REVELATION CHAPTER 5---{The Lion, The Lamb, and The Scroll}
REVELATION 1:19 GIVES US, THE READERS OF REVELATION AN OUTLINE OF THE ENTIRE BOOK.
REVELATION 1…JESUS CHRIST INTRODUCES HIMSELF TO THE LOST AND SAVED WORLD.
REVELATION 2-3...JESUS SPEAKS TO EACH OF HIS 7 CHURCHES.
REVELATION 4...JOHN IS CAUGHT UP FROM THE ISLE OF PATMOS, INTO HEAVEN WITH AN INNUMERABLE MULTITUDE IN A FINGER SNAP OF TIME & WE SEE WHAT HEAVEN AND THE THRONE OF GOD LOOKS LIKE & WHAT IS GOING ON IN HEAVEN ALL THE TIME.
REVELATION 5...THE WARRIOR ANGEL CHALLENGES ALL OF HEAVEN, ALL OF MANKIND, ALL THE CHRISTIANS IN HEAVEN, AND ALL OF THOSE UNDER THE EARTH, MEANING EVEN SATAN AND HIS DEMONS THEMSELVES TO BE WORTHY TO TAKE THE 7 SEALED SCROLL FROM THE HAND OF ALMIGHTY GOD TO OPEN IT….
TURN WITH ME NOW TO REVELATION 5.…
ONLY ONE worthy to take the scroll.
(v.1) The throne and the scroll.
“And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.”
The focus of Revelation 4 was THE THRONE. Here, John begins with reference to the throne, but now shifts his focus to THE SCROLL held by the NOW enthroned Lord Jesus Christ.
“Written inside and on the back:” This means that this scroll is UNUSUAL. It wasn’t common practice to write on BOTH sides of the scroll. This means that whatever the information on this scroll, there is A LOT of it - almost more than the scroll can contain.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…ancient scrolls were read horizontally, not vertically. The “rolls” of the scroll were on the left and the right, and the writing lay in narrow columns about three inches wide, written on a substance kind of like brown paper. The scroll was ALWAYS held in the left hand, and unrolled with the right, and as the reading went on, the previously read portion was re-rolled. On such a typical scroll, the Book of Revelation would fill a scroll 15 FEET LONG.
“Sealed with seven seals:” Did you know, when a roll was finished, it was fastened with strings and the strings were sealed with wax at the knots. BUT THIS SCROLL is sealed with SEVEN (number of perfection/completeness) seals; there are SEVEN strings sealed with & around the scroll.
These are NOT 7 writings each separated by ONE seal; but 7 seals all set upon ONE scroll. Which MEANS that ALL the seals must be opened BEFORE the scroll CAN be read.
So, what IS this scroll? What IS written in it? It’s important to remember that whatever is on this scroll, NO ONE EXCEPT Jesus is worthy to open it (Revelation 5:3-4).
Some think the scroll is the Old Testament, or the Old and New Testaments together, or fulfilled prophecy. But these ideas look BACK, NOT FORWARD, and John is speaks of things related to things which must take place AFTER this (Revelation 4:1).
The BEST EXPLANATION for WHAT this scroll REALLY is, is found in Jeremiah 32:6-15, which describes Jewish title deeds as sealed. But there is no doubt that the earth is the Lord’s (Psalm 24:1), though the governments of this world belong to Satan (Luke 4:5-8). If God has to get the title deed back, when did God ever “lose” the title deed to planet earth? In fact, God HOLDS this scroll - it ISN’T lost. But the scroll must be opened, it must be revealed.
AND IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE, IN ROMAN DAYS, Roman law required a will to be sealed SEVEN times as illustrated in the wills left by Augustus and Vespasian for their successors.
This scroll IS God’s will, his FINAL settlement of the affairs of the universe. REMEMBER the emphasis is NOT on the CONTENT of the scroll, but on its seals and the One who IS WORTHY to take it.
(v.2-4) Who is worthy to open the scroll?
“Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.”
“A strong angel:” We don’t know who this angel is. Nonetheless, this angel issues a challenge to ALL creation: Who IS worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals? This is a challenge NO creature can answer because NO creature in Heaven or in earth or under the earth IS WORTHY to open this particular scroll.
“No one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it:” John could not have said it any stronger. There is NO answer to the strong angel’s challenge because ALL CREATION is incapable.
“So I wept much:” John’s weeps because NO ONE creation was found WORTHY & because he believes a previous promise to see the future may now be denied (Revelation 4:1).
(v.5-7) The Lion of the tribe of Judah is worthy to open the scroll.
“But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the RIGHT HAND of Him (Almighty God) who sat on the throne.”
“Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah:” One of the elders (not an angel) rescues John from his grief, showing him THE ONE who has prevailed to open the scroll. The one is the great figure of Old Testament prophecy: the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, Messiah of Israel and of the Gentiles.
