A portrait of the Lamb of God
This is the shortest chapter in the book of Revelation. On the surface it looks like a very simple chapter without much happening. But only on the surface. Most people read right over this chapter. In fact, Bible studies that teach the Revelation from the literal point of view usually miss this event completely. But as we pull back the veil and look beneath the surface, we find the most significant event to occur in human history.
Remember, the book of Revelation is written to the church, about the church.
Revelation 5
1 “And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is able to open the scroll and loose its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.”
Notice, the scroll was “sealed with seven seals.” It was commonplace at the time of John to seal official documents with a specific number of wax or tallow seals. Financial documents were sealed with five, a testament or will with seven. Anyone seeing a document or scroll sealed with seven seals would immediately know what it contained.
According to Webster’s dictionary, the definition of testament is:
1. A written document providing the disposition of a person’s property after death; a will
2. Something that stands as tangible proof or evidence, as in the testimony of an eye witness
3. Archaic meaning: a covenant between God and man.
When a testator dies, the testament is brought forth in the presence of the witnesses who signed it, or in this case, sealed it. The witness’ signature or seal was to testify of the document’s authenticity.
This scroll with its seven seals is a symbol of God’s testament to mankind. It contains His covenant with man, and His promise of a future kingdom.
(Genesis 1:26-28) The scroll was sealed by Christ Himself, from the foundation of the world.
It had “Writing on the front and back,” which symbolizes the completeness of the document’s contents.
It is not the scroll itself, but the seals that are important. The seals represent the testimony of the witnesses. The document can not be opened until all of the seals are broken. The events in chapter six and seven are triggered by the breaking of the seals. The witness would then state, “by breaking this seal, I certify that the contents within are true.”
The Scroll
The scroll represents God’s testament to His children. What is His legacy to us?
In my dad’s will, he left me a legacy. It wasn’t much, but it was what he intended for me to inherit as his heir. I couldn’t receive his legacy until he died. Jesus is the only man who left a legacy, died so His heirs could receive it, and came back from the dead to insure the legacy was carried out!
In this scroll, Christ left us His legacy; redemption for all mankind to any who will accept it. (We can reject it; many do.) Part of His covenant with man is to keep His “redeemed” through all trials and tribulations, wars, famines, as we will see in Chapter 6. (See Psalm 91:1-6)
Note that God has another testament for the wicked. 2 Corinthians 3:14-16, Romans 1:18-32
A testament requires witnesses to be authentic. The church, as the body of Christ, are the witnesses of the authenticity of God’s covenant. Seven is the number of completeness. The seven seals indicate the testament has been witnessed by all the church, Christ’s body on earth. We will find the witness’ testimony in Chapter 6.
2 “Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is able to open the scroll and loose its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.”
The “strong angel” had “a loud voice” A voice strong enough to be heard in all of Heaven and earth, and even Hades and the grave. When Jesus died on the cross, as His last act He cried out, “It is finished!” (John 19:30) When He gave up His spirit, graves opened up, dead saints arose, and witnessed to people in the city. (Matthew 27:50-53) That is a loud voice!
But heaven’s most powerful angel is not able to open the seals. Created beings and their works cannot do it. No one was found who could open them.
4 “So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. 5 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 loose its seven seals.”
John wept because he knew by the seals what the scroll contained; God’s legacy to mankind. But it could not be received because the scroll could not be opened.
Remember who the elders are? They represent the preachers, teachers, and ministers of the Gospel. The Greek word translated as Gospel is euaggelion, “glad tidings.” The Good News is God’s covenant with man. The elder who said “do not weep” knew who was worthy, and was undoubtedly teaching it.
The Lamb
“Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David …” See Genesis 49:9-10. This passage is a Messianic prophecy.
49:10 “The scepter shall not depart from Judah … until Shiloh come, and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be.” Shiloh is a Hebrew word, meaning tranquility, peace. The literal translation is “that which is His,” or “His own.” Shiloh is one of the names of the Messiah, the Prince of Peace. He will draw all men unto Himself. John12:32
“The Root of David” is a reference to Isaiah 11:1-10, another Messianic prophecy all Jewish children were taught in Hebrew school.
Jesus “has triumphed,” has won the victory once and for all by His sacrificial death and resurrection. Christ is the testator; it is He who sealed the seals in the first place at the beginning of the world. He is the faithful and True Witness (Revelation 3:14); the One who is witness to the testament’s authenticity. Therefore, He alone is worthy and able to open the seals. He, Jesus the Son, will be the one who receives the legacy. Jesus does not pass the legacy on to us; we, as His body, share His legacy.
6 “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 if God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.”
This is the validation Isaiah 53:7. Notice the tense of this statement. The lamb was slain from the foundation of the world. Matthew 25:35, Revelation 13:8
Jesus is the lamb in the “midst of the throne.” He is Elohim, the second part of the trinity that is God. The throne is the symbol of the ruler’s power and authority. Notice the Lamb is surrounded by the church, indicating that He is the center, the head, the focus, the ruler of the church.
