當基督掌管權的時候
啟示錄五章1至10節
1我看見坐寶座的右手中有書卷，裡外都寫著字，用七印封嚴了。
2我又看見一位大力的天使大聲宣傳說：有誰配展開那書卷，揭開那七印呢？
3在天上、地上、地底下，沒有能展開、能觀看那書卷的。
4因為沒有配展開、配觀看那書卷的，我就大哭。
5長老中有一位對我說：不要哭。看哪，猶大支派中的獅子，大衛的根，他已得勝，能以展開那書卷，揭開那七印。
6我又看見寶座與四活物，並長老之中有羔羊站立，像是被殺過的，有七角七眼，就是神的七靈，奉差遣往普天下去的。
7這羔羊前來，從坐寶座的右手裡拿了書卷。
8他既拿了書卷，四活物和二十四位長老就俯伏在羔羊面前，各拿著琴和盛滿了香的金爐；這香就是眾聖徒的祈禱。
9他們唱新歌，說：你配拿書卷，配揭開七印；因為你曾被殺，用自己的血從各族、各方、各民、各國中買了人來，叫他們歸於神，
10又叫他們成為國民，作祭司歸於神，在地上執掌王權。
信息分享
這是一幕激盪人心的景象。約翰已被帶到天上，看見基督的寶座。他首先看見眾活物在寶座前敬拜，接著，一位天使走上前，呼叫眾長老留意父神手上拿著的書卷。那書卷用七印封嚴，它似乎是代表了這個世界的「所有權證書」。誰有資格打開這書卷，就等於有權掌管這世界的寶座，並開展神對這個殘破世界的最後計劃。
最初，似乎沒有誰有資格打開這些封印。約翰聽見一位長老對他說，只有神的羔羊，就是神的兒子耶穌基督才有這個資格。如果這書卷是神審判的紀錄，有誰可以打開呢？如果它是這個世界的「所有權證書」，有誰可以獲得呢？只有耶穌基督。無人有此資格，撒但當然也沒有。只有神的羔羊，耶穌基督才有此資格。
在基督身上，還留有十字架的釘痕，我們可以憑著祂手上的釘痕來認出祂。基督在各各他山上所買贖的一切，如今都已屬於祂。我們可以說，當書卷打開，就是神說：「你要坐在我的右邊，直至我將你的一切仇敵變成你的腳凳」這應許要應驗的開始。
當羔羊一來，拿起了書卷，天上即揚起了歌聲。在本章的結尾再次重覆唱這首新歌。他們對基督發出了由衷的讚美。凡有聲音的，都會同唱這首新歌，因為基督的身分和祂所成就的一切，都是配得稱頌的。這是何等偉大的景象！由這刻始，萬膝將要跪拜，眾口都要承認耶穌基督是主，並將榮耀歸給父神。
到那時候，你會一同敬拜嗎？抑或你會失去參與的機會？如果你在地上接受耶穌基督為你的救主，祂就會接你到祂那裡，你將永屬於祂。否則，你雖然聽見歌聲，卻沒有機會同唱。抉擇是在你的手裡。
WHEN CHRIST TAKES OVER
Revelation 5:1-10
1 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.
2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?”
3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.
4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.
5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”
6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”
Message
This is a most moving scene. John has been transferred to heaven and sees the throne of Christ. He hears the worship of the beings around that throne. Then an angel steps forward and draws attention to the book or scroll in the hand of God the Father. The scroll was sealed in seven places as it had been rolled up. The scroll seems to stand for the title deed of the whole earth. Whoever was worthy to open that scroll would be the one who would take over the throne of the world and bring about God's plans for the final days of this old world.
At first there seemed to be no one worthy to open those seals. Then John is told that there is one who can. It is the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ the Son of God. If this is a record of God's judgments, who can open it? If this is the title deed of the whole world, who can take it over? Only Jesus Christ. Satan cannot. No man can do so, only Christ, the Lamb of God.
Christ is the Lamb who still bears in his body the marks of his crucifixion. As the hymn says, we shall know him by the print of the nails in his hands. Now all that Christ purchased at Calvary will actually become his. We could say that the opening of this scroll is the beginning of the fulfilment of God's promise 'Sit on my right hand until I make all your enemies your footstool'.
As soon as he steps forward, all heaven breaks out in singing. Read those wonderful words again. They are repeated three times in the last verses of the chapter. They are full of praise for Christ. Won't it be wonderful to be singing in those choirs? Every voice joins in the chorus that Christ is worthy because of what he is and what he has done. What a scene! It is the beginning of the time when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Will you be there? Or will you miss out? If you have taken Jesus Christ as your Saviour here on earth, he will own you as one of his own up there. If not, you will hear the song, but you won't be able to sing it. The choice is yours.