Introduction: These transcripts of Kay Arthur's lectures on Revelation (Parts 2-4) are provided as a service to the body of Christ with the written permission of Precept Ministries International. This material is the property of Precept Ministries International and all rights are reserved. The transcripts are for the most part verbatim with deletions identified by the characters (… ). The utilization of italics, bolding, hyperlinks and pop up notes represent editorial additions. Any written additions are identified by the designation "Ed note". Note that all text in blue identifies a link or popup. All reference are the NASB unless otherwise indicated. Please note that these lectures by Kay Arthur supplement the excellent Precept Upon Precept inductive Bible study on the Revelation. Click the following links to view each division of this encouraging study and note that you can also download the first lesson of each of the 4 parts:
Revelation - Pt 1 - Revelation 1-3, 10 lessons
Revelation - Pt 2- Revelation 4-22, 12 lessons
Revelation - Pt 3- Revelation 4-22, 11 lessons
Revelation - Pt 4 - Revelation 4-22, 14 lessons
If you can find a local Precept class studying Revelation, I would strongly encourage you to join the class, as I know of no other study available anywhere in the world that will equip you so thoroughly to discern the signs of the times and cause you to live expectantly as you look for Christ's Return!
Literal chart summaries
Revelation Pt 2, Lecture
Kay Arthur
Revelation 5
5:1 I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.
2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?"
3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it.
4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it;
5 and one of the elders said^ to me, "Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals."
6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth.
7 And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
8 When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9 And they sang^ a new song, saying, "Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
10 "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands,
12 saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing."
13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, "To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever."
14 And the four living creatures kept saying, "Amen." And the elders fell down and worshiped.
Who are the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse?
We will look at Revelation 5, which is a scene in heaven.
What is so special about the SCROLL?
The Lamb takes the seven sealed scroll (NASB = ''book'', Greek biblion, - Rev. 1:11; 5:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 9; 6:14; 10:8; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12; 21:27; 22:7, 9, 10, 18, 19) from the One seated on the throne.
Why was he weeping?
Because no one was found worthy to open the scroll.
Why did John want the scroll opened?
Because as we have seen the opening of that scroll unleashed all manner of cataclysmic events.
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SEAL |
ASSOCIATED ACTION OR EVENT |
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1st Seal |
Rev 6:1, 2 A white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him; and he went out conquering, and to conquer. |
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2nd Seal |
Rev 6:3, 4 A red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men should slay one another; and a great sword was given to him. |
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3rd Seal |
Rev 6:5, 6 A black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard as it were a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius (day's wage), and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine." |
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4th Seal |
Rev 6:7, 8 An ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. And authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth. |
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5th Seal |
Rev 6:9, 10, 11 Martyrs "underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained" |
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6th Seal |
Rev 6:12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 Great earthquake, sun black as sackcloth, whole moon like blood, stars of sky fell, sky split apart, every mountain and island moved out of their places, men hid themselves |
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7th Seal |
Rev 8:1, 2 Silence in heaven for about half an hour, Seven angels given seven trumpets |
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Revelation 6 describes the beginning of cataclysmic events in the heavens, as all men on earth (great and small, bond and free) seek to hide in caves and among rocks, crying out because of the WRATH OF THE LAMB and OF GOD HAS COME TO THE EARTH.
"And they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb for the great day of their wrath has come; and who is able to stand?"
Why is the scroll written on the FRONT & BACK?
There is no room left to add anything else, so no can tamper with it. When the seals are broken, we see the "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" ride onto the world scene.
When the Seventh Seal is broken, (Rev 8:1) Seven Trumpets are sounded in succession and when the Seventh Trumpet sounds John records that
there arose loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become [the kingdom] of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever." And the twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, "We give Thee thanks, O Lord God, the Almighty, who art and who wast, because Thou hast taken Thy great power and hast begun to reign. "And the nations were enraged, and Thy wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to give their reward to Thy bond-servants the prophets and to the saints and to those who fear Thy name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth." And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder and an earthquake and a great hailstorm." (Rev 11:15-19)
The Seventh trumpet inaugurates the beginning of the kingdom of this world becoming the kingdom of our Christ. Proceeding out of the Seventh Trumpet are Seven Bowls of Judgment which are poured out upon the earth. The pouring out of the first bowl produces a
loathsome and malignant sore sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image (Rev 16:2).
