Revelation 5:1-9 tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who is worthy to take the book, which is the Word of God, from the right hand of God the Father and to open it to reveal its contents. The Lord Jesus is worthy because of what He did. He came down to earth from heaven, in obedience to God the Father and in submission to His will. Being our Perfect Sacrificial Lamb, He was persecuted, humiliated, suffered and died on the cross so as to save man from his sins. 

Revelation 5:11-14 tells us that the Apostle John saw “many angels … and the beasts and the elders” (Rev 5:11) seated around the Throne where God the Father was. They praised Jesus Christ by “saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (Rev 5:12).

Jesus Christ is worthy to receive power over the devil because Jesus’ death on the cross had paid the penalty of man’s sins in full, thus fulfilling the divine justice of God whereby the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). Jesus Christ is worthy also to receive “riches” (Rev 5:12), i.e. every true believer of the Lord Jesus Christ whom Jesus had redeemed by His blood that was shed on the cross. Hence, every believer is precious in the sight of God. When a sinner becomes a saint, the heavens will rejoice. Jesus’ death on the cross is not in vain. Jesus Christ is worthy to receive wisdom, i.e. the Word of God, so that we too can know and understand the Word of God. And Jesus also received strength to do God’s commandments.

In addition to heaven, every creature “on the earth, and under the earth” (Rev 5:13) will also proclaim the worthiness of Jesus Christ by declaring, “Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever” (Rev 5:13).

Having understood the worthiness of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, we are to be thankful and grateful for what He has done for us. Jesus snatched us from death and hell (which we fully deserved because of our sins) and gave us a place in heaven. Therefore, our response must be to only worship God (Rev 5:14) and to live for Christ, for He is the only One who is worthy to be honoured and glorified.