The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Revelation 5:1-7, “I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.
2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?’
3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it.
4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it;
5 and one of the elders said to me, ‘Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.’
6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.
7 And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.”

When I was a small boy, my mother told me about God’s Book, the Bible. But there was, another “book” that was not the Bible. The book she meant was the book in which God placed “black marks” behind the names of children when they were naughty. Exactly how many “black marks” were behind my name was known only to the LORD!

The Apostle John learned about God’s Book when he was on the Isle of Patmos. Only that that Book was a scroll, like the one which the Prophet Ezekiel referenced (Ezk 2:9-10a). Books in ancient times were often scrolled and sealed in various places, hiding portions from the eyes of others.

This book, however, was revealed to John: “I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back…” (5:1a). Doubtlessly, there have been many variant ideas about the content of that book; yet, it is revealed as the “Title Deed to the Earth,” and it is “…sealed up with seven seals” and further secured in the LORD’s right hand, connoting His authority. As for the seals, they were secured with perfection. Roman law required wills to be sealed seven times.

The Angel in our Scripture passage is obviously not Christ, since He is the recipient of the “little book.” We are not told who this angel is, but a good possibiity is that it is Gabriel; for it was he, who ordered the book closed to Daniel (Dan. 9:24). The Angel’s loud voice is intimidating, as he asks, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?”

John notes the universal disqualification of all creation to open the book (5:3). Faithful and faithless of men and of angels –all are disqualified! Why? Because disqualification is not based on intellectual lack, but upon moral unworthiness. No one is qualified to open the Book! Everyone lacks the qualification to view and know its contents!

This provoked John to weep profusely! If this “little book” is, as we believe, the Title Deed to the Earth, John’s weeping can be justifiably rebuked –and it was!– because weeping denotes an attitude of unsureness, instability; it betrays a lack of trust in God’s ability to control. Even when we do not understand, we must have confidence that the
LORD does understand. And beyond that, He is in control and will always take care of His people. Are you one of His people? I am praying that you are.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom