At this time of year, many people celebrate Easter. The Gospel accounts give us a human perspective, describing the plots of the religious, the violence of the Romans, the fear (turned to rejoicing) of the disciples and the miraculous, earth-shattering miracle of the resurrection. Yet John’s Revelation gives us a cosmic perspective. It is a story we often miss but it is fundamental in understanding what Jesus’ death and resurrection truly mean.
John’s vision takes us to the throne room of heaven, where we see the implications of Calvary for all of Creation. According to Adventist theologian Ranko Stefanovic, “The evidence points to the conclusion that Revelation 4-5 describes the enthronement of Christ after his ascension to heaven, which took place at the time of Pentecost in AD 31 (Acts 2:32-36; Revelation 5:6). Simultaneously, Christ was inaugurated into his post-Calvary ministry as our King and Priest.”
Let’s join John in that throne room. He describes a magnificent throne on which God is seated, receiving worship. Yet even here, in the presence of perfection, there is a problem. God’s character has been called into question. Towards the centre of the book of Revelation, careful readers will remember that there was war in heaven. And here we see God is holding a scroll that no-one in heaven or on earth can open.
In fact, John begins to weep because there is no-one worthy enough. He is in the presence of the heavenly council, privy to God’s glory, yet it seems that there is no answer to be found to the riddle of the scroll.
However, in John’s moment of devastation, an elder leans over and reassures him: “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll” (Revelation 5:5).
What John sees next may surprise us. He does not see the Messiah the disciples were expecting. He does not see a triumphant king dancing into Jerusalem. He sees a lamb that looks as if violence has been done to it, “who was slain” (v12) take the scroll. A lamb that is divine (seven eyes and horns) takes the scroll from God, resulting in spontaneous worship from all those present. They sing hymns of praise, songs of deliverance. The first song gives us a clue as to what has happened: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (v9,10). There is rejoicing in heaven.
In his commentary on Revelation, Adventist Sigve Tonstad shares,
“Like the Israelites, believers have been liberated from captivity. This captivity, however, is not physical or political as much as it is spiritual and existential. Here the power holding people captive is ‘the mudslinger,’ also known as ‘Satan’. . . The worthiness of the lamb is proclaimed and acclaimed first against the background of misrepresentation and accusation, and second against death and hopelessness.”
The Lamb has proved Himself worthy to take the scroll through His death and resurrection. Those who are rescued are purchased for God. They are a multi-ethnic multitude, who will fulfil God’s original plan for His chosen people, to be a nation of priests (those who bring heaven and earth together) to serve God and to reign on the earth.
God’s invitation to His people, Israel, to be a nation of priests has expanded here to all of humanity. The authority humans handed over to the snake in the garden has been wrested back.
This cosmic perspective can reframe for us the familiar Easter narrative. Jesus ascends to heaven victorious. He has overcome the disparagement of God’s character, sin, death and the brokenness of this fallen world.
And He calls us to be His people—to serve God and to reign with Him. What an opportunity. What a hope. Death and brokenness is not eternal; the Lamb has overcome. May we be overcomers through Him.
