Introduction:
Fritz Kreisler was a master violinist and composer. He was one of the most noted violin masters of his day, and regarded as one of the greatest violinists of all time. Kreisler discovered that an Englishman had acquired a rare Stradivarius violin. Antonio Stradivarius was known to be an expert in making violins. The most expensive are the ones crafted during what is considered his golden period from 1700 to 1720. These violins are estimated at auction price of over a million dollars. In 1998, a Russian violinist purchased one for nearly $1.6 million.

Kreisler offered to buy the instrument from the Englishman. The man told him that the instrument was not for sale and sent him away. But Kreisler was not so easily swayed, and he decided to go back one more time and ask the man if he could at least see the magnificent instrument. The Englishman respected Kreisler’s talent enough to allow him to come into his home and hold the violin. Kreisler picked up the rare instrument and with the Englishman’s permission, placed it carefully under his chin and masterfully drew the bow across the strings. As Kreisler played, the Englishman felt as though he heard wind blowing through the trees, the laughter of little children, birds singing, and angels lifting their voices in a chorus of praise.

After 20 minutes, Kreisler saw that the Englishman was weeping. He stopped playing and said, “I’m sorry, if I have upset you, but this is such a beautiful instrument. I only wish I could buy it.” The Englishman said, “It’s not for sale, but it is yours. You may have it! It belongs to you. You are the master. You alone are worthy of it.” Consider this morning that the scroll of Revelation 5 is given only to the right person who is worthy of it.

We left off last week In Revelation chapter 5 and verse five where we read that John wept because no one was found worthy to open the sealed scroll.
Why is no one found? – Because of the nature of the scroll. The scroll has to do with the earth and its redemption. As long as it remains sealed, Satan will usurp control and evil. Only one worthy can take it back.

III. The Procurer (5:5-7)

1. Then in verse five John is comforted by one of the elders saying, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book…There is only one who is worthy-who “has prevailed” this is from the Greek word, nil-ka-o which is where we get the English word “Nike” which was the Greek goddess of victory where we get the English transliteration used by the sports company, Nike, and refers to conquest, to carry off the victory, victorious over all ones’ foes. He is the one that procure our salvation, the Christ and more accurately the Lamb of God.

2. Jesus was worthy because He paid the redemption price and because He was the Lion of the tribe of Juda and the Root of David. The tribe of Juda was God’s chosen kingly tribe that would rule His land. Therefore, Jesus was indeed the Kinsman Redeemer with royal rights because He was of the tribe of Judea and the Root of David and will rule from the New Jerusalem.

3) John expected to see a Lion… but saw a Lamb instead. John even used the specific word for a little lamb; he “Signifies a little or delicate lamb.” Note the Lamb appeared as it had been slain … (5:6). This clearly links Jesus as the Passover lamb described in Exodus 12:5-7, 13. It should also be noted that the Lamb is standing, emphasizing the resurrection, rather than lying dead from the crucifixion. Jesus is standing alive and ready to step forward and take the scroll. Previously, He was sitting with His Father on His throne (Rev. 3:21), but now He is standing, ready to act.

The Lamb had seven horns He bears the marks of om-nip-o-tence (seven horns) and om-nis-cience (seven eyes) and remember the scroll that John saw was sealed with seven seals. Seven, in the Bible, is a symbol for perfection so it means that it was perfectly sealed and closed.

In verse seven, Christ comes to center stage and takes … the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. Christ alone is worthy to redeem the world by taking and opening the seven-sealed scroll.

IV The Praise vv. 8-14

1. When the Lamb took the scroll, the response was immediate. Angels and redeemed man joined to worship the Lamb. The elders symbolically presented the prayers of the saints. However, they did not intercede for the saints, functioning as mediators for God’s people.

2. All the hosts of heaven were well aware of the connotations of the Lamb’s taking the seven-sealed scroll, so they break forth with three acclaims of praise (verses 9, 12, and 13). The number of them praising Christ increases from 28 in verse eight to all creation in verse 13.

The 24 elders, who represent all saints of all time, each had golden vials full of odor, which are the prayers of saints (5:8). These vials, or bowls, apparently represent all the prayers of the saints that have been unanswered until now.

3. In verse 11 John sees and hears an even greater multitude joining in the worship of praise. Although the Bible does not tell us the total number, it indicates an enormous host of angelic beings exists. The apostle John saw hundreds of millions of holy angels around God’s throne in heaven, according to our text of Revelation 5. The prophet Daniel saw a similar sight (Dan. 7:9-10). The phrase ten thousand times ten-thousand, and thousands of thousands simply means the number was beyond counting.

This innumerable heavenly host praise Him in a sevenfold ascription of praise to the Lamb by saying He is worthy … to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour and glory, and blessing (5:12). The use of these seven words suggests that all possible tribute and homage was given to Christ, since the number seven in the Bible represents completion or totality.

4. In verse 14, every being in heaven joins the acknowledgment of praise, and the four living creatures respond by saying Amen. Some have wondered if saying amen in a formal worship service is appropriate and biblical. If it is proper in heaven, it must be ok on earth. Now the contents of this scroll are all sealed inside of it and a summary of it is written on the outside.

5. The contents of the scroll will be known to us as we begin in chapter 6, where the Lamb breaks one of the seven seals and then another of the seven until all seven are broken and the scroll is fully unrolled, describing not the why of the universe belonging to God, but how He will take it back.
When it is unrolled it tells us how He is going to take it over. It is the beginning of the purging and redemption of a world and universe that has been long out of sorts.

Conclusion:
We are reminded that there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). These elders did not pray for the saints. Jesus left His home to come to ours, so that someday, we could go back to His!