Who Is Worthy?

John sees a book at the right side of the enthroned Father, and a “strong angel” asks, “Who is worthy to take the book and open it by breaking its seals?”

The Father Himself is worthy (4:11) to receive all glory, honor, and power. Yet  no one mentions Him as a suitable candidate. He is worthy, but He is not the one to open the book. The book is a book of future history, a book that unleashes the end of time, and this is going to be accomplished not by the Father, worthy as He is, but by another. 

It seems that the destiny of the world, though within God’s reach, is not in his hand. God’s throne is a two-seater throne (cf. 3:21), and the right side of the seat, where the scroll is, is reserved for a man. This is the whole point of creation: God is not proud, not cheap or selfish; God created man to occupy His throne with Him at His right hand. 

The Father Himself doesn’t reach for the book and open it. He implicitly joins in praise to the Lamb, not taking credit but glorifying the Son as the worthy One.

Search is made on earth and under the earth. There is no reference to the sea, and this indicates that the search is being made not only for a human being, but for a certain kind of human being, an earth-dweller. By looking for the candidate only on the earth and in/under the earth, they make it clear that this role can only be played by a Jew, a descendant of Abraham, either one living on the earth/land or one who has been inserted into the land in death. Oceanic Gentiles do not qualify.

The future is not just in human hands, but in Jewish hands. God has set up the world in such a way that the future of the human race can only be realized if there is a Jew found worthy to receive the book, because salvation is of the Jews.