This bowl is poured out on all those who have worshiped the Beast and taken the mark of the beast (described in Rev 13:16, 17)
After the Seventh and final bowl John records these words
"And the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air; and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, "It is done."
That is, the wrath of God is finished. Then follows an earthquake like none other. And "the great city" (Rev 16:19) was split into three parts. And Babylon is given the cup of the wrath of God and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Christ.
GIVEN THE SUCCESSION OF EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPENING OF THE SEVEN SEALED SCROLL, WE CAN BEGIN TO SEE WHY THE OPENING OF THE SCROLL IS SO SIGNIFICANT.
You may be saying ''But this is judgment… Why are they weeping when no one could open the scroll? And why do they rejoice over the breaking of the seals if the result is only judgment?''
EXPLANATION OF THE REJOICING OVER BREAKING OF THE SEALS:
Revelation 4 = begins with "after these things", that is after the things John had seen and described in Revelation 1-3 - the glorified Christ in Revelation 1, "the things that are" in Revelation 2-3 (the 7 letters to seven churches) and
"things which shall take place after these things.'' (Rev 1:19)
Revelation 4:1"After these things I looked, and behold, a door [standing] open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like [the sound] of a trumpet speaking with me, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things."
THE 24 ELDERS CAST THEIR CROWNS AND PROCLAIM
"Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created." (Rev 4:11)
They are extolling Him because He has created all things.
Genesis 1 gives the account of the Creation in 6 days, and Kay believes these are 6 literal days because that is what God the Father and Jesus both said.
GOD'S DESIRE FOR MAN
WAS FOR ''THEM'' TO RULE THE EARTH
Genesis 1:26+ "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and LET THEM (male & female) RULE over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
So God's original intention was that MAN (''them'' = male & female) would rule.
Genesis 1:28+ "And God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and SUBDUE IT; AND RULE OVER the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
IN GENESIS 2 GOD PLACED MAN IN A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT with TWO TREES: the tree of life & tree of knowledge of good & evil.
Genesis 2:16, 17+ "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it YOU SHALL SURELY DIE."
In Genesis 3, we see that the Serpent deceived Eve, telling her she would not die, but instead that she would be like God, knowing good and evil, in the sense that she could then look at something and say ''This is good'' or ''This is evil''. Man didn't want God to tell him what was good and evil because man wanted to be his own god, choosing for himself what was good and evil. Eve listened to the Serpent of old, the devil, Satan (as identified in Rev 12:9-note, cp Lk 10:18), the result being that Adam and Eve were seduced by the enemy, believing THE LIE. They ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
What happened?
Go to Romans 5:12+ where Paul writes
"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and DEATH through sin, and so DEATH spread to all men, because all sinned"
Ge 5:1-3+ This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. (cf Ge 1:26) He created them male and female, and He blessed them and named them Man in the day when they were created. When Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he became the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth."
So in Genesis 5 we see that Adam who was created in the likeness of God (cf Ge 1:26, 5:1, Jas 3:9) then brought forth children who were not in the image of God, but who were now in the image of Adam or in the image of man and so they were ''little sinners''. And so, the sin that "infected" Adam was spread throughout the earth.
SINNERS NEED
A KINSMAN REDEEMER
WHAT HAPPENED TO MAN'S RIGHT TO RULE OVER THE EARTH?
Paul, writing to the Ephesian church, records that
"you were dead in your trespasses and sins, (until you come to know the Lord Jesus Christ by a personal, individual decision) in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest." (Eph 2:1, 2-note, 3-note) (Ed: John adds that "the whole world lies in [the power] of the evil one" (1Jn 5:19) where "evil one" in context describes Satan)
In Colossians Paul adds that God
delivered us (Ed: where we were sons of disobedience, children of wrath) from the domain of darkness (Ed: ruled by the "prince of the power of the air), and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Col 1:13, 14-note)
So Adam and Eve who were created to rule over the earth LOST THEIR CROWNS when they sinned. Instead of rulers, they became "sons of disobedience", "slaves to sin" (cf Ro 6:6-note, Ro 6:16-note, Pr 5:22-note, 2Pe 2:19-note, Jn 8:34), now ruled over by Satan, "the prince of the power of the air", the ruler of the world system which is hostile toward God.
