The Throne in Heaven, the Scroll, and the Lamb

by Mike Ratliff

1 In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said,
“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts,
The whole earth is full of His glory.”
4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. Isaiah 6:1-4 (NASB) 

Any form of Christianity that is antinomian is Gnostic in nature and because of that always leads to licentiousness within the professing believers where this is going on. The Nicolaitans taught this form of Gnosticism saying that God is Spirit and so Christians should only be concerned with the spiritual things, but it does not matter what Christians do in the flesh since it is defiled anyway. Antinomianism says that Christians don’t have to obey God’s commands. This is rebellion against clear Biblical doctrine. They say they want Jesus, but forget that obedience stuff. Jesus is truth and love and He’s all I want. Those who say these sorts of things are actually treating God as if He is unimportant. What does the Bible tell us about God and His majesty and omnipotence?

1 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. 8 When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they *sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 10
“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,
“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”
14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped. Revelation 5 (NASB) 

From this passage as well as the one I placed at the top of this post from Isaiah 6 we see that God the Father, the Ancient of Days, is on His throne and those around His throne continually serve Him and praise Him. He is holy, holy, holy. He is the Lord God Almighty. He is the Lord of Hosts. He is on His throne high and lifted up. The train of His robe fills the temple. He is Worthy to receive glory and honor and power. The whole earth is full of His glory He created all things and by His will they existed and were created. When Isaiah saw Him his response was not one of rebellion or refusing to obey Him.

5 Then I said,
“Woe is me, for I am ruined!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7 He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:5-8 (NASB) 

Isaiah was overwhelmed by the holiness of God. He was so close to the holy presence of God that he saw his own unworthiness for what it really was. Our sin is rebellion and anarchy against God. Isaiah had no trouble confessing what his sin really was. He didn’t have to do any soul searching. It just came pouring forth from his heart, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” I like the way the KJV renders his cry as, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” When we see our selves in the light of God’s Holiness, Righteousness, and Justice we are undone, we are ruined, we are lost! Then we have no trouble confessing our sins nor do we want to hang onto them and say stupid things like, “It’s okay to just love Jesus, but I don’t have to obey Him.” That is the attitude of the Nicolaitans who practiced lawlessness. All those who believe this lie, but still consider themselves to be Christians need to read this.

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ Matthew 7:21-23 (NASB) 

Jesus is coming back. He died on the cross to be the propitiation for the sins of His people. He then rose from the dead on the third day to prove that what he preached and taught and did was the truth. Forty days later He ascended into Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. Since then He has been building His Church. (Matthew 16) He will continue to build it until He returns. However, before His victorious return there is business to be taken care of. That business is the Day of the Lord. When Adam and Eve fell into sin plunging Man and the Earth into a cursed existence, a spiritual transaction took place where Satan became the prince of this world and power of the air. Men went from walking with God in the cool of the evening to hiding in shame from their creator because of their sin. However, on the cross, Jesus purchased with His blood those Souls whom the Father chose before the foundation of the world. (Ephesians 1) However, the earth is still cursed and Satan is still the prince of this age and the power of the air. But with Christ’s victory on the cross, those who are His are completely free from the penalty of their sins through Justification and are being made free from the power of sin through their sanctification.

However, as I said, the Earth is still cursed and full of Satan’s seed planted alongside the redeemed of the Lamb. Wheat and Tares are side by side. God has a plan to put an end to this; therefore, there is a scroll in Heaven with seven seals that many Biblical scholars believe is the Title Deed to the Earth. When it is made active it will put into motion God’s Righteous judgments that will purchase back the Earth from our enemy.

1 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. 8 When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they *sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. 10
“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice,
“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,
“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”
14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped. Revelation 5 (NASB) 

Only the Lamb is worthy to open the scroll, to break its seals. Why?

“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

Are you in Christ? If you are then you were ransomed by Jesus blood when Jesus was slain. Not only that but you are part of the Kingdom of God serving as his priest. When the Day of the Lord is over, you will reign on the earth. However, our redeemer is the only one worthy to open the scroll by breaking the seals on it. How can His people still refuse to obey Him? Those that do this are proving that they are not among those whom He ransomed because He never knew them. They are not regenerate. They have not the Holy Spirit. They are still in their sins.

I have no idea when these events in Heaven will take place. However, I do believe that we are in the midst of the birth pangs immediately preceding this. The great falling away, the Rebellion, the Great Apostasy, must come first.

1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 (NASB) 

I believe the table is being set. The Rebellion from v3 is beginning already. The Scarlet Woman is becoming ever more powerful and full of those who believe the lie. The restrainer is taking His hand away. The violence we are seeing in the world right now is rising like a flooded river outside of its banks proving that. Nicolaitanism is becoming more and more prevalent amongst professing Christians to the point that those who remain faithful are just a Remnant who have entered by the narrow gate and are on the narrow path. Now is the time to draw near unto God and become cleansed so we can walk penitent before the face of God awaiting the return of our Lord and Saviour.

Soli Deo Gloria!