Horns are a symbol of power and strength. Seven is the number of completeness. Jesus possesses total power, strength, and omnipotence.
Seven eyes represent all-seeing omniscience. You can’t hide from the Lamb.
(Zechariah 4:10) From Chapter 4, Yahweh has seven eyes, signifying that the Father God and the Lamb are one. John 10:30, John 1:1-4
“… seven eyes are the seven spirits of God …” (Isaiah 11:2) These spirits are the source and power of Jesus’ omniscience. They are a symbol of the seven-fold Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is sent throughout all the earth. He is the Comforter. (John 15:26-27, 16:17) The Greek word for comforter is paraklētos: intercessor, counselor, advocate, comforter.
Notice, the Lamb “took the scroll from the right hand.” The right hand is symbolic for blessing and authority. This scroll is a blessing to all creation! By accepting the scroll, Jesus completed His work and sat down on the right hand of power, “… that He might fulfill all things.” (Ephesians 4:10) Ephesians 1:19-21, Hebrews 1:3-4
For the purpose of this study, the events coming up in Chapter 6 take place during the two thousand years of the church’s dispensation. If the events taking place in Chapter 6 are events to which the church is a witness, then this taking of the scroll took place at Jesus’ ascension and return to heaven.
He died, rose again, ascended to the throne, and took the scroll containing His legacy from His Father. This taking of the scroll began the church’s two thousand year dispensation on earth. We, being His adopted brethren, became joint heirs with Him.
Romans 8:15-17, Galatians 3:29
This is born out by Ephesians 4:8-10, which is in part a quote from Psalms 68:18. “He ascended on high leading captivity captive and gave gifts to men.”
This Psalm was written before the coming of the Holy Spirit and His gifts. So, what gifts? The Word “gifts” in the Hebrew is Mattanah, a present or gift, a sacrificial offering. The same word meaning is found in Matthew 5:24 but the word is in the Greek. Here, the Greek word is dōron, meaning present, gift, offering, sacrifice.
Jesus’ ultimate gift to man was His sacrificial offering of Himself. Without it, none of the other gifts would be possible!
By accepting the legacy, Jesus, the Lamb, established God’s Kingdom on earth (the church) in power and authority.
8 “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 of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Heaven “fell down before the Lamb.” This spontaneous worship shows the utter power and significance of this event.
In John 18:4-9, the soldiers came to the garden to arrest Jesus. He asked them, “who do you seek?”
They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
He said “I AM He.” At the use of His Name, they were all knocked back to the ground. That Name defeated Satan and conquered death and the grave. At that Name, ever knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. Phillipians 2:10
Each elder had a harp. The harp is symbolic for praise and worship. Also, golden bowls of incense, which represent prayers and intercession of the saints.
9 “And they sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the scroll, and 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, 10 and have made us kings and priests to God; and we shall reign on earth.””
Here, the church sings a new song, signifying a new era (dispensation) of God’s kingdom. This starts the new activities of Chapter 6. Isaiah 42:10-12
“… You have made us kings and priests …” see 1 Peter 2:9-10
The literal translation of the phrase “they shall reign” is in the present tense: “they reign.” The Word used here is the Greek Basileuō, “to rule, to exercise kingly power, to reign.”
When scholars first translated scriptures from Greek to Latin, then to English, many of them had trouble with some of things they found. It is hard to be humble when you find that you will be judging angels (1 Corinthians 6:3), the most powerful of God’s creation. Some modern versions have corrected this error by using the literal translation of the words in question. However, paraphrases (KJV, NKJV, LIVING, NIV, etc.), usually don’t correct it, since they rephrase earlier translations.
The phrase, “they reign,” is another indication the act of taking the scroll began the church Era, which is the kingdom of God on earth. It is the church, Christians, not imperial dignitaries, who rule and reign during the church dispensation. Or have been given the authority to do so. Romans 5:17-18
Do you rule and reign? Or do principalities and powers rule you?
Ephesians 3:10, 6:12, Colossians 1:16
11 “Then I looked, and 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, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worth is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
“Ten thousand times ten thousand” is symbolic for an uncountable number. It is not the same as 144,000 seen in Chapter 7, which is symbolic for perfection and completeness.
13 “And every creature which is in heaven and on 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!”
Every creature in all of creation. A truly uncountable number! (Verse 12). Every creature is composed of two Greek words: pas, the whole, all, and ktisma, created thing. Hence, “all created things.” Even those in the grave and in Hades, under the earth. Phillipians 2:10-11
Older translations of Phillipians 2:10 say, “… every knee should bow …” as here in the KJV. This is another example of a word getting lost in translation. The Greek word translated as “should” is mello: to come about, shall begin, will. “… every knee will bow …”
All of mankind knows that Jesus is Lord. (Romans 11:20) some are too prideful, stubborn, or blinded by Satan, to accept Jesus’ lordship. They prefer their own pitiful legacy to the one Jesus and the church are heir to as His adopted brethren.