Chapter BY Chapter

In chapter 4, we saw that the 24 elders, who represent the people of God, threw their crowns before the throne of God every time the 4 creatures praised God.  So, after they cast their crowns, God must have given them their crowns back.  So, it must be like this constant argument.  I can imagine one of the elders saying, “Here God, I give you my crown because I couldn’t have done it without you.”  Then God says, “No, you deserve this, I give this crown to you - again.”  So here are these elders, just so thankful that they made it to heaven so they can worship God.  Not only do they get to keep these crowns, but they get to eat from the tree of life, they get a white stone – basically a “YES” vote from Jesus, they get some of the hidden mana, they get to rule over the nations with a rod of iron, they get white robes, they get to be like a stationary object, a pillar, in God’s temple, they get to bear Jesus’ new name, and they get to sit with Jesus on his throne.

 

The first thing we notice in chapter 5 is the scroll.

​

Verse 1:

 

“Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals.”

What is the significance of this scroll?

 

In Jeremiah 32:9-15, we see an example of the use of a sealed scroll.  Jeremiah was told to purchase some land right while Nebuchadnezzar was laying siege to Jerusalem. The deed came in 2 parts – an open deed, and a sealed deed.  God told Jeremiah to put the deeds in a jar for safekeeping.  This was God’s promise that even though the people were going into captivity, that they would return and be able to redeem their land.

 

In ancient Greece, wills were usually signed before several witnesses, who put seals to them for confirmation, then placed them in the hands of trustees, who were obliged to see them performed. At Athens, some of the magistrates were very often present at the making of wills. Sometimes the archons were also present. Roman law adopted this and required seven witnesses, thus there would be seven seals on a will.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_history_of_wills)

 

Now, as we will see throughout the rest of the book of Revelation, opening this scroll results in judgments upon the earth.  Opening the seven seals, results with seven trumpets, which results in seven bowls of wrath.  The idea here is that God has a book in which the history of the earth is already written. He has written the history of the world in advance, He holds in His hand the history of the world in advance, and He initiates the consummation of all history. Only God can hold this scroll.

The end result will be that the earth is returned to its rightful owner.  So, in that sense, the scroll is also a deed.

 

The next issue is who is worthy to open the scroll.

 

Verses 2-4,

 

“And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?”  And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.”

 

Nobody was found to be worthy to open the scroll or look into it.  The ability to open this scroll is tied to worthiness.  It was not a matter of strength or position, but it was a matter of righteousness and deservedness. 

 

My first step dad had a daughter that took care of an old couple’s home for years and years.  Her name was Mary.  It was a rather large home and it took some extra care to mow the large lawn and clean the large house, and clean and refill the outdoor pool every year. 

 

When the old couple passed away, it was in their will to give that house to Mary.  You see, Mary was worthy of that inheritance. 

 

John even begins to weep loudly because nobody was found worthy to open the scroll or look into it.

 

But wait! One of the elders says to John:

 

“Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

 

Who is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah? What is the significance of this?

 

Judah is likened to a Lions’ cub in Israel’s blessing to Judah, his 4th son in Genesis 49:9,

 

“Judah is a lion's cub;

    from the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He stooped down; he crouched as a lion

    and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?”

 

Throughout Genesis, the question of a personal responsibility and responsibility for our neighbors is a central theme. From the story of Cain and Abel to the story of Joseph and his brothers' betrayal, this theme is underlying. Cain murders his brother Abel and casts off God's questions with a sarcastic response: "Am I My Brother's Keeper?" Cain shows no remorse or responsibility for what he has done. The rest of the book of Genesis represents the answer to that question and the answer is a resounding yes! Judah steps forward and takes responsibility. This results in the reuniting of his family. Yes, he is his brother's keeper and yes, he will take his place in slavery. With this passionate act, Judah becomes a role model for the responsibility that Jews have to each other and to the world as a whole.

 

The messiah is likened to a lion in Hosea 5:14,

 

“For I will be like a lion to Ephraim,

    and like a young lion to the house of Judah.

I, even I, will tear and go away;

    I will carry off, and no one shall rescue.”

