当基督掌管权的时候
启示录五章1至10节
1我看见坐宝座的右手中有书卷，里外都写着字，用七印封严了。
2我又看见一位大力的天使大声宣传说：有谁配展开那书卷，揭开那七印呢？
3在天上、地上、地底下，没有能展开、能观看那书卷的。
4因为没有配展开、配观看那书卷的，我就大哭。
5长老中有一位对我说：不要哭。看哪，犹大支派中的狮子，大卫的根，他已得胜，能以展开那书卷，揭开那七印。
6我又看见宝座与四活物，并长老之中有羔羊站立，像是被杀过的，有七角七眼，就是神的七灵，奉差遣往普天下去的。
7这羔羊前来，从坐宝座的右手里拿了书卷。
8他既拿了书卷，四活物和二十四位长老就俯伏在羔羊面前，各拿着琴和盛满了香的金炉；这香就是众圣徒的祈祷。
9他们唱新歌，说：你配拿书卷，配揭开七印；因为你曾被杀，用自己的血从各族、各方、各民、各国中买了人来，叫他们归于神，
10又叫他们成为国民，作祭司归于神，在地上执掌王权。
信息分享
这是一幕激荡人心的景象。约翰已被带到天上，看见基督的宝座。他首先看见众活物在宝座前敬拜，接着，一位天使走上前，呼叫众长老留意父神手上拿着的书卷。那书卷用七印封严，它似乎是代表了这个世界的「所有权证书」。谁有资格打开这书卷，就等于有权掌管这世界的宝座，并开展神对这个残破世界的最后计划。
最初，似乎没有谁有资格打开这些封印。约翰听见一位长老对他说，只有神的羔羊，就是神的儿子耶稣基督才有这个资格。如果这书卷是神审判的纪录，有谁可以打开呢？如果它是这个世界的「所有权证书」，有谁可以获得呢？只有耶稣基督。无人有此资格，撒但当然也没有。只有神的羔羊，耶稣基督才有此资格。
在基督身上，还留有十字架的钉痕，我们可以凭着祂手上的钉痕来认出祂。基督在各各他山上所买赎的一切，如今都已属于祂。我们可以说，当书卷打开，就是神说：「你要坐在我的右边，直至我将你的一切仇敌变成你的脚凳」这应许要应验的开始。
当羔羊一来，拿起了书卷，天上即扬起了歌声。在本章的结尾再次重复唱这首新歌。他们对基督发出了由衷的赞美。凡有声音的，都会同唱这首新歌，因为基督的身分和祂所成就的一切，都是配得称颂的。这是何等伟大的景象！由这刻始，万膝将要跪拜，众口都要承认耶稣基督是主，并将荣耀归给父神。
到那时候，你会一同敬拜吗？抑或你会失去参与的机会？如果你在地上接受耶稣基督为你的救主，祂就会接你到祂那里，你将永属于祂。否则，你虽然听见歌声，却没有机会同唱。抉择是在你的手里。
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.