Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” – Revelation 5:1‭-‬5

Today’s passage continues the raucous rapids that are Revelations. We find the mysterious “Man” on the throne. In his hand is “a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.” The detail that the scroll had writing on both sides caught my attention. Mainly because my impression of scrolls at this time in history is that writing on both sides would have been difficult and uncommon, but I could be totally wrong about this.

It seems to me that this two-sided scroll represents the many mysteries of the Kingdom of God including all of the big ones like salvation, redemption, and the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. The scroll is a window between the undiscovered country that is the spiritual “side” of the world and the physical “side” world that dominates our perception and understanding. We see the spiritual side only very fleetingly and imperfectly. Perhaps that is the reason that Revelations is so full of metaphor and mystery.

A mighty angel speaks up and asks an important question “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”. I certainly feel unworthy and inadequate attempting to understand a passage like this one. It is reassuring that the angel admits that “no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.” This to me means that much of what follows will be an attempt to describe the indescribable. We should not feel too badly when we feel confused or confounded by it. It is a bit like watching a film in a language not your own with no subtitles. We can get the gist and general story, but we are bound to miss a lot.

The author is weeping and weeping at this lack of a seer for the scroll. His soul realizes there are mysteries and important truths within the scroll, but he cannot open it on his own. He needs someone to help. Fortunately help has come ““Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Jesus is the answer. He is the great “scroll opener” for our lives and the means by which we can hope to understand the profound mysteries of the spiritual realm. We can try and try to rip open the spiritual scroll of our lives, but the only way we can be stripped down to the soul is with the help of the One who allowed Himself to be sacrificed for our souls, Jesus.

As I write this a song just came up on Spotify, “Who am I” by Casting Crowns. It really captures how I am feeling at the moment:

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart?

Not because of who I am,
But because of what You’ve done.
Not because of what I’ve done,
But because of who You are.

I am a flower quickly fading:
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I’m calling.
Lord, You catch me when I’m falling.
And You’ve told me who I am.
I am Yours, I am Yours.

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again?
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me?

Not because of who I am,
But because of what You’ve done.
Not because of what I’ve done,
But because of who You are.

I am a flower quickly fading:
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I’m calling.
Lord, You catch me when I’m falling.
And You’ve told me who I am.
I am Yours.

Not because of who I am,
But because of what You’ve done.
Not because of what I’ve done,
But because of who You are.

I am a flower quickly fading:
Here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I’m calling.
Lord, You catch me when I’m falling.
And told me who I am.
I am Yours, I am Yours, I am Yours.

Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
‘Cause I am Yours, I am Yours.

Prayer: God thank You for revealing the secrets of the spiritual world so that our souls can find You.