There is a sense in which our praise can be measured by dissatisfaction. Are we satisfied with this world as it is? Are we in accord with, are we comfortable with, are we satisfied with, this passing age of rebellion — this present evil age — or are we TRULY living our lives for what God has promised? Galatians 1:3–4 (LSB) 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave Himself for our sins so that He might rescue us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 1 John 2:15–17 (LSB) 15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God abides forever. Hebrews 11:13–16 (LSB) 13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been remembering that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now, they aspire to a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He prepared a city for them. When our praise is rightly informed and acceptable to God, it is praise that is aware of MASSIVE problems. It is a supernaturally produced mixture, of holy satisfaction, holy dissatisfaction, and hope. THERE IS SATISFACTION We are grateful for God’s grace to us in His Son. We are grateful for new life in a dead and dying world. We are grateful for every kind gift that comes to us each day from the hand of our Heavenly Father. We are CONTENT with food and clothing PRECISELY BECAUSE we know the temporary nature of the present sinful age and the eternal nature of the age before us. THERE IS DISSATISFACTION AND HOPE We are happy people, joyful people, thankful people, hopeful people, contented people, BUT WE ARE NOT PEOPLE WHO TREAT THIS PRESENT WORLD AS IF IT’S HEAVEN. NOTE: Isn’t that what we see sometimes? Isn’t this, SADLY, something we see in the lives of believers when we are somehow lulled to sleep by this world so that our value system isn’t reflecting the values of heaven. Things are not as they should be. Things are not as they one day WILL BE. And when our praise is rightly informed and acceptable to God, it is praise that reflects DISSATISFACTION with the way things are in sin, and LONGING for the day when THE LORD JESUS CHRIST brings all things to their intended end. We see that in our verses today. John is in heaven, from the standpoint of this vision. He has seen glorious things that communicate the majesty and beauty and holiness of God. He has seen and heard holy angels, and glorified saints, give their praise to God. But now there is something more. What he is about to see is the extended unfolding of events that will bring THIS PRESENT AGE TO A CLOSE. And as he does, Christ is at the center. I. THE EXCLUSIVE WORTHINESS OF CHRIST (vs.1-5) In the hand of the Father is something that most closely resembles a deed or a contract in the Roman world. A scroll, rolled up on each end, meeting in the middle, sealed 7 times, with writing on the outside as well as the inside. But this scroll doesn’t simply describe what will belong to the one who will take this scroll from the one on His throne. It ENACTS a series of EVENTS that will deliver all that belongs to the Son of God to the place of submission under His rule. It is not just the DETAILS of an inheritance; it is the active DELIVERY of the inheritance. Robert Thomas — “It contains the counsels of God as revealed in the visions beginning at chapter 6. Viewed from God’s perspective, these are the judgments that will fall upon the earth during a relatively brief period, eventually at their conclusion issuing in the coming of the promised Messiah and His kingdom. It is a “history” of the future that gives the successive steps leading to the inauguration of the world-kingdom of Christ… The contents are enacted, not read… Later discussions will show that the seventh seal contains the seven trumpet judgments (cf. Rev. 8:6–11:15) and that the seventh trumpet contains the seven bowls of wrath (Revelation 16–19) (Johnson), so here in this scroll is a comprehensive account of the future wrath of the Lamb (cf. 6:17).