The Messianic title “Lion of the tribe of Judah” comes from Genesis 49:9-10; Isaiah 31:4, and Hosea 11:10. The title “Root of David” comes from Isaiah 11:10 and is repeated in Revelation 22:16.
“And I looked, and behold . . . stood a Lamb:” Because of the elder’s announcement, John expected to see a Lion, but sees a Lamb instead.
“The Lamb” is presented in a way both sympathetic and powerful; He is living (stood a Lamb), but He still has the marks of previous sacrifice upon Him (as though it had been slain).
When men want symbols of power they conjure up ferocious beasts and birds of prey such as those that represent nations and sports teams. But the representative of the kingdom of heaven is a Lamb, representing humility, gentleness, and sacrificial love.
The Lamb looks as though it had been slain & had the marks of sacrifice on it. The coming judgment beginning in chapter six is dictated and administrated by The Lamb who already offered an escape from judgment by taking judgment upon Himself. The judgment comes upon a world that HATES the Lamb and all He stands for, and to those who REJECTS Jesus’ offer of escape.
“As it had been slain:” The sacrifice of Jesus is still fresh and current before God the Father. THIS IS IMPORTANT for mankind to REMEMBER & TO UNDERSTAND. In God’s eyes, though thousands of years LATER, the obscene torture/pain/death of HIS PRECIOUS SON is still A FRESH/PAINFUL memory in God THE FATHER’S eyes and heart and mind.
When I read this….I thought about this…We see on TV, our military soldiers who gave their LIVES in the protection, defense, and freedom of people who are NOT their own…come home to be mourned/buried honorably…only to have OBSCENE people show up and scream curses and sing hallelujahs that these military are dead. We ARE shocked by this…we ARE angry when this happens…we ARE outraged when our sons and daughters ARE REJECTED & DISHONORED, right? And though they ARE beloved by us, they are NOT pure, perfect, and sinless. We see people & commentators say, “Well these people JUST NEED to GET OVER IT, GET BEYOND IT, and MOVE ON. It is over. It is done.”
The Bible CLEARLY tells us….WARNS US that Almighty God has NOT, does NOT, and WILL NOT forget the sacrifice of HIS SON for unworthy mankind. Almighty God is WARNING mankind…“YOU REJECT/DISMISS/IGNORE HIS SON….Almighty God WILL reject you. He WILL bring JUDGMENT against you.
“Having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth:” Even though the marks of His sacrifice are evident, The Lamb is NOT an object of pity. He also bears the marks of omnipotence (seven horns) and omniscience (seven eyes). What a figure! A slain Lamb, who has the marks of omniscience and omnipotence!
Throughout The Bible, “eyes” suggest knowledge and wisdom, and “horns” suggest power. This Lamb HAS ALL knowledge, wisdom, and power fulfilled perfectly: seven horns and seven eyes.
“Which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth:” The Holy Spirit is NOT ONLY the Spirit of God, but also the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Acts 16:7 and Romans 8:9).
The seven eyes of the Lord are a picture of omniscience drawn from the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah 4:10 and 3:9).
“Then He came and took the scroll:” The Lamb CAN take it. His rank, character, and ability to TAKE the scroll and OPEN it (and thus dictate the destiny of creation) has been permanently demonstrated by Jesus work on the cross.
Praise to the Worthy One.
(v.8-10) The song of the elders and the cherubim.
“Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth.”
“The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb:” When JESUS takes the scroll, ALL high-ranking angels and redeemed man join together in worship of the Lamb.
“Each having a harp:” Worship in heaven is accompanied by music.
“And golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints:” With their golden bowls full of incense, present the prayers OF the saints. We are reminded that there is ONE God and ONE Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). These elders are NOT praying FOR the saints, and this in no wise justifies the Roman Catholic practice of praying TO the saints, asking them to pray FOR us.
“Golden bowls full of incense:” In this we see how precious OUR prayers are to God. He regards them as a sweet smelling incense, as if set in precious golden bowls, as written of in Psalm 141:2.
“And they sang a new song:” The elders sing a new song, for mercies that are forever new, because is WAS a NEW thing that the Son of God should become man.
“You are worthy:” In the days of the Apostle John, Roman Emperors were celebrated upon their arrival with the Latin expression “vere dignus,” which is translated “You are worthy.” Here the TRUE RULER of the world is honored.
“For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth:” In the praise of Revelation 4:11, the emphasis is on God’s work of creation. Here, the emphasis is on His work of redemption.
The song honors the price of redemption: for You were slain
The song honors the worker of redemption: have redeemed us
The song honors the destination of redemption: have redeemed us to God
The song honors the payment of redemption: by Your blood
The song honors the scope of redemption: every tribe and tongue and people and nation
The song honors the length of redemption: have made us kings and priests to our God
The song honors the result of redemption: and we shall reign on the earth
“Kings and priests to our God:” Believers ARE kings/queens because of their royal birth and their destiny to reign WITH Jesus. They ARE priests because they need NO mediator other than Jesus Himself.
(v.11-12) Countless angels join in, declaring the worthiness of the Lamb because of the redemption He accomplished.
“Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
“I heard the voice of many angels around the throne:” The angels and the elders fell down before the Lamb together (Revelation 5:8). But it seems that only the elders sang the song of the redeemed (Revelation 5:9-10), because in NO place does the Bible tell us of the redemption of angels. But now, the voice of many angels around the throne rises up with the praise of the Great Redeemer.
In Revelation 4:9-10, the angels prompt the elders into worship. Here, the elders seem to prompt the angels. It is a wonderful cycle in heaven, with the angels and elders encouraging each other to more and more praise.
“The number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands:” This is an innumerable company of angels.
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain:” In their song, the angels do not offer praise for THEIR redemption, because angels are ONLY to observe, and are ONLY able to praise God because of it (1 Peter 1:12 and Ephesians 3:10).
(v.13-14) All creation praises the Father and the Lamb.
“And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!” Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.”
“Every creature:” John CLARIFIES that EVERY creature - in heaven, on earth, under the earth and in the sea.
“Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb:” This COMBINED worship of the Father and the Lamb is STRONG testimony to the deity of Jesus.
“Fell down and worshipped Him:” The ancient Greek word for worshipped is literally “to prostrate” or “to lay before another in complete worship & submission.”
“Forever and ever . . . worshipped Him who lives forever and ever:” The living God reigns eternally. The Caesars come and go, including those who persecute God’s people. But the Lord God lives forever and ever and is ever worthy of our praise.
SO WHAT DOES REVELATION 5 TELL US…SHOW US…
HAVING READ THE ENTIRE BIBLE TO THIS POINT, KNOWING AND SEEING WHAT ALMIGHTY GOD HAS SEEN OF MANKIND, HIS HISTORY, THE EARTH AND ITS FALLENNESS, SATAN AND HIS DEMONS AND THEIR DESTRUCTIVENESS AND THEIR EVIL…..EVEN HERE…ALMIGHTY GOD OFFERS ANY AND ALL TO BE WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL.
HE CHALLENGES ALL OF CREATION…PROVE YOURSELF WORTHY…AND NOTHING AND NO ONE IS STILL WORTHY BUT FOR JESUS CHRIST…AND JESUS CHRIST ALONE…YOU DO NOT SEE MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS STEP FORWARD, NONE OF THE DISCIPLES, NOT CHARLES SPURGEON, NOT MOTHER THERESA, NOT MOHAMMED, NOT BUDDHA, NOT THE POPE,…NOT ONE THING, NOT ONE PERSON, NOT EVEN THE INSANE EGOMANICAL SATAN NOR HIS DEMONS DARE TO CHALLENGE OR STEP FORWARD TO TRY AND TAKE THE SCROLL FROM THE HAND OF ALM IGHTY GOD.
THIS SHOWS THE FAIRNESS, THE JUSTNESS OF ALMIGHTY GOD, AND IT ALSO SHOWS AND PROVES TO US THAT JESUS CHRIST ALONE, IS WORTHY…ONLY JESUS IS ABLE…ONLY JESUS IS PURE…PERFECT, AMEN?
AND WE SEE AT THIS POINT, JOHN THE RAPTURED CHURCH, JEW AND GENTILE ALIKE ARE SAFELY IN HEAVEN, LOOKING DOWN UPON THE EARTH.
THE TRIUNE GOD WHO LOVES, HAS TAKEN HIS LIVING CHILDREN, EVEN THE DEAD BODIES, AND ALL DNA OF HIS CHILDREN FROM THE EARTH, THE SEAS, THE SKIES AND LASTLY HIS HOLY SPIRIT HAS BEEN CAUGHT UP & REMOVED FROM THE FACE OF THE EARTH BEFOREEEEEEEEE JESUS TAKES THE SCROLL AND OPENS IT IN HEAVEN…
ALL THAT REMAINS ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH IS FALLEN EARTH, LOST AND REJECTING MANKIND, AND SATAN AND HIS DEMONS TO FACE THE WRATH OF ALMIGHTY GOD…
THIS IS A REASSURANCE TO HIS CHILDREN, AND A PLEA AND A WARNING TO THE LOST REJECTING WORLD…CALL UPON ME WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME…I WOULD SPARE YOU MY FATHER’S WRATH.
AND FOR SATAN AND HIS DEMONS…IT IS A TIME CLOCK. YOU ARE AT THE END OF DAYS…THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS NOW…
FOR THE LOST....CALL UPON JESUS CHRIST WHILE YOU MAY…
AND FOR THOSE WHO KNOW AND LOVE JESUS CHRIST...WE ARE TO HOLD FAST TO OUR JESUS…GET BUSY SHINING AND SHOWING OUR JESUS…BECAUSE WE WHO LOVE JESUS…ARE SAVED AND REDEEMED BY AND THROUGH HIM, HIS LOVE, HIS GRACE, AND HIS SACRIFICE…ARE ON A COUNTDOWN TOO.