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Fulfilling the Mystery
When Christ took the scroll, He became the central focus of human history. For men to understand what God was doing on earth, they would now have to worship and seek the face of the Lamb for He holds the unfolding mysteries of God’s purpose in His hands.
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, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.”
As we worship, the Church is to declare that we shall reign. The reason we will reign on the earth is because the Lamb redeemed us and is now opening to us the mysteries of God. Insight, revelation, and wisdom have now come to men because He succeeded at Calvary. We can now look forward, backward, around, and within and gain God’s insight into the ultimate reality of His purpose in human history as well as in our own generation. The gospel is about reigning; it is about dominion and spiritual authority on the earth.
When we see, we reign. Before the Lamb came there was a measure of insight on earth.
God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son…
(Hebrews 1:1-2 NAS)
When God spoke through the Old Testament prophets, it was partial and diverse. But the revelation of God in Christ is total and complete. The more we gaze upon Him, the more we see. The more we see, the more we reign in life through Him. When we see and recognize His love for us, we reign. When we see that His disciplines in our lives are but expressions of His personal care, we reign. When we see His love for the nations, we can cease to live for ourselves, and reign in bringing His heart to those to whom He sends us. When we see the throne at the center of human history, we cease to fear the future, and we reign. When we see Christ central and supreme in God’s house, we cease striving to become something, we bow to His agenda, and we reign. Lord, Send an awakening to Your house. Open the eyes of our hearts that we might see You and be changed.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
When our focus is the Lamb, we reign. On the other hand, great loss awaits those who do not see Him.
But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Lord, let the light that comes from beholding Your glory illuminate our minds and hearts so that our words will have the power to set free those in spiritual darkness.
Notice also, that our reigning with Christ is connected not only with accurate spiritual vision but also with our calling to be priests. The Scripture teaches that because He has made us both kings and priests, we shall reign on the earth (Revelation 5:10).
During the Great Reformation God began to open the eyes of the Church concerning the priesthood of all believers. The Church again began to see that we do not need clergymen to stand on our behalf before God. We can all now come directly into His presence. But priestly ministry is about more than simply having time with God. It has to do with being before Him on behalf of others.
The Lord is drawing us to cry out to Him for the sake of our nation, our region, our local church, etc. When the Church begins to actually fulfill with insight our calling to be priests, we will see great change come to the earth.
The Bible tells us that the angels gather with the Church (Hebrews 12:22). But too often, we are like Elisha’s servant – preoccupied with the enemy’s presence and work. We think, “Oh, look at the enemy, the principalities and powers. Oh how dark it is on the earth.” But notice Elisha’s words to his servant.
So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
The hills were filled with flaming chariots surrounding God’s man. The prophet was reigning in his circumstance. He saw that God’s people are not a minority if you count the angels into the equation. Those who are with us are more than those who are with the ones trying to remove God from our culture. The earth belongs to the Lord, not the wicked, the devil, or the Beast. Simply stated, the meek are going to inherit the earth. This is God’s planet and He plans on filling it with His glory and giving it to His heirs.
First, because the Lamb prevailed at Calvary, He was found worthy to open the seals on God’s scroll. As a result, the corporate Church began to come into fullness of eyes in front, in back, around and within. Such insight inspired them to worship (Revelation 4:8). As the creatures worshiped, the elders began to do so as well (Revelation 4:9 - 11). The key to understanding the identities of the creatures and elders is that the Lamb stood central in their midst. No longer slain, but now standing with perfect power (horns) and wisdom (eyes), the apostolic vision of bringing Christ into the ends of the earth could now be fulfilled by the power of the Holy Spirit (Revelation 5:6). The song of the Church is that Christ redeemed us, was found worthy to reveal the mysteries of God, and as a result, shall cause us to reign upon the earth (Revelation 5:9-10). But notice the heavenly consequence.
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
When the Church yields to Christ His rightful place of preeminence, finds her identity in corporate and submitted diversity, celebrates Christ’s redemption and worships accordingly, there will come a release of worship among the angels because they now understand what God was doing among men. The angels have long desired insight into God’s earthly work.
As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven--things into which angels long to look.
(1Peter 1:10 - 12 NAS)
Why would God put into the hearts of the angels a desire to understand His plan of redemption among men unless He intended to respond to their longing? The apostolic vision is that God intends to communicate His wisdom through the Church not only to the nations, but to the angels as well. It was from their midst that disaster struck the whole creation. But God has been about the business of redeeming the creation and informing the angelic forces of His plans and goals by giving to His Church insight into His purpose so that we might live and worship accordingly.
To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery, which for ages has been hidden in God, who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which he carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Ephesians 3:8 - 11 NAS)
It is vital that we spend time with the Lord and learn His ways. Lord, cause the apostolic vision of the preeminence and centrality of Your Son to fill the Church in our generation.
Once the angelic forces have seen the mystery of God walked out among men, the age will then conclude. At that time, the whole creation will have to acknowledge that the Lamb is indeed worthy of all worship.
And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
The time to acknowledge the Lamb, so as to be saved, is now. These are the days in which to learn the ways and mysteries of God. Indeed, there will come a day when the mystery of God will be finished (Revelation 10:7). Then the days of grace will have come to an end. Today we can declare the beauty of the Lamb because we are born of His Spirit. However, in those days, while all will declare His worth, many will do so out of the grief of realizing they had opposed Him all their lives. Let us respond to Him and learn His ways today. Let us bow our knees and simply say “Amen” to Him and His plans for our lives. Let us worship Him for He is indeed worthy.
Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.
Lord Jesus, I thank You that right now You are in the midst of the throne, that You are central, supreme, and preeminent in the work of God upon the earth. What a privilege it is to sit at Your feet and to behold Your presence. As Your Church learns Your ways and worships with insight, may there come increasing worship among the angels in heaven. Even here on earth, stretch out Your scepter from Zion into our land and cause this nation to shift and begin to turn toward Your light. Your Word says that the nations walk in the light of Your city. I pray that this nation would see the light emerging from our lives, and would change direction because of Your grace upon us. Lord Jesus, help us in Your Church to submit to one another, and to hear one another. I pray for fullness of eyes to begin to come in Your house; that we could see where You are going, what You have been doing in the past, what You are doing in this present generation, and even see what You are doing in our own hearts. Lord, come to us in a mighty visitation. May we participate with You in Your work in this present generation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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