Worthy By Death

Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain . . . (Revelation 5:9).

All of human history as we know it is coming to an end. Governments will fall, injustice will cease, sin will be eradicated. Like an army, the events of history are marching to an inevitable end. And we may ask: who is in charge of all this? If we answer, God, we are right.

But the person of the Godhead who enjoys the special privilege over the details of wrapping up human history is the Second Person of the Trinity who became a man. Jesus alone is worthy. So, we may shout out a triumphant, Amen!, to Jesus for such worthiness. He is worthy!

Now, if that seems obvious to you that he is worthy, that’s a good thing. But do you know why he is worthy? After all, anytime we ascribe worth to something there’s a reason. What gives Jesus the right to be worthy to unroll the scroll of human history? The elders in Revelation tell us why: because he was slain. That’s right. Jesus’ sacrificial death on the bloody cross of Calvary to redeem us from our sins earned him the right to be worthy to unroll the scroll of human history.

O, saint of the Lord, let that capture your heart again today. Let not the familiar words of Jesus’ death for our sins become old hat. Let it be as fresh today as it was when you were first captured by Jesus’ love for you. And perhaps today the freshness of this good news from Revelation 5:9 will propel you forward in praise. Jesus is worthy to unroll the scroll of human history, because he died for his people!