, the only begotten son of God.

So Poole went on to say this, being so manifested by his resurrection from the dead and his ascension into heaven before their eyes. And according to his commandment, they return to Jerusalem full of joy.

So taking this small section in Luke, taking that first 11 verses of Acts, we see the view from the ground. We see what took place. And we not only see what took place, but we see what the disciples did.

The scripture says they worshiped the ascending Christ. They worshiped him. In the New Testament, worship is denoted or set forth or demonstrated by kneeling or by prostrating to do homage to one or to make what is called obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication.

So when we worship God, when we worship God, our heart's attitude, our mind's attitude should be that of worship, should be to recognize that we do not deserve to be able to stand upright, to hold our head high, to pull out the rest of our jackets down and pretend like we are anything.

For when we stand before God, we stand before the creator of the heavens and the earth. We should fear God, fear God, stand in awe of God, the psalmist said, and fear him. So this scripture tells us that they worshiped Christ as Christ ascended to heavens.

They bowed not only their hearts, but they bowed their heads, they bowed their bodies, they laid prostrate before God, the God, the son who ascended back to the throne before their very eyes. So again, these disciples were looking from the ground up to heaven.

And today, in God's word, as we begin to look at supporting text, we're going to see heaven's perspective on the ascension of Christ. So the scripture tells us first in Psalm chapter 29, Psalm chapter 29, verses 1 through 4,.

By the way, as we throw out these texts, and those of you who keep notes today, I want to encourage you to find Ruby after church is over, ask her to see notes from family worship where she took some detailed notes.

That little girl might be able to teach us all something about note taking right there. But the scripture says in Psalm 29, 1 through 4, the psalmist said, ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength, to ascribe means to give unto, ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name.

Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness. Worship the Lord in the magnificence of his holiness. For the scripture said there, the voice of the Lord is over many waters.

The God of glory thunders, the Lord over many waters. The voice of the Lord is powerful. The voice of the Lord is full of majesty. When God speaks, when God acts, he not only acts as God, he acts as King.

He alone has authority over all things. As a matter of fact, the scripture tells us in another place there, that the Lord does whatsoever he pleases in the heavens and in the earth. By the way, the heavens is his throne and the earth is his footstool.

But as we examine this, to examine this idea, this thought, we're going to look at a couple of different things, a couple of different passages this morning, particularly Daniel chapter 7. We're going to look at, if you want to go ahead and mark your place there, we're going to be reading in Ephesians, in Isaiah, we're going to be going throughout the text of scripture.

And as we enter into this time to examine the ascension from heaven's perspective, according to the word of God, I want to encourage you to follow along in the scriptures. Do not take my word for what is being said.

I've done my best to study, to prepare, to give this to you, but test everything that you hear according to the word of God. Now in Daniel chapter 7, we read of Daniel's vision of both the father and the son.

The father and the son, that points us directly to the ascension of Christ. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, there is continuity that points us to the majesty and to the holiness of God. And might I add, to the trustworthiness and to the faithfulness of God's word.

So as we examine the ascension this morning from heaven's perspective, the question might rightly be asked, how can we know what went on in heaven? How can we know what takes place in heaven? And maybe another question is this, can we infer from the text of the Bible what went on?

To which I will answer the questions that I ask, yes. And I say yes because of this, as we consider, and particularly concerning biblical prophecy. Biblical prophecy, let's look at both the Old Testament and the New Testament passages concerning the ascension of Jesus Christ, which is what we have here as our primary text this morning.

But what we do know, we know and understand that prophecy, and keep this in mind, prophecy in the biblical sense is always given in relation to and points us to Jesus Christ, the Messiah. That is what biblical prophecy is.

And an important theological term I would encourage you to take down here, it would be worth taking note of, is the term predictive prophecy. Predictive prophecy. What is predictive prophecy? It is, number one, this, it is discourse that emanates from divine revelation.

You say, that sounds familiar, have you said that before? Yes, three weeks ago we began to talk about this concerning Jesus Christ being the spirit of prophecy. Prophecy is discourse that emanates or comes from divine revelation that particularly, when we're talking about predictive prophecy, that particularly and specifically tells of future events.

That's what predictive prophecy is. Prophecy that comes from God, divine revelation, and it particularly and specifically tells of future events. So what we're going to look at in Daniel is predictive prophecy, particularly predictive in the sense concerning the person and the work of Jesus Christ and his ascension.

So let's, again, be very clear as we use these terms. I do not want to get off into some extreme ideas or views. So when we think of this term biblical prophecy, when we hear the term biblical prophecy or prophecy in general, from a Christian perspective, we should always understand it to be what was spoken by God.

Prophecy is what was spoken by God through the prophets and the apostles in relation to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. So God's word spoken through the apostles and through the prophets in relation to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, and not only that, but to the work of Jesus Christ, both past, present, and future.

