Unsealing the Terms and Conditions

What the "Seals on the Scroll" tell us.

Introduction

When we think about the Revelation of the One found worthy to take the Book from God’s hand in Revelation chapter 5, we typically shift immediately or at least fairly quickly to thinking about the mysterious seals and the horses and martyrs and apocalyptic events that come right after He is found worthy.

For this (and probably the next few posts) I too will skip ahead, so to speak, and take some time to reveal what the seals tell us about God’s eternal plan – His everlasting covenant. That is not to say the Jesus being found worthy AND revealing that fact is less important by any standard - just that I believe answering the questions about the seals can help us appreciate that revelation even more!

So – everlasting covenant…hmm?  

I believe it will be helpful if we at least talk about what that means so we can fully grasp the importance and impact of the seals and what we will find behind them.  And while we are at it – a quick review of what the Book of Redemption is would also help. I will take that second one first.

In the Old Testament, by the direction of God through Moses, there were rules that applied to when someone, for whatever reason, had to sell a portion of their land – the land that had been passed down from generation to generation, since when the people of Israel took possession of the Promised Land (Leviticus 25; Jeremiah 32, etc.)  When a sale like that needed to take place the owner and the buyer would agree to terms (within the bounds of the Law) regarding how much and for how long the land would belong to the buyer.  (Since the Israelites were told that the land really belonged to the Lord, they were not allowed to “sell it permanently”.  So, instead they sold what the land was expected to make in the way of production for the agreed period of time. In essence, more like what we think of as a lease.)

The legal document was referred to as the book/document of redemption or the deed of purchase. If there were certain things that the two parties didn’t want to disclose to the public (so, what showed in the copy that was “on file”) they would seal the document until the one who wanted to buy it back (what was referred to as the redeemer or close relative) proved that they had the legal right to break the seals and review the terms and conditions that were hidden behind them.  The terms and conditions needed to be revealed before the redemption could take place and once they were revealed they would need to be fulfilled before the redemption could be finalized. (In the Law there was an ultimate Redemption - but we will cover that another time.)

In the case of what we see in Revelation 5 – the document that governed the restoration or Redemption of our inheritance – the inheritance Adam lost when he disobeyed – was a sealed version of a deed of purchase.  Therefore, we know that included inside of it, were terms and conditions that needed to be fulfilled and that were not public knowledge.  By the way, these could either be terms and conditions that went all the way back to Adam or that could be applied any time after – but they all would need to be addressed before the redemption was completed.  And part of the qualifications for a Redeemer was the ability to meet any obligations in the contract.

Now, for the Everlasting Covenant.  This is an agreement (covenant) that we are told exists about 17 times in the Old Testament (we do not see that term in the New Testament).  Several of them are referring to covenants we are likely familiar with – at least in part. For example, the covenants between God and Noah, between God and Abraham and between God and the people of Israel (after coming out of Egypt) are all referred to, at least in part, as Everlasting Covenants.  Ultimately though the reason they are Everlasting is because of God’s involvement.  Any time a covenant with Mankind was made in the Old Testament and that was referred to as Everlasting, we find a later passage that lets us know that it is Everlasting only because it passes through the cross of Christ.  A really good example is the Everlasting Covenant regarding the Sabbath day (and year).  The concept of the “observation of cessation” passes through the cross; the fulfillment of the Law that Jesus accomplished makes Him our Sabbath; and the Tree of Life in the New Heaven and Earth becomes our refreshing.

The main thing I want to point out about the Everlasting Covenant: God has an intent for us, it is Good and Just and Loving, and it is an Everlasting intent!

Back to the deed of purchase or book of Redemption - the book lying on the hand of Him Who sits on the throne, as seen in Revelation chapter 5: It is sealed. 

Like all documents of its type, there are common clauses found in them.  For example: the “corpus” – which is the description of the inheritance that has been given up and therefore needs to be redeemed.  In Adam’s case (so, in our Book of Redemption) the “corpus” would be the creatures of land and sky and sea and the world in which they dwell. Keep in mind that though those things (the corpus) would make it possible for Adam to rule and to subdue, they did not grant it – for ruling and subduing to happen, Adam would have to work. That then is the corpus that the “foreigner” (Satan) has taken authority over, legally. 

Also included in our Book of Redemption would be: the declaration that God has acquired the rights of redemption; a disclosure of the price which had been set (in our case, the blood of a sinless man), and the timing of the when the rights of redemption could be exercised – which we know to be after six of the “days of the Lord” (2Pet.3:8).  Also, as with all deeds of purchase (because God still owns it all), the rights within it can only be exercised by the one who surrendered it (so, in our case Adam) or a willing and able redeemer (the near kinsman, in our case Jesus).

To level set: our Book is sealed and behind the seals are terms and conditions, unknown to any but the original parties who wrote the deed of purchase.  And then Jesus was revealed as the near kinsman – the Redeemer Who was both willing and able to satisfy the price of Redemption.  As such, He can now open the book and the terms and conditions can now be unsealed and their contents revealed. 

It is key to our understanding that though disclosed for the first time in around 96 AD (which from the creation of Man (An. Hom.) would be the year 4133) these terms and conditions have been present and active since the rights of redemption were acquired by the Spirit and held in escrow by the Father, Who is the Owner and Creator and Lord of All, somewhere close to An. Hom. 1.  (Why God waited is a matter of speculation; though I think, when we take the time, it can be discerned.)

And, as we will see, those terms and conditions entered by God, were for one primary purpose – to take away all excuses from the hearts of Mankind – enabling and encouraging all to call upon His name and receive their Ransom so that they can enjoy the Redemption of our inheritance!

One last, general piece of information.  Though the breaking of the seals (which we will see in chapters 6 to 8 of the Revelation) are the revealing of terms and conditions, they are seen and described by John in visions filled with types and symbols and analogies.  But they are still the disclosures of the terms and conditions.   Terms and conditions that might be met at any time during the contract’s existence.  Our advantage regarding John’s language and descriptions: the Bible is the exact right place for us to learn what he means. (“It is the glory of God to conceal (seal) a matter. But the glory of kings to search out a matter.” Prov.25:2)

As they are opened and described in the verses from the Revelation, our approach in reviewing them is much less expository or even commentary; my goal is to view them from a devotional perspective – as a means to grasp and appreciate, more fully, the enduring grace and mercy and immeasurable love of God – His nature and character revealed throughout the history of creation. 

One last reminder.  Discerning the exact points along the timeline of history that they apply or find their fulfillment (at least for a few of the specified terms and conditions) can be a bit challenging.  For the most part, however, God has given sufficient detail to enable us to understand what matters; as long as we do not demand to know “how” the terms and conditions will be accomplished.  After all: it was He Who promised blessing for those who read and hear and guard the “words of the prophecy of this book” (the Revelation) – and we cannot guard as valuable that which we do not understand.

To be continued…