Worthy Forever

Beloved People of God,

Reading the book of Revelation, we were invited by Jesus—our gracious Lord and Savior—to walk through an open door (Revelation 4.1). Our access to the very throne room of heaven is thrown wide by Christ. Reading John’s letter in Greek, he uses the word anoigó to describe the open door. It is evident, as we hear John’s prophetic and apocalyptic letter, it is because of Jesus our Messiah we can walk through the door between heaven and earth. As the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve we know there is nothing in our power to open that door. But following Jesus, we enter the presence of God.

Through the open door, we subsumed by the songs of eternity! In the Spirit, before the throne of grace, we hear the songs of heavenly beings and elders. Through the open door we receive a new liturgy, a new way to live in unsteady times. No wonder it’s so jarring for John while he was engulfed in the songs of eternity, a loud voice breaks through his celestial revery; “And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” (Revelation 5.2). When John realized no one in all of creation—on heaven or earth or beyond—was worthy to open the scroll, he wept. John wept because the revelation on the scroll would remain unopened, veiled from sight. 

But if we’re reading carefully, we find an easter egg (pun intended) in the text. Who is worthy to open (anoigó) the scroll? Is it not the very One who opened the door for us to stand in His presence!? Above, within and beyond all creation there is One who is worthy to open the scroll (Revelation 5.7) and it is to Him we will sing of forever (Revelation 5.9-10; 12; 13)! In Jesus, the Lamb who was slain, we sing a new song because He is worthy forever!

For His Name’s Sake,

Brett