Go to John 12, where Jesus was talking about His coming crucifixion and that His hour had come:
Jesus declared
"Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world (Satan - cp Mt. 4:8, 9; Lk 4:6, 7; 2Co 4:4) shall be cast out." (John 12:31, cp Jn 14:30, 16:11)
When Jesus died on the Cross, the prince of the power of the air was "cast out" in regard to his dominion over men who were saved by faith. The man who now looks to the Cross of Jesus Christ is set free from the domain of darkness (and the rule of Satan) and is transferred to the kingdom of light ruled by God's beloved Son, Jesus Christ. This man experiences the forgiveness of sins because Jesus our KINSMAN REDEEMER has paid the PRICE FOR OUR REDEMPTION ("in [Jesus] we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" - Col 1:14-note). (Ed: see Heb 2:14, 15-notes)
So MAN starts out RULING over creation, then LOSING HIS RIGHT to rule over creation because of SIN.
When MAN loses his right to DOMINION over the face of the earth WHO gets the right of DOMINION?
From the previous Scriptures, it is clear that Satan gets that right, becoming the PRINCE not only of the air, but also becoming the PRINCE of this world, and now fallen, unredeemed man lives in the Kingdom of the EVIL ONE and under his power.
Unredeemed men stay in the Evil One's kingdom until they come to know the Lord Jesus Christ (their Redeemer). When a man comes to know the Lord Jesus Christ, he passes out of death into life, out of the kingdom of darkness, the kingdom of Satan and into the kingdom of God, ruled by His Son. This entire transaction is made possible because of one act, the act of the KINSMAN REDEEMER, the Lord Jesus Christ, redeeming enslaved sinners by paying the price of redemption, which is the
"precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ." (1Peter 1:18, 19-note)
At this present time, although we have our redemption individually, since many have not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, Satan is still ruling this world as the prince of the power of the air, the PRINCE OF THIS WORLD. Therefore CREATION is groaning and travailing, because when Adam & Eve sinned (see Ge 3:17) all CREATION was subjected to FUTILITY
"Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face You shall eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return."' Ge3:18, 19.
So God
"drove (Adam) out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life" (Gen 3:24) lest he eat of the tree and live forever as a sinner.
When God cast Adam out of the garden, all creation became subjected to futility.
In Romans 8 Paul writes
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing (apokaradokia) of the CREATION (everything, not just man) waits eagerly for the revealing (apokalupsis ~ apocalypse) of the sons of God. (When? at the end of the pouring out of the Seventh Bowl, when we see present world becoming the Kingdom of His Christ) For the CREATION was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the CREATION itself also will be set free (eleutheroo [word study]) from its slavery to corruption into the freedom () of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole CREATION groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly (apekdechomai in the present tense = as our lifestyle, our habitual practice) for [our] adoption as sons, the redemption of our body." (Ro 8:18, 19-note, Ro 8:20, 21-note, Ro 8:22, 23-note)
So during this present time when the church is existing (Rev 2-3), all creation is groaning and travailing but this agony will come to an end when the Seven Seals are broken, bringing forth the Seven Trumpets, in turn bringing forth the Seven Bowls. Then it will come to an end and we shall see the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven as a bride prepared and adorned for her Husband and God Himself will wipe away every tear and there will be no tears and no more pain and no more sorrow and no more death, because the former things will have passed away. The Lamb will be in the midst of the throne and we will live with Him forever and ever and we will walk in the paradise of God and we will eat of the fruit of the TREE OF LIFE. And there will be a river flowing through it and nothing that defiles will enter that temple. (Rev 21-22)
So why did the apostle John want the SCROLL OPENED?
Because it would bring THE MYSTERY OF GOD TO A FINISH (Rev 10:7-note) and we would understand and see that "the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever." (Rev 11:15-note)
What or Who could bring this about?
In Rev 5 we see One sitting on the throne holding the scroll and the angel asking who is worthy to take the scroll and to break its seals?