 

And in Hosea 11:10,

 

“They shall go after the Lord;

    he will roar like a lion;

when he roars,

    his children shall come trembling from the west;”

 

Who is the root of David?  What is the significance in using this?

 

The root of David is derived from Isaiah chapter 11,

 

“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
    and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
2 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 the fear of the Lord.
3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
    or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
    and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
    and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
    and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
    and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;
    and a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
    their young shall lie down together;
    and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,
    and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.
9 They shall not hurt or destroy
    in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

10 In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples—of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

11 In that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that remains of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Cush, from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea.

12 He will raise a signal for the nations
    and will assemble the banished of Israel,
and gather the dispersed of Judah
    from the four corners of the earth.
13 The jealousy of Ephraim shall depart,
    and those who harass Judah shall be cut off;
Ephraim shall not be jealous of Judah,
    and Judah shall not harass Ephraim.
14 But they shall swoop down on the shoulder of the Philistines in the west,
    and together they shall plunder the people of the east.
They shall put out their hand against Edom and Moab,
    and the Ammonites shall obey them.
15 And the Lord will utterly destroy
    the tongue of the Sea of Egypt,
and will wave his hand over the River
    with his scorching breath,
and strike it into seven channels,
    and he will lead people across in sandals.
16 And there will be a highway from Assyria
    for the remnant that remains of his people,
as there was for Israel
    when they came up from the land of Egypt.

 

Notice that Israel is depicted as a stump, an chopped off dead tree.  The root of David is a root of this tree that comes to life and springs forth a new living tree, and along with it a new world with peace and safety in every relationship.  Even the ferocious animals eat hay and lie down with animals they once devoured, and they even follow a little child.

 

The Lion of Judah, the Root of David has conquered.  What has he conquered?

1. Sin

2. Death

3. Satan

 

The lion of Judah, the Root of David can open the scroll and the seven seals. 

 

By the way, the word for scroll here in chapter 5 is Biblion, which means “Book.”  The common word for scroll in Greek is “Papuros.” 

 

So, this is no light duty deed of inheritance here.  Something exhaustive is being pictured.  We will find out more about this book as we go through the book of Revelation. 

 

So, let’s look at the description of the Lion of Judah, the Root of David. (Verses 6-10).

 

“And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.  And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.  And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  And they sang a new song, saying,

 

“Worthy are you to take the scroll

    and to open its seals,

for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God

    from every tribe and language and people and nation,

and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,

    and they shall reign on the earth.”

 

So, the Lion of Judah conquered by paying for the people of God by his blood!

 

In the gospel of John, we learned that the glory of Jesus was his death on the cross.

 

Just before Jesus went to the cross, he prayed this prayer:

 

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.”

 

(John 17:1-2)

 

The worthiness of Jesus is his death on the cross that ransoms all people from sin and the penalty of sin.  This is his glory.

 

The Lion of Judah in heaven is a Lamb, seen as though it has been slain.

 

The seven eyes are the completeness of the Holy Spirit.

 

The seven horns symbolize complete power.  Horns are the power of a creature.  Here, this creature, though depicted as just a lamb, has complete power.  No one else could open this book, but the Lamb can open it.  So, what do you think is in this book? 

 

(clue: what did the Lamb buy, what is he taking ownership of?)

​

(The names of those that have been ransomed)

 

(Revelation 13:8 calls this “the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.”)

 

So, the Lamb takes the book.  The four creatures and the 24 elders fall down before the Lamb, with a harp in their hand and a bowl of incense, which is the prayers of the saints, and they sing this new song.

 

And the new song is not about taking possession of some land or some material possession.

 

The new song is about all those that the Lamb has redeemed!

​

So now what happens?  John looks and there is a myriad of myriads of angels.  (That means an uncountable number squared)

 

“Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,

 

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might

and honor and glory and blessing!”

 

So, all those angels sing a song.  Then there is even more!

 

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

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!”

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

 

So even every creature in heaven and earth praises the Lamb!

 

Song: Worthy is the Lamb by Hillsong with lyrics: