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In Chapter 4, we saw
John caught up to the
throne room of God,
where He is preparing to
unleash his wrath upon
the earth.
This chapter ends with
God receiving the praise
of His created ones and
of His redeemed ones in
a beautiful worship
scene. Heaven throbs
with the voices of those
caught up in their love for
Almighty God and His
creative power.
In Chapter 5, John once again continues describing the
heavenly scene in the courtroom of heaven where the
stage for God’s wrath and judgment to come upon the
earth during the tribulation period are being set.
1 And I saw in the right hand of him that sat
on the throne a book written within and on
the backside, sealed with seven seals.
This book is not one to be read,
but actually a scroll of either
papyrus or lamb’s skin. A portion
would be written, and it would be
rolled up and sealed. This
process was repeated until the
book was completed. This scroll
had seven seals on it similar to a
Roman will that contained seven
seals also. The will could only be
opened by the heir.
This scroll is about redemption!
In the New
Testament, ye were
saved from your sins
and bought with a
price!
“For ye are bought
with a price: therefore
glorify God in your
body, and in your
spirit, which are
God's.”
(1 Corinthians 6:20)
1. Slave – lost servant returned
to master
2. Wife - husband’s inheritance
restored by kinsman if a
woman was left as a widow
with no male children
3. Land – if a man lost his
inheritance, he could get his
property back.
In the Old Testament, three things could be redeemed or
saved! All could be restored or bought back for a price!
In Jeremiah 32, Jeremiah’s uncle had lost a piece of property.
Jeremiah’s cousin comes to him when he is in prison and he
asks Jeremiah to buy back the property, (v. 8). Jeremiah does
this and records the transaction on a scroll and seals it up.
(v. 10) Two copies of this transaction were kept; one was
open to the public for all to read and another copy was kept
sealed up. ( v. 10-11) These scrolls were laid up in
the Temple, in earthen jars for safekeeping. (v. 14)
Information relating to the redemption would be recorded on
both sides of a scroll. On the inside they would write the
reason the land was forfeited. On the outside they would write
the terms of the redemption.
What we are witnessing
in Revelation 5 is the
heavenly version of what
men did in Old Testament
times. This scroll in the hand
of God is written within and
without. On the inside is the
tragic story of sin, tragedy,
death, failure and defeat.
On the outside are the terms
of redemption. If we could
read these terms, we would
find that the redeemer must
be one who is willing to
redeem and one who is
worthy to redeem.
When God made man and placed him in the Garden
of Eden, God gave man dominion over all of
creation, Gen. 1:27-28.
When man sinned in Eden, he gave away his
dominion and Satan became the god of this world,
2 Cor. 4:4. God’s creation came under a tragic curse
as sin entered this universe.
When God sent Jesus to redeem mankind on the cross,
the blood of Jesus redeemed fallen sinners. But, it was
and is also sufficient to break the bondage of sin over
creation. The Second man or Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ,
bought back everything the first man, Adam gave away.
This book contains the title deed to the earth.
It also contains the sealed judgments that God
will outpour upon Satan’s domain until his Second
Coming to defeat Satan in battle.
2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud
voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose
the seals thereof?
The loud voice of
the angel announces
this challenge to the
whole universe.
The book could not
be opened until the
seals were broken.
3 And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the
earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
Heaven above,
Hell beneath and
earth in between
was meticulously
searched. There
was no saint in
Heaven, no
angelic host, no
one living on the
earth, no one in
Hell found worthy
to take the book.
4 And I wept much, because no man was found worthy
to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
John knew what the contents of the scroll
represented. He wept for all mankind with
uncontrollable sobbing because he knew if the
book were not opened all creation would be
doomed to feel the effects of sin for eternity.
5 And one of the
elders saith unto
me, Weep not:
behold, the Lion
of the tribe of
Judah, the Root
of David, hath
prevailed to
open the book,
and to loose the
seven seals
thereof.
The elder points John to the Lord Jesus Christ, the
“Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David.”
In Old Testament
times, the
noblest son of
the tribe was
called “the Lion
of the tribe,” thus
the title, The
“Lion of the tribe
of Judah.”
When John hears the title, “The Lion of the tribe of Judah,”
he knew the elder was referring to the Messiah, the Lord
Jesus Christ, because in Genesis 49: 8-10, the Jews are
promised a great ruler who would arise out of Judah,
conquering their enemies and giving them freedom.
“The Lion of the Tribe of Judah has conquered”!
“Root of David”
means that the
Messiah would
come from the line
of David. Jesus
Christ came of the
line of David of the
tribe of Judah.
(Matthew 1: 1-17;
Luke 3:23-38)
Mary was descendent of David through Nathan. Jesus’s earthy
father, Joseph, was a descendent of David through Solomon.
Jesus won the victory that gives Him the right to open the
seven seals through His redemptive work by the shedding
of blood on the Cross, that saved all mankind of sin!
Hebrew 1:2 says that Christ is heir to all things.
6a And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and
of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders,
stood a Lamb as it had been slain.
A Crucified
Lamb – When
John turns around
to see this mighty,
conquering Lion,
he sees a “lamb
as it had been
slain.” The Lion is
the Lamb.
6b having seven
horns and seven
eyes, which are
the seven Spirits
of God sent forth
into all the earth.
.
The seven horns
represent Omnipotence,
power and strength.
The seven eyes
represent Omniscience,
all knowing.
The seven Spirits
represent Omnipresent,
complete fullness of the
Spirit everywhere.
The Lamb is worthy to take the
book and open the seals. If this
scroll really is the title deed to the
planet earth, what right does He
have to open it? There are at
least three reasons why He has
this right.
• The world is His by right of
Creation – He made it!
• The world is His by right
of Calvary – He redeemed it!
• The world is His by right of
Lineage – He is from the Root of
David and the Tribe of Judah.
• The world is His by right of
Conquest – He will retake it!
7 And he came and took the book out of the
right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
Notice that this Lamb was standing – When Jesus ascended
back to Heaven, we are told that He sat down at the right hand
of God, Heb. 1:3. He sat down because His work of
redeeming sinners was complete. He is no longer acting as our
Intercessor, but will be standing ready to begin His work of
restoration and renewal of the earth!
8a And when he had taken the book, the four
beasts and four and twenty elders fell down
before the Lamb,
8b having every one of them harps, and golden vials
full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
9a And they sung a new song, saying.
9b Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the
seals thereof:
9c for thou wast slain,
9d and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of
every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
10 And hast made us unto our God kings and
priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels
round about the throne and the beasts and the
elders: and the number of them was ten thousand
times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;
12 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.
13 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, heard I saying, Blessing, and
honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth
upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.
14 And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four
and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him
that liveth for ever and ever.
Jesus Himself has
taken His rightful
place; glorified and
exalted in Heaven
for His redemptive
power. Christ is now
ready to break the
seals that will begin
the seven year
tribulation period on
earth.