REVELATION - CHAPTER 5 - LAMB TAKES THE SEALED BOOK
Revelation – Chapter 5
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Tuesday Morning Bible Study
June 19, 2012, The Year of Our Lord
Up until now, the apostle has seen:
1. A vision of the glorified Christ. The Lord told the apostle to write the things he was seeing. Write to the seven churches and instruct them to be overcomers and to write those things which shall happen hereafter.
2. Then a door is opened in heaven and John is raptured into the throne room of God. Chapter 4, records the heavenly sight he saw and the heavenly songs he heard. In the throne room, he saw our Great God, the Governor of all things and the agents of His government:
a. A trumpet talking;
b. 24-elders;
c. Seven lamps of fire, which are the seven Spirits of God;
d. Four beasts full of eyes before and behind;
e. Lightnings and thunderings.
f. Ten thousands times ten thousands and thousands and thousands of angels.
John is now favored with a sight of the methods of God’s government. John is still in the throne room, but the focus shifts to a scroll in God’s right hand. This scroll while primarily disclosing God’s judgments and blessing will also unveil God’s plans for “things which shall be hereafter”
Rev. 5:1-2: “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. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?”
God holds the book in His right hand to declare the authority of the book. According to what is revealed to us in scripture, only Daniel was allowed access to the contents of the book.
Daniel 12:8-9: “I heard, but I understood not; then I said, Oh my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.”
No more would be explained to Daniel. Go your way: or simply “Go!” meant the matter was closed. From that point, or at the time of the events, there will be saints and there will be sinners; the ways of God will be made known to the wise, to the wicked they will grow more obscure. Verse 11 re-iterates the relatively short span of the final outrage given here as 1290 days or 3-1/2 years of 360 days each, with one leap-year. That this is another time set separate from the vision of the 70-weeks is certainly a matter of debate among theologians. The 70-week vision was given five years prior to this vision. The fact that the Mighty One dressed in linen said, “the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end” (See teaching on Daniel Chapter 12 and Daniel 70 Weeks by Pastor Carolyn Sissom)
Under Roman law, a will or other official instrument was required to be sealed by seven witnesses. The seals could not be broken except by someone with the authority to do so.
In this instance the person authorized to break the seals will be marked out by that very fact as Lord of history and Master of the world’s destiny.
The fact that Holy Scripture makes note that writing appears both inside and out, is indicative per C.S. Lovett that nothing more is to be added. The revelation contained in the scroll is complete. Then a mighty angel asks: “Is anyone anywhere, qualified to open the book and loose the seals?”
Rev. 5: 3-4: “And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereof. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.”
This strong angel challenges any or all the creatures to try the strength of their wisdom in opening the counsels of God. None in heaven or earth could accept the challenge and undertake the task. None under the earth, none of the fallen angels; Satan himself, with all his subtlety, cannot do it; the creatures cannot open it, nor look on it; they cannot read it.
John was purposely called to the throne room to get the details of “things which shall be hereafter” so he could write it “in a book” (Rev. 1:11) to send to the seven churches.
John knows that Satan has been ruling over God’s creation since Adam surrendered it to him in the garden of Eden. Unless the seals were broken and the scroll opened and read, the divine purpose of judgment and blessing for the world must remain unfulfilled. John had heard Jesus call Satan the “Prince of this world” (John 14:30). John, himself wrote, “the whole world lies in wickedness” (1 John 5:19). The apostle wept and wept.
Rev. 5:5: “One of the elders said unto me, weep not; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David, has prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.”
Out of all humanity, this solitary individual, a Jew, “the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the root of David, comes with the credentials necessary to break the seals. The elder identifies the “Proper Man” and the will of God will prosper in his hand” (Isa. 53:10)
The Lion of the tribe of Juda and the root of David are two titles of the Davidic Messiah. Genesis 49:9, Judah one of Jacob’s twelve sons is called a “lion’s whelp,” and is promised that the scepter will not pass from him until all the nations obey him. The second passage, Isa. 11, says a descendant from the root of Jesse will rise like an ensign and the nations will come to Him.
The man is a Lion! This Lion says the elder, is none other than the Messiah who has triumphed over Satan and redeemed a family for God out of the human stream, and bring peace to His beloved.
The elder is saying this scripture has been fulfilled:
“There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots; and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. (7 Spirits of God) And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears; But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people…”
Christ victory on the cross guaranteed the accomplishment of God’s victory in the world.
Rev. 6:5: “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, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”
John beheld, not a lion, but a lamb! And it’s a little lamb, and one bearing the marks of sacrifice. It had obviously been slain. Yet it was standing in the center of the throne room of God in the midst of the celestial agents of God’s government.
The Lamb has seven horns and seven eyes, perfect power to execute all the will of God and perfect wisdom to understand it all. He has received the Holy Spirit without measure.
Only in the Johannine writings of the New Testament is the title “the Lamb” applied to Jesus. In John 1:29 & 36, John the Baptist calls him the Lamb of God.
Peter refers to the blood of Christ: (1 Pet. 1:19) But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without sport.”