And no one in heaven, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book, or to look into it. (Rev 5:3)
THE FATHER'S PLAN
OF REDEMPTION
So why didn't God the Father do it? Because He couldn't. Because He had ordained a PLAN, the PLAN OF REDEMPTION. God the Father initially gave the right to rule this earth to man but man lost that right to rule to an angel, a created being, who was beautiful, who was magnificent, and who decided one day that he would ascend into heaven, that he would set his thrown above the thrown of God, that he would be like God, and that he would rule. (Is 14:12, 13, 14, 15, Ezek 28:12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 are both passages that many interpret as descriptive of Satan and his fall) And when the highest angel rebelled against God, God cast him out and the highest cherub became the Devil, Lucifer (this beautiful one of light) who walked into the Garden of Eden as a Serpent, but who slithered out on his belly. In between WALKING IN and SLITHERING OUT, man became a SLAVE TO SIN and a SLAVE TO SATAN (cp 1Jn 3:7, 8, 9, 10). No one is found in heaven (not any of the 24 elders, etc. or any created being in heaven or on earth or in the bowels of hell) who can open the SCROLL and John weeps because this SCROLL is what is going to bring all creation out of FUTILITY (Ed: Greek word means empty, profitless, not possessing the ability to reach it's goal or intended purpose) into what God intended it to be. And yet there is no one worthy to open the book… so he weeps.
He writes
And I began to weep greatly, because no one was found worthy to open the book, or to look into it and one of the elders said to me,
Stop weeping; behold, the LION that is from the tribe of Judah, the ROOT of DAVID, has OVERCOME so as to open the book and its seven seals." (Rev 5:4, 5-note)
WHAT HAS THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH OVERCOME?
He has OVERCOME (conquered) SIN, DEATH, THE GRAVE, THE DEVIL. He has overcome so as to open the book and its Seven Seals.
Who is this Lion, the Root of David?
John records
And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, [standing is perfect tense = past completed action with a present and continuing result) as if slain (perfect tense), having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. And He came, and He took [it] out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. And WHEN HE HAD TAKEN THE BOOK, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having each one a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; (Why is the Lamb WORTHY?) for Thou wast SLAIN, and didst purchase [word study] for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation (cp Rev 7:9). And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth. (Rev 5:6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
According to these passages, once again MAN will Rule and "Reign upon the earth". What man lost in the garden of Eden is going to be restored to them WHEN the four riders of the Apocalypse come forth as the seven seals are broken, followed by the blowing of the seven trumpets and culminating in the pouring out of the seven bowl judgments upon the earth. THEN the kingdom of this world will become the kingdom of our Christ and we who know Him shall rule forever and ever! (Hallelujah!) That's why he was weeping. John wanted the seals on the scroll to be broken. Yes, this scroll initially brings judgment on the earth, but it also brings the triumph of Christ and the triumph of the sons of God.
WHY IS JESUS CALLED THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, THE ROOT OF DAVID?
Because the One who could open up the seals had to be a MAN, a human being (He 2:15-note, Ro 1:3-note). It was MAN who lost his right to RULE because he submitted to Satan, so now the One that is going to rule has to be a Man.
What MAN could this be?
There is no one in heaven, on earth or under the earth that is worthy. There is no angel that is worthy because it was man that lost in sin not the angels. So we have the GOD-MAN, Jesus born from the TRIBE OF JUDAH, born from the ROOT OF DAVID, born but WITHOUT SIN. Why? Because He was born the SON OF GOD, born of a VIRGIN, a virgin from the tribe of Judah, a virgin, from the house of David. But His earthly father was non-existent because He is the Son of God. So He was SON OF GOD and SON OF MAN. And so "every created thing which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea and all things in them" begin to rejoice and to shout WORTHY IS THE LAMB BECAUSE HE IS STANDING BETWEEN THE THRONE AND THE ELDERS AS OUR KINSMAN REDEEMER.
JUBILEE, JUBILEE, JUBILEE: IT'S THE TIME FOR THE LAND & THE SLAVE TO BE SET FREE. Every 50th year in the land of Israel was designated THE YEAR OF JUBILEE.
