END OF TIME PROPHECIES 079

THE INVESTITURE OF JESUS CHRIST     Revelation 5v1-14. 

"And I saw in the right hand of Him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside sealed with seven seals."    

John begins with the common phrase  "and I saw."   This occurs thirty five times in the book - "I looked"  -  seventy times  -  "I beheld  -  seven times  -  "I heard"  -  twenty three times.   This is no fabrication or fantasy.   This is a record of what he saw, beheld, heard, when transported into the future, supernaturally, by the Holy Spirit.   What he saw and heard was quite amazing.  

The key to the understanding of this chapter is found in chapter 3v21 where Jesus makes a distinction between His throne and His Father's throne. In chapter 4 we see the Father's throne; in chapter 5 we have the investiture process for Christ to have His own throne.  What we have here in chapter 5 is Jesus as a man in heaven receiving the transference of divine power to take control of the earth for God.   From chapter 6 through to chapter 19, the Man Jesus, suitably crowned with a royal diadem, and possessing all the powers of executive judgements, is the prime mover.   From here on He executes the divine judgements contained in the seven sealed scroll.  Until this point He has sat at the right hand of His Father in exalted glory by the side of His Father's throne.   From this chapter on He sits on His own throne invested with Divine power to judge the world.   All this is in fulfillment of the prediction in Acts 17v31  "God has appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained."  Revelation chapter 5 is an exposition of John chapter 5v22   "The Father has committed all judgment to the Son."  

At present Jesus sits at the right hand of God in heaven  (Romans 8v34; Ephesians 1v20; Colossians 3v1; Hebrews 1v3; Hebrews 8v1; Hebrews 12v2 & 1st Peter 3v22).   This chapter signals the point when Jesus takes executive power to judge the world in righteousness as ordained by the Father, and all of heaven applauds this investiture.    

• The book is in the right hand of Him who sits upon the throne.   This book is referred to eight times in chapter 5 so our attention is called to the book and its contents.   The right hand in scripture always indicates the position of executive power, in this case of universal power.   (Genesis 48v14-18, Exodus 15v6, Deuteronomy 33v2).   This book contains the handwriting and the counsel of the imperial power of the universe, in short the will of God for the earth.   What is written in this book will take place. It is not to be confused with "the book of life" or the books containing the record of everyone's works in chapter 20.
• The book was written within and on the backside.   This book was a parchment scroll and normally the writing would only be on the inside on the smooth surface of the papyrus.   The only indication from scripture of a scroll written on both sides is in Ezekiel 2v9-10 where it says  "a roll of a book...... spread before me and written within and without and there was written therein lamentations and mourning and woe."   It would seem this would indicate the contents of the book are of Divine judgements not only upon the nation of Israel but on the world as a whole.   The contents of the book unfolded make it clear that this is so.   The day of vengeance of God is about to be unleashed on the world.  
• The book is sealed with seven seals, such that only one authorized to open the seals could do so and unfold and execute its contents.   This was practised in Roman law for wills and testimony, and also in Hebrew for documents of state secrets sealed by kings.   A blob of wax was attached to the particular part of the scroll and the imprint of the king or emperor was pressed on the seal.   Only an authorized person could open such documents.   These seven seals were by the imprint of the Divine hand and only one appointed by Him could open the book.   The details are the subject matter of chapter 6-19.   The seals will be opened one by one; the seventh seal will lead to the seven trumpet judgements and the seventh trumpet will lead to the seven vials of wrath.   As the man appointed, Jesus Christ orchestrates the reclamation of the earth for God with judgments of increasing intensity until the work is done.   In the meantime all eyes are on the One who is worthy to open this book.