Revelation 5

As Revelation goes, chapter 5 is about as easy as it gets to understand. The hardest part is the first verse:

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.

As the vision of chapter four continues, John sees that the One on the throne has something in His hand; a scroll. That scroll has writing on both sides and is sealed with 7 seals; what could it be, what treasures and secrets might it contain?

This scroll reminds us of several instances in the Old Testament; let’s consider a couple…

First, it reminds us of the scroll God gave to Ezekiel in Ez. 2:9-10. It has writing on both sides, but there are no seals, and it contains God’s message or word to Israel, described as words of “lament, mourning and woe.” We can assume John’s scroll contains a message from God.  Consider also the stone tablets of Exodus 32:15-16. The tablets had writing on both sides, top to bottom. The writing contained the words of God. Yes, it would seem that John is telling us that the scroll contains the words of God.

John’s original readers would no doubt recognize the significance of a scroll with seven seals, for in their time, a will or testament was written on scrolls that the law required to be sealed with the seals of seven witnesses. The scroll could only be read if the seals were broken, revealing the “last will and testament” it contained. Could John be showing us the last will and testament of God? In a sense, I think that is exactly what he is trying to show us, as we will see, for the time has come for another character to enter the scene.

In the next verse we are confronted with a problem: There is no one anywhere who is able (worthy) to open the seals and reveal the scroll’s contents; John weeps (v. 3) but one of the elders has the solution, for there is but One who can open it: The Root of David (see Is. 11) is worthy as is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (see Gen. 49). These are both Messianic names, they are names of Jesus.

Enter the Lamb who was slain in 5:6-14. This Lamb of course is Jesus. He appears in v. 6 standing in the middle of the throne surrounded by the four living creatures (the Creation) and the 24 elders (the Church). This lamb has seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits (Holy Spirit). Before we continue, where did Jesus go after the resurrection and ascension? He went to the right hand of the majesty in heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father to rule the universe as King of kings and Lord of lords; it was a though the torch passed from Father to Son.

The Lamb takes the scroll from the Father, and the living creatures and the elders sing a “new song”. Remember “new” from chapters 2-3? This is the victorious Savior receiving His inheritance after His victory over sin, death and Satan. Those who had worshipped God now worshipped His Son as well. Next comes 5:11a:

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying:

All of creation sang a new song in 9-10, and now they are joined by the entire host of heaven in the song that interprets for us the message John brings in chapter5:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”

The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Jesus, the Lamb of God who was slain for the redemption of Mankind… and of all Creation for that matter, has arisen from the grave; His mission is complete. He has glorified God by going to that cross, and has now returned to the heavenly realm from which He had come, and He receives all glory, honor, praise and authority. Thus He takes His rightful place with the Father as the Firstborn of many brothers, His co-heirs.

Everything has changed.

What John has described for us is the beginning of a whole new (there that word is again) era, the Last Age, and the scroll will reveal what happens in that age… or should I say in “this” age, for this scene is a picture in words and symbols of the dawning of the age in which we live.

The seals begin to open when we get together next time: you can’t miss this!