Go to Leviticus where we see God laying down the ordinances, the statutes, the offerings, the feast of Israel and all that she is to obey before God. In Leviticus 25 through Moses God tells His people about THE YEAR OF JUBILEE:
Lev 25:10 'You shall thus consecrate (dedicate, sanctify, set apart) THE 50TH YEAR and proclaim (cry out, utter a loud sound) a RELEASE (Ed: liberty -- this verse was inscribed on the Liberty Bell and cited at its ringing as the Declaration of Independence was signed) through the land to ALL its inhabitants. It shall be a JUBILEE (In the Greek translation of the Hebrew this is translated "year of release" where "release" = aphesis) for you, and each of you shall return to HIS OWN PROPERTY, and each of you shall RETURN TO HIS FAMILY.
WHAT IS GOD TALKING ABOUT?
Sometimes the Jews would get into financial trouble and they would be forced to sell their property. But that property had been GIVEN TO THEM BY GOD. God had ordained exactly where Dan and Napthali and Benjamin and all the tribes of the sons of Israel would live. God gave them specific land and property. But sometimes they would sell the property because of a debt. But because God had given them that land, every JUBILEE that land had to be returned to the family that owned it originally.
NOW THINK ABOUT WHAT JUBILEE IS FORESHADOWING.
There's a ''JUBILEE'' coming. WE LOST THE LAND! We were created to rule over this earth but we lost it! When the year of JUBILEE occurred, it was not only a JUBILEE because the land was returned and set free from its ''bondage'' so to speak but slaves were also set free. In the land of Israel, when a man could not not pay a debt, he would sell himself in slavery to another person and he would be a slave all the years until JUBILEE. When JUBILEE came he would be released from his servitude. EVERY 50TH YEAR.
THE LAW OF THE GOEL
or
KINSMAN REDEEMER
But suppose that from the time of your birth you had been sold into slavery. Fifty years is a long time! Especially when man only has threescore and ten to live! So there was another way out of slavery, THE LAW OF THE GOEL or the KINSMAN REDEEMER (Goel; see also Kinsman-Redeemer Goel). In the same chapter that talks about the YEAR OF JUBILEE, he talks about the KINSMAN REDEEMER. And Kay believes that Jesus Christ is our Kinsman Redeemer and the role that Jesus is fulfilling in Revelation 5 (Re 5:5, 6-note) when he walks into the midst of the throne and takes the scroll from the One who is sitting on the throne (Re 5:7-note), He is saying
''I am fallen man's KINSMAN REDEEMER and I have come to redeem what man has lost."
When Adam & Eve sinned in that garden they became SLAVES TO SIN. (Ro 6:16)
WHAT ELSE HAPPENED IN THE GARDEN?
THEY WERE ''MURDERED''! How? They were ALIVE but when they sinned the died and from that time on they were DEAD in their trespasses and sins (Ge 2:17, Ro 5:12-note, Eph 2:1-note).
In John 8:43 Jesus turns to the religious leaders and says
Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word.
WHY CAN'T THEY HEAR JESUS' WORD? He answers by saying…
John 8:44 "You are of [your] father the DEVIL, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own [nature;] for he is a liar, and the father of lies."
So when Adam and Eve sinned, they lost their crown, they lost the right to rule the earth that had belonged to them (cp Ge 3:17, 18, 19; He 2:8-note), and Satan became the prince over this world (Eph 2:2-note, Lk 4:6, 1Jn 5:19, Acts 26:18). The result was that all creation was subjected to futility and all creation is groaning (Ro 8:20, 21-note, Ro 8:22-note) and suffering right now, waiting until the redemption of man (Ro 8:23-note), until man receives back his crown and his right to rule!
SO WHAT 3 THINGS DID MAN LOSE WHEN ADAM SINNED?
(1) The LAND and the RIGHT TO RULE over the earth
(2) HIS LIFE. HOW? He was MURDERED!
(3) If man became a SLAVE what did he lose? HE LOST HIS FREEDOM but as Jesus said
if the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed (Jn 8:36)
So in the wonderful awesome mystery of His plan in the books of Leviticus (and Numbers) God gives us the principles of THE KINSMAN REDEEMER.
