The Worthy One on the Throne and the Worthy Lamb
Revelation 4–5

Theme: God is the only one worthy of praise because of His glorious nature and powerful creation. Jesus is the only one worthy to fulfill all history because of His identity and His work.

1A. (4:1-11) The Worthy One on the Throne

1B. (4:1-6a) Behold the One Seated on the Throne and His Magnificent Court

1C. (4:1-2a) Second Vision Introduced

2C. (4:2b-6a) The Throne

2B. (4:6b-11) Praise to the One Seated on the Throne by His Magnificent Court

1C. (4:6b-8) The Four Living Creatures

1D. (4:6b-8a) Their appearance

2D. (4:8b) Their ceaseless praise

PRAISE to God for His essential nature–– Holiness (“Holy, holy, holy”), Power (“Lord God, the Almighty”), Eternality (“who was and is and is to come”).

• Implication: Unceasing praise–– In one sense, the date of what John sees is irrelevant because this praise is always happening because God always is.

• Implication: Be encouraged–– God is always this God and always worthy of praise. He never ceases to be worthy!

2C. (4:9-11) The Twenty-Four Elders

1D. (4:9) Catalyst for praise to the One who lives forever

2D. (4:10) Posture for praise to the One who lives forever

3D. (4:11) Praise to the One who created all things

PRAISE to the God who is worthy to receive praise because of His work of creation.

• Implication: He has the right to judge His creation.

Evil, human rebellion, and nature’s groaning (Rom 8:19-23) is not uncontrolled and unrestrained.

2A. (5:1-14) The Worthy Lamb

1B. (5:1) The Sealed Scroll (cf. Isa 29:10; Dan 12:4; Ezk 2:9-10)

2B. (5:2-5) Who is Worthy to Open the Scroll?

History apart from Christ is futile and meaningless.

Only the Gen 49 and Isa 11 Man is worthy to open the scroll (OT question & answer).

3B. (5:6-10) The Lamb is Worthy! Part 1

Our prayers matter!

Jesus is worthy to open the scroll because He died to redeem sinners from all over the earth (see Dan 7:14), make them a kingdom and priests, and to see to it that their destiny to reign on this earth with Him will be fulfilled (see Dan 7:27).

4B. (5:11-14) The Lamb is Worthy! Part 2

Jesus receives worship with the One seated on the throne.

This is a glimpse of God’s perspective on the course and meaning of world history. The cross of Jesus is the central and exclusive connecting point of history. Jesus is the only one who can fulfill all history.