In particular, we have this. Now, where can we find these words? In the 66 books of the Old and the New Testament. The scripture tells us this. So for a proof text here, let's go to Ephesians chapter 2, Ephesians chapter 2, beginning in verse 11.

Ephesians chapter 2, verse 11, the word of God states this. Context again, Paul is speaking to the church at Ephesus. He has just laid out in verses 1 through 10 the famous verses that teach us and tell us before we're saved that we're dead in our trespasses and in our sins, but Christ has made us alive and Christ has quickened us together, and Christ has made us sit together in heavenly places with him.

And then just a little further down, we find in verse 8 through 10 that it's by grace you are saved, that it is not of yourself, that it alone is the gift of God, and not of works lest any man should boast.

That's what the scripture states. So in verse 11, Paul picks up, Paul continues, and he says, therefore, or as a result of these previous things that I said, remember. He said, remember, at one time, you Gentiles in the flesh were called the uncircumcision by what is called the circumcision.

We see here two groups, Jews and Gentiles. And he says, which is made in the flesh by hands. Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise.

You had no hope and you were without God in the world. Oh, but he says, but now, but now in Christ Jesus, you who were once afar off have been brought near, how? By the blood of Jesus Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments that were expressed in ordinances that he might, that he, that Jesus might create in himself one new man in place of the two.

So making peace and might reconcile us both, Jew and Gentile, might reconcile us both to God, how? In one body through the cross, thereby he killed the hostility and he came and he preached peace to you who were afar off, you Gentiles who were afar off.

And he came and he preached peace to those who were near the Jews for through him we both have access in one spirit to the father. So then you are no longer strangers. You are no longer aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and you are members of the household of God.

And then he says it right here, and being built upon the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. There we have it. Being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone in whom the whole structure being joined together grows up into a holy temple in the Lord.

In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place by God, for God, by the spirit. So with that being said, what is the purpose to kind of give answers and definitions here? What is the purpose of predicted prophecy?

This can also be answered from the text of scripture. In Isaiah chapter 48, Isaiah chapter 48, we have the prophet declaring the word of the Lord to Israel and he says this, he explains and he tells, we have almost an exact definition of predicted prophecy right here.

For the Lord tells his people, he says, the former things I've declared of old, they went out from my mouth and I announced them. Then the Lord said, then suddenly I did them. So he tells it and then he does it, right?

And suddenly I did them and they came to pass because I know, this is God speaking to his people because I know that you are obstinate, that you are stubborn, that you are rebellious and your neck is as an iron sinew and your forehead brass.

We wonder where the term hardheaded comes from. There you go. Your forehead is as brass. I declared them to you from old, the Lord said, before they came to pass, I announced them to you, lest you should say my idol did them, my carved image did them or my metal image commanded them.

So prophecy as understood biblically, again, is a discourse that comes from divine revelation in relation to the redemptive work of Christ. Predictive prophecy is divinely inspired revelation with absolute exact specificity that points to a future event.

This is predictive prophecy. So with that being said, let's turn back in the Old Testament to the book of Daniel chapter seven. The book of Daniel chapter seven, just a general timeframe, likely in the fifth to sixth century before Christ.

So we have five to 600 years before the Ascension takes place and in Daniel chapter seven, let's look at the word of God. Daniel chapter seven, beginning in verse nine, verse nine and 10 to start with.

As I looked, Daniel said, as God gives him this vision, this truth, this prophecy, as I look, thrones were placed and the ancient of days took his seat. Now the ancient of days is the reference to the father.

The ancient of days took his seat. Guess what? Nobody sits in his seat. He took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow, the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames. Its wheels were like burning fire, a stream of fire issued and came out from before him.

And notice the words here that the prophet Daniel uses, a thousand thousand served him and 10 ,000 times 10 ,000 stood before him. Amen. This is five to 600 years before the Ascension. Going down just a little bit further in that passage in verse 13 and 14, we see the move from the father to the son being declared.

I saw in the night visions and behold with the clouds of heaven came one like the son of man and where did he go or where did he come? He came to the ancient of days that was presented and was presented before him.

Let's pause for just a minute here. Let's recall what we read. In Luke and what we read in the book of Acts, the scripture says he raised his hands in Luke. He blessed them and he departed from them. The full description is given to us in Acts.

He ascended on a cloud into the heavens and here, five to 600 years beforehand, we see the words of Daniel with exact specificity given. Notice going on just a little bit further in that same passage, the scripture says he was presented to him and to him, to Jesus, to him was given dominion and a glory and a kingdom so that all people, all nations and languages should serve him.

His dominion is the prophet said, an everlasting dominion. That means no beginning and no end. It is eternal, which he went on to say, in case you don't understand that it shall not pass away and his kingdom is one that shall not be destroyed.

It's not going to dry up and wither. It's not going to fade away. There's no way that anybody can come in and tear it down or destroy it for the gates of hell against the kingdom of God. We have this in the scriptures.

If we were to jump back, just just take notes if you want to hear. But if you jump back over to Matthew chapter 28, man, Christians take such pride in knowing this passage, but they don't know the context.

Therefore, they lose the richness of it. Jesus took his disciples in Matthew 28 and he said, these words, all authority has been given unto thee in heaven and in earth. Therefore, go, therefore, go, go and declare, preach, teach the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

And as you go, teach, preach the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, those who are believing, baptized in the name of the father, the son and the holy. Do you see that there? So from heaven's perspective, oh, this is from earth because we are finding out we miss it.

But in the infinite, in the timeless, in the eternal, we see what begins to take place in heaven. And here in this predicted prophecy, we see the throne of God said we see the holiness of God said we see the sun ascending to the father.

And as we do this, how are we to understand this outside of the scripture? We need not try to understand this thought outside of the scripture, but thanks be unto God. He has given us his word. If you would turn over to the end of the Bible, to the book of the revelation of Jesus Christ in chapter one, Revelation chapter one, keeping in mind what the apostle said in chapter one, verse 17 to 19, particularly the apostle John says this.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet, though dead, but he laid his right hand on me, saying, Fear not, for I am the first and the last and the living one. I died and behold, I am alive forevermore. And I have the keys of death and hell right there for the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.

So as we read through this small section of chapter four and five of Revelation, keep in mind, keep in mind to help us understand Revelation as we move on into the future to understand that what is written is not only the things that had taken place, but the things that were taking place and the things that were to take place.

And so we see this as we look through the text over in Revelation chapter four. So Revelation two and three, we see the word to the seven churches of Asia. And at the end of this, this speech to the seven churches of Asia in chapter four, beginning in verse one, particularly through verse six, notice what John writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God.

He says, after this, I looked and behold, a door standing open in heaven. Now, I don't know what translation you're using. My translation has an exclamation mark there. I don't know if you've ever been somewhere, maybe somewhere you've never been before.

Maybe you could imagine it as being in a corridor or a hallway. And there's some of these doors in the hallway are closed and some of these doors in the hallway are open. But in one of these open doors, there's a commotion going on in the room.

Now, what's the natural reaction if you hear something going on? Let me look in there. What's going on there? John says, and behold, I looked and I saw a door standing open in heaven and the first voice, which I heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said this, come up here and I will show you what must take place after this.

At once, the Apostle John said, I was in the spirit and behold, a throne stood in heaven and one seated on the throne. What did we read in Daniel? The ancient of days took his seat. What do we see? What we see in Daniel, Daniel was also told to keep this sealed.

What was John told? Reveal this now. It was opened up, made known. And the scripture says this, and he who sat there had the appearance of Jasper and Carnelian and around the throne was a rainbow. So you can imagine it as a as a bowl, an actual continual circular bowl that had the appearance of an emerald around the throne.

Keep in mind, we're understanding what took place at the ascension from heaven's perspective. What went on around the throne? There were 24 thrones. So you can see around this throne, seated on high, there were 24 thrones, the scripture says.

And seated on these thrones were the 24 elders clothed in white garments with golden crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder. And before the throne were burning seven torches of fire, which are the seven spirits of God.

And before the throne, there was, as it were, a sea of glass like a crystal. So here we have, in the word of God, the picture painted for us meticulously, vivid, brilliant, shining forth. We see this in magnificent clarity.

And who do we read that sits on the throne? It is the Father. It is God the Father. So let's pay attention as we go on through this text. In Revelation, same chapter, verse 8 through 11, notice what is being said of the Father.

Notice the worship that is being given to the Father. As the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within. And day and night, they never cease to say, Holy, holy, holy, Lord, I see who was and is and evermore shall be.

That's what the scripture says. They said, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. And whenever the living creatures give glory and whenever they give honor and whenever they give thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives, by the way, forever and ever.

The scripture says the twenty and four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and they worship him who lives forever and ever. And as they worship him, the scripture says they cast their crowns before the throne and they say, worthy are you, O Lord, and our God, to receive glory and honor and power.

Why? Because you created all things and by your will, they exist and were created. Now, how do we know that this is of the Son? Again, I'll anticipate you ask, I'm anticipating you asking these questions and I will say I will give you credit.

I will say that was a great question. But let's read a bit further in here in the book of Revelation, picking up in chapter five in chapter five. What do we read? We see this. Then I saw in the right hand of him who is seated on the throne, a scroll we've already established that the father sits on the throne.

Right. So we see here the one of him who's seated on the throne held a scroll that was written within and on the back, and it was sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel, John said, proclaiming with a loud voice and asking this question, who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?

And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. And I began, John said, I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.

And one of the elders said to me, weep no more. Behold, the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David has conquered so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals. And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders, I saw a lamb standing.

Now we know who the lamb is. If you don't let me tell you, according to John's testimony himself, when he saw Jesus coming to the river, he said, behold, the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

John says, I saw a lamb standing as though it had been slain with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and he took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.

And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the lamb, each holding a heart and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song.