A REDEEMER is a one who BUYS BACK.
A REDEEMER is a person that goes into the market place and PURCHASES SOMETHING.
So JESUS becomes OUR REDEEMER.
John records that Jesus
didst PURCHASE (Ed: Greek = agorazo, for discussion of related verb exagorazo = to buy slaves out of the market place) for God with Thy blood men from every tribe, and tongue and people and nation.' (Rev 5:9-note)
HOW DID JESUS DO THIS?
By becoming our KINSMAN, by becoming flesh and blood, by becoming a MAN. So He became a Man and as our KINSMAN-REDEEMER He redeemed us out of slavery, He redeemed us from death and gave us life ,and He redeemed the land (the earth). And this is what we see Jesus doing beginning in Revelation 6 as He breaks the seal, beginning the cataclysmic events that continue UNTIL the kingdom of this world becomes the kingdom of our Christ.
THE BLOOD AVENGER
The KINSMAN-REDEEMER was also called the BLOOD AVENGER (see Nu 35:19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27). If I put another person to death, the slain person's KINSMAN would come and have THE RIGHT to put me to death.
WHO MURDERED YOU and ME? Satan.
So what does our KINSMAN REDEEMER do when He opens the scroll and breaks the seals?
What happens to the Devil?
The devil is eventually cast into the lake of fire, where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched. This LAKE OF FIRE by the way was never prepared for man but was prepared originally for the devil and his angels (Mt 25:41), the third of the stars that followed the dragon when he defected from God. So Jesus our KINSMAN-REDEEMER also became our BLOOD AVENGER.
REDEMPTION OF THE LAND
Jesus also becomes the REDEEMER OF THE LAND that has been sold to another. To be sure, the Jews were excited in the YEAR OF JUBILEE. But we have a JUBILEE coming like no one has ever seen because we have a KINSMAN REDEEMER that is going to take the scroll out of the hand of Him Who sits on the throne and He is going to break the seals which culminate in the Kingdom of this world become the Kingdom of His Christ. We will have a new heaven and a new earth.
REDEMPTION OF SLAVES
Finally, as alluded to earlier, Jesus our KINSMAN REDEEMER also REDEEMS US and SETS US FREE, by buying us out of slavery to sin and to Satan.
This story of the Kinsman-Redeemer is beautifully portrayed in the book of Ruth (Ed: Click for notes on this website covering the book of Ruth) in which we see Boaz take the role of the kinsman-redeemer and marry the Ruth the Moabitess. When Boaz redeemed Ruth, they brought forth a SEED that would be in the line of the MESSIAH because their son OBED fathered a son named JESSE and Jesse had several sons, one of whom was named DAVID. And all of this transpired because kinsman redeemed his Ruth. What a wonderful story!
WORTHY IS THE LAMB!
BREAK YOUR SEALS!
LET THE FOUR RIDERS OF THE APOCALYPSE COME FORTH!
LET IT HAPPEN!
THEN…
THE KINGDOM OF THIS WORLD
WILL BECOME THE KINGDOM OF OUR CHRIST!
and
HE SHALL REIGN FOREVER AND EVER.
(Re 11:15)
IF YOU KNOW JESUS CHRIST, YOU ARE AN OVERCOMER (1Jn 5:4,5) AND ARE ON THE WINNING SIDE!
BUT IF YOU DON'T KNOW HIM, the reason that He has not come yet is because He is not willing that you should perish but that you should come to REPENTANCE and FAITH in the Lord Jesus Christ so that you might come to know Him as your BLOOD AVENGER and your KINSMAN REDEEMER.
AND IF THE SON SHALL SET YOU FREE
YOU SHALL BE FREE INDEED.
(Jn 8:36)
Prayer: WORTHY IS THE LAMB BECAUSE THOU hast purchased us from every tribe, every nation, every people on the face of this earth. Thank You Lord for the blood of the Lamb and thank You for the Lion of Judah Who is yet to come. Amen.
Related Resources:
- Go to Kinsman-Redeemer, Part 2
- Click Notes on Ruth & Kinsman Redeemer
- Michael Card's great song "Jubilee"
- Click for discussion of Jubilee in commentary on Colossians 3:13