Later in Revelation, the Lamb becomes a permanent title of Christ with no sacrificial emphasis: In 7:17 the Lamb is a shepherd; In 21:7 the Lamb is a bridegroom whose bride is a city. Here the Lamb’s sacrifice is His victory.
Revelation 5: 7-8: “And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he had taken the book, the four beasts, and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints.”
There are many musical instruments in Heaven:
- Here 28 harps and harpist.
- In Rev. 14:2, 144,000 harps.
- In Rev. 15:2, innumerable harps.
As the Lamb moves to take His place on the throne, the atmosphere of heaven becomes electrified. The living creatures and the elders then prostrate themselves before Him. The infinite worthiness of the Lamb compels them to do so. They know what He has accomplished by the sacrifice of Himself.
The elders bring bowls of incense representing the prayers of God’s people.
I once had a vision of the angels carrying bowls up steps into a white cloud. There was a constant stream of angels taking bowls up one side of the steps and coming down the other side. I knew it was the prayers of the saints and the answer to those prayers.
Rev. 5: 9-10: “And they sung a new song, saying, You art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation; and has made us unto our God kings and priest; and we shall reign on the earth.”
This is where the interpretation of the Book of Revelation begins to get complicated.
I used five commentaries in my preparation. There are several pages of discussion with regard to the “have redeemed us”; “has made us” and “we shall reign”.
It is reported by the commentators that the ancient manuscripts read; “have redeemed them”; “has made them”; and “they shall reign”.
Why is this important? The Four Living Creatures and the 24 elders are angelic beings who call attention to God’s holiness. “The pronoun “us” should be “them” referring to the saints.” Per: (“Greek scholars, Lachmann, Tischendorf, Alford, Wordsworth all omit the “us” of verse 9; Griesbach, Tregalles, Lachmann, Tischendorf, Alford and Wordworth all omit the “we” of verse 10.)”
Since it is a matter of theological dispute as to whether the 24 elders are the celestial counterpart of God’s government in the Tabernacle of David or as some believe this number is a metaphorical number of the redeemed saints, we can see why this would be a matter of much discussion and dispute.
I personally searched out 1 Chronicles 24 and found the 24-courses of the priesthood to be referred to as “officials of the sanctuary and officials of God”.
1. Numbering of the heads of the 24-courses of the priests. (1 Chr. 24: 1-19).
2. 24 courses of Levites (1 Chr. 24: 20-31.
3. 24 courses of singers (1 Chr. 25: 1-21).
4. 24 courses of porters( 1 Chr. 26: 1-28).
5. Army of 288,000 had 24,000 courses, etc.
Another interpretation prefers the 24-elders to be representative of the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles. This doesn’t ring true for me because only 11 of the apostles were heaven at the time of John’s vision. He was the 12th and still on earth, except for this visitation. Also, John would not have described the beings as 24-elders. He would have known who the apostles were and would have joyfully called them by name.
I am not making a judgment on this, simply teaching the verse.
What is very clear it seems to me and I have the faith to believe is that we shall reign with Christ on earth as well as from Heaven. This again is in dispute and according to F. F. Bruce the textual evidence is fairly evenly divided. The present tense emphasizes that believers even while suffering persecution on earth have already been made a kingdom and priests to God, reproducing here below the eternal worship of heaven.
It is my Faith statement that since believers are “in Christ”, we are joint-heirs with Christ and reign with Him as long as we remain in the vine.
Rev. 5: 11-12: “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; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory and blessing.”
The hymn of praise to the Lamb is taken up by all the heavenly host. The numbers translate to myriads of myriads and chiliads of chiliads, a Hebraism of countless numbers.
7 fold Ascription to the Lamb:
1. Power – Omnipotence.
2. Riches – Possessions.
3. Wisdom – Omniscience.
4. Strength – Ability.
5. Honor – Reputation.
6. Glory – Praise.
7. Blessing – Worship.
Rev. 5: 1`3-14: “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 honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever, and the four beasts said, Amen, and the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that lives for ever and ever.”
The hymn now widens from the heavenly host to all creation. The sound surges to full volume as a great roar from below rises to heaven to join the heavenly chorus. The whole universe now blends together for the final hymn of praise. No living thing is excluded. The Lamb’s sacrifice redeems the whole of creation. The four living creatures and the 24-elders who triggered all of this praise now bring it to a close and seal it with their “Amen”. Other than the Lamb, these are those who are in closest proximity to the divine throne.
We worship and glorify one and the same God for our creation and for our redemption, the trinity of Him who sits on the throne, the Lamb and the Holy Spirit.
We have seen the sealed book passing with great solemnity from the hand of the Creator into the hand of the Redeemer.
In chapter 6, the Lamb will break six of the seals. The seven seals cover the balance of the book of Revelation.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V.; I “entered into the labors” of F. F, Bruce Bible Commentary; Dake’s Annotated Bible Commentary; C. S. Lovett’s Lights on Revelation; Matthew Henry’s Commentary; comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of those who “I entered into their labors”.