This chapter deals with things that are written in a scroll; a scroll that was in God’s hands and which had a message from God to us. John will reveal the contents of that message to us one step at a time.
VERSE 1:
“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.”
John saw God sitting on His throne and holding a particular kind of scroll in His right hand. In John’s time, most scrolls had writing only on one side. A scroll was a long piece of paper or cloth that was much longer than it was high. It was so long that both the left and right sides were attached to wooden handles that were used to roll it up from either end.
Most scrolls only had writing on one side, but there was a particular kind of scroll that had writing on both sides; that was a title deed to property. If a property owner was unable to meet all of his financial obligations, he’d have to give up the deed. Then, his debts would be written on the backside and the deed would be sealed with 7 seals. If during the next 7 years he could pay off his debts, the seals would be broken and the title deed returned to the property owner as a way of saying the debts were paid in full.
What is this deed that John is seeing? It’s the actual title deed to planet earth. It was originally given to Adam in the Garden of Eden, as we read in GENESIS 1:28. Adam was given dominion over all the earth, but he forfeited the right to ownership when he disobeyed God and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Adam’s sin is what transferred the deed to Satan. (ROMANS 5:14 ) This is why Paul called Satan the "god of this world" in 2 CORINTHIANS 4:4 and why Jesus referred to him as the "prince of this world" in JOHN 12:31. God has allowed Satan to have temporary rule over this planet until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, as forecast in prophecy, found in the book of Revelation.
VERSES 2-4
”And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.”
Who is worthy or able to meet the requirements to pay off this debt? Who is worthy to open the scroll and break the seals? No one is found qualified to open the scroll and read it, no angel, no man, no demon has the wisdom and knowledge to execute judgment. So John wept uncontrollably, thinking the earth would remain in Satan’s grasp, and that the wicked might go unpunished and the righteous would not be vindicated.
When no one came forward to reclaim earth, tears flowed in Heaven, something that probably had never happened in all of eternity. John was promised to see the revelation of what was to come, but now he may have wondered whether God’s plan would really be worked out.
VERSES 5-6
“Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals. Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. “
One of the elders tells John to stop wailing and comforted him with the words that there is one who is worthy, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Jesus was born of the house and lineage of David, but since He actually preceded David by all eternity, He is also the Root of David. He is fully qualified and able to open the scroll and to break the seals, because of His infinite wisdom, by divine decree from God, the Father, (JOHN 5-22, 27) and by His finished work on the Cross.
John then looked and saw a Lamb, in the midst of the elders and encircled by the four living creatures, looking as if it had just been slain. Though the appearance is as one who was slain, Jesus is very much alive. John is thinking of Him in terms of sacrifice, but also sees Him standing in power and strength.
When we read ISAIAH 52:14, we get a description of just how horribly Christ suffered as the sacrificial lamb for our sins. Physically, Jesus was tortured in the most horrible of ways, but what hurt Him more was knowing that for a short time He would be separated from His Father. That’s why He asked for that cup to be taken from Him, but He still was totally willing to do the will of His Father When we see Jesus we will be amazed, and totally broken by what He did to get us to Heaven.
The Lamb had seven horns. In the O.T. horns were a symbol of strength, and seven is the number of perfection, so this indicates the perfect power and might of the Lamb. It says the Lamb also had seven eyes, which speaks of perfect insight, nothing escapes Him, He is omniscient. Jesus possessed the full measure of the seven Spirits of God and so He is also omnipresent.
VERSES 7-8
“He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”
He took the scroll from the right hand of God the Father, who was seated on the throne What a magnificent vision Paul had as he witnessed the perfect will of God the Father and Christ the Son demonstrated in this single action. The action of the Lamb caused a great outburst of praise and worship even though the book had not yet been opened.
The living creatures and the elders fell before the Lamb. Each had a harp, which is represented in scripture as instruments of praise, and golden bowls full of incense, which are described as the prayers of the saints. On earth the saints were often hated and killed, but in Heaven their prayers were precious. They were brought into the very presence of God and before the Lamb, which is evidence of the full divinity of Christ.
VERSES 9-10
“And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open it’s seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
In the new song Christ is declared worthy to execute judgment because of His willingness to be sacrificed for the sins of the world. No other song that was written for a different situation could be reused at this time, so it was a brand new song. The word “new” is used often in REVELATION. It refers to the new name we receive as over comers in chapter 2:17, to the new Jerusalem in chapter 3:12, to the new heaven and new earth in chapter 21:1 and to God’s declaration that He will make all things new in chapter 21:5.
With His Blood, Christ has purchased us and He has bought us so we may belong to God. We are not only redeemed, but made kings and priests to worship Him, to witness for Him and to reign with Him. The Church is the only group of people who can say, “Out of every tribe, language, people and nation,” which means that the Church is in heaven before the Tribulation begins in chapter 6.
VERSES 11-12
“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 sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise.”
John says he looked, and heard “the voice” as a choir of millions of angels encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. Singing all together they sounded as one voice in perfect harmony. When does true worship take place? When we fully and completely understand that Jesus Christ , the Lamb of God, really did die for us. We will sing praise to the Lamb throughout all eternity.
The angels use seven, the perfect number, to express the wonder of the Lamb, and all of these qualities are given to Christ elsewhere in the New Testament. Power, riches, wisdom, might, honor, glory and blessings all belong to the Lamb. Their tribute will be what we believers will be praising Him for as we spend eternity with Him, as we say, worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive these things.
VERSE 13
“Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
Every creature joins in singing praise. None will fail to recognize that the Lamb is to be acknowledged with God, and as God. They link Him who is sitting on the throne with the Lamb, so there can be no doubt that eternal blessing, honor, glory and power are given to God the Father, and also to the Lamb.
This verse adds credit to Philippians 2:9-11:
“Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
VERSE 14
“The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshipped.’
The 4 living creatures began the chorus of praise in 4:8, and so they also close now with an Amen. The 24 elders again fall down and worship, both to the Lamb and to God, who live forever and ever. The Lamb has taken control of the Book, or scroll, the title deed to earth, and worship abounds. The world’s destiny is not in the hands of fate, but the loving Hands of God the Father and a Savior who died for us.
LET US CLOSE IN PRAYER
