Song of Redemption
Revelation 5:1, "And I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals.”
And I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. This is a clear imagery of Christ who sits on the right hand of the Father in honor. This scroll is could be the Scroll that was closed in Daniel but is now open.
There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. Seven in Scripture is the sign for completeness or wholeness. The fact that this was seen within the context of the scrolls with writing on the inside or the outside is very important indeed. Since this was written in Romans times, it is even more important. It meant that this document was a document of supreme importance and the one who opened it had to have authority, and witnesses to open it. Seals here come from the Greek word sphragis in this case meaning a literal, a “seal” on a book or roll, combining with the ideas of security and destination those of secrecy and postponent of disclosure.
Revelation 5:2-3, “And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: “Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and unroll it? But no one in heaven or on earth or under earth was able to open the scroll and read it.”
The very fact that strong angel is mentioned here is very important. Scholars are not sure who this strong angel is here. Many have said it might have been Gabriel or Michael but the context doesn’t allow us to say either way. The very fact that he shouted though is important. The angel was announcing the coming of God’s judgment upon the world. Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and unroll it: This was mentioned because no one in heaven or on earth could be found who had accomplished what Christ did on the Cross for us. The repetitive use of scroll here is important. The use of Biblios in Revelation 5:1-9 which is translated “book” represents the revelation of God’s purposes and counsels concerning the world. The use of this is repeated throughout this to emphasis the emphasis on the importance of this document which as we have already seen was very important indeed.
Revelation 5:4, “Then I wept because no one could be found who was worthy to open the scroll and read it.”
That such a cosmic distress was occurring signifies how serious an event this was. The fact that Christ is later seen as worthy to open the scroll later on in this chapter is further evidence that Christ was worthy because his death set in motion fulfillment of the promise of redemption throughout the earth. This can be seen by the need of salvation being necessary for the opening of the book implies that the book itself has a universal significance. Verse 12-13 highlight this further by affirming that Jesus’ worthiness to open the book results in universal acclamation by the entire creation.
Revelation 5:5, “But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has conquered. He is worthy to open the scroll and break its seven seals.”
The use of the description of Christ from the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and heir of David’s throne serves as an introduction to these OT titles and brings out their “conquering” significance, since both concern the prophecy of a messianic figure who will overcome his enemy through judgment. Only Christ was worthy to open the scrolls because He is the One who died. Only He can begin the judgment that is to come, because of His work of redemption on the Cross. This verse opens up the rest of the verses to the fact that the impending judgment of bowls, vials and seals were to come. In this glimpse of heaven we are seen the work of God through the person of Christ thus so far in His rebuke, praise and correction of the churches, this brief glimpse of what heaven will be like, and now the opening of the scrolls. This is to cause one to see that without Christ in their lives the Worthy One who fulfilled prophecy in His Death, Life, and Ascension is still fulfilling prophecy today and in the coming future. It is only He that can save the world from a life destined to hell, and provide the means from which it can escape that fate.
Revelation 5:6-7, “I looked and I saw a Lamb that had been killed but was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He has seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God that are sent out in every part of the earth. He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne.”
The imagery of a slain lamb can be seen from the prophecy in Isaiah 53:7, “he