In the visions of the Apocalypse (Revelation) we read of a wonderful scroll in the right hand of the great King who sits upon the throne of universal dominion. This scroll is a forceful representation of the divine plan, originally existing only in the mind of God, and which could not be made known to men until someone was found worthy to open the seals and display it to view.

But “no one in heaven nor in earth was able to open the scroll, neither to look thereon,” until one came whom the Revelator describes as the “The Lion [the strong one] of the tribe of Judah, the root of David,” of whom the testimony is given – “Thou art worthy to take the scroll and to open the seals thereof; for thou was slain and hast redeemed to God by thy blood out of every kindred and people and nation; and hast made them unto our God a kingdom and priesthood; and they shall reign on the earth.” – Rev. 5:1-5,9,10.

Excepting the bare promise (written on the outside of the scroll – verse 1) of salvation through the Seed of the woman, nothing could be known of the wonderful scheme for human restitution until the Son of God, having left the glory of the spiritual nature, took our nature and by the sacrifice of himself redeemed us from death. Then, having his righteousness imputed to us by faith, we are counted worthy to look upon the scroll as he opens the seals one after another.

Great was the favor bestowed upon the Strong One of the tribes of Judah, in being permitted to open the seals – to carry out and make manifest the grand designs of infinite love – and great is the privilege of those who are permitted to look thereon as the seals are opened. It is not our purpose here, however, to treat of the peculiar symbols relating to the opening of the seals, but rather of what constitutes worthiness in us to look thereon, and what favor of God to us is implied in this privilege of looking. (For more a more through look at this scroll and the one worthy to open it please see our study on Revelation Chapter 5, Introduction to the Seven Seals.)

The knowledge of God’s purposes is due only to those able and anxious to co-operate with him in their development; for God does not display his plans to satisfy mere idle curiosity. First, then, if we would comprehend what is revealed within the scroll, we must have faith in what is written on the outside – the promised redemption through the precious blood of Christ – and must be sincerely desirous of knowing the details of God’s plan in order to an earnest co-operation with it. In other words, there must be the earnest inquiry arising from a heart grateful for the promise of life through the Redeemer – “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” Such, and such only, are worthy to know, and such only ever come to see, in the sense of understanding and appreciating, the deep things of God written within the scroll. Such are the called according to the divine purpose, to be educated in and to serve the truth. Such are the righteous for whom the light (truth) is sown. Such was our Lord’s attitude when he said, “Lo, I come to do thy will, O God.” (Heb. 10:7.) He was meek and lowly of heart and ever ready to render implicit obedience to the will of God; and it is to those who are similarly meek that he was sent to preach the good tidings (Isa. 61:1) – to open the scroll.

“The meek will he guide in judgment; the meek will he teach his way.” (Psa. 25:9.) If any man has this evidence of worthiness – this acquaintance with the truth – let him rejoice in his privilege and by his works (effort and growth in the graces of the spirit) manifest his continued worthiness.

This worthiness is inquired for not only at the beginning, but all along the path of light. If we are not found worthy by the various tests applied from time to time, we cannot proceed in the path of light; and unless the unfaithful ones arouse themselves to greater diligence and watchfulness, the light that already is in them will become darkness. And how great, how intense must be the darkness of one cast out of light! (Matt. 6:23.) To find the glorious hope that once inspired our hearts slipping away and the truth whereon we built that hope beginning to seem like an old song or an idle tale, or as relics of the past to be displaced at any time by any plausible subterfuge of error which our wily adversary may be pleased to palm off as advanced divine truth, are indications that should arouse anyone who discovers them to a realization of the fact that he is going into darkness – a darkness that will only become the more intense as he slips and slides along the backward track.

All along the way, as we have said, we will find tests applied to prove our worthiness to proceed from knowledge to knowledge and from grace to grace. Who is worthy? – worthy to receive the truth, worthy to continue in the truth, worthy to suffer and to endure hardness as a good soldier for the truth, and finally to be exalted to power and great glory when truth and righteousness shall be exalted in the earth and their glorious triumph begun?

Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23.) At the very beginning of our course, we each found the cross confronting us, and had we not taken it up (consecrated our all, to follow in the Master’s footsteps) we would not have been counted worthy even to look with intelligent appreciation into the precious truths of God’s plan. And as we advance from step to step and find the truth increasingly precious – sweeter than honey from the honey comb – we have these additional evidences of continued worthiness and should greatly rejoice in them as such.

Our possession of these truths has thus far proved us meek enough to discard the popular theology of the nominal church (the professing church), and to be counted as heretics, turncoats, fanatics, false prophets, cult worshipers or whatever the professing church in their ignorance, deem pleased to term us at this time. And it has proved us meek enough to bear willingly this reproach (these false accusations) for the great joy of thus realizing the Lord’s approval, and of seeing by faith the great blessings in store for us if faithful unto the end.

Continued with next post.