Who Is Worthy?

I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant. Genesis 32:10

You know that frustrating feeling when you can’t open a jar? What if that jar contained life-saving medicine? Or vital information? That is the situation John found himself witness to in Revelation chapter 5. There was a scroll with seven seals, but John “wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it,” (v. 4). Apparently the opening of this scroll was a very serious matter. It might seem like breaking a seal wouldn’t be nearly as difficult as opening something like a new jar. But this was not a matter of physical strength or dexterity. It says no one was worthy.

No one, that is, until Jesus came along.

What made Jesus worthy? In verse 5, one of the elders tells John not to weep because, “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll.” The Lion has prevailed. Sounds like a military conqueror returned from battle!

But when John looks, he sees “a Lamb as though it had been slain,” (verse 6).

In verses 8-10, heavenly beings are worshiping Jesus and singing, “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.”

So is he a conquering lion or a slain lamb? Yes. He is a conqueror who achieved victory through surrender. He is therefore worthy to open the seals and reveal dramatic future events as described in Revelation chapter 6. This knowledge, which seems so mysterious to us, was very valuable to the people of the time.

Notice what else Jesus is worthy to do.

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” (5:12).

I’ll be honest with you. I don’t fully understand the seals and the mysteries they reveal in chapter 6. And what I do understand is rather depressing. There’s a lot of suffering and killing in that chapter. Unfortunately that describes this fallen world we live in. But that means that the encouragement so vital to the saints living under the heavy hand of Rome is the same encouragement to us today— that Jesus is worthy of worship because He has already prevailed! He has already redeemed us to God by his blood. And scary chapter 6 is sandwiched between chapters 5 and 7, two chapters full of praise for Christ the Lamb and God the Father. John’s Revelation reassures believers for all time that the Savior has secured our ultimate victory and that He is worthy of our praise.

Why did John weep over a sealed scroll? Because it contained the word of God, words meant to guide and encourage the faithful, information that could potentially save a soul. If we can’t open a jar, we get help. Likewise, when we struggle to understand a passage of God’s word, we shouldn’t give up. Those who persevere receive life-saving encouragement, knowing that through surrender as the Lamb of God, Jesus has conquered death and secured our eternal future. Only Jesus was able to do this, and just as important, he was willing.

We need to understand that even though we are not worthy to open the seals, or to loose the sandal strap of Jesus, or for him to come under the roof of our house (Luke 3:16; 7:6), to Jesus we were worth dying for. He was willing because he loves us. This willingness and this love are also what make him worthy to open the seals. No one else is worthy to do it because no one else lives like he lived or loves like he loves. For this and so much more, he is worthy of our worship.

Scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:7-8

by Christie Cole Atkins

Dear Heavenly Father, how can we thank You for sending the Eternal Word, worthy of all worship, to be made a little lower than the angels to suffer and die for our sins? For this incomprehensible gift of love, may we always be eager to worship You and Your beloved Son, in whose name we pray, Amen.

This is a beautiful song and a beautiful video shot in one take.

And if you prefer an a cappella version of the song, here’s a good one:

And here’s another:

And just for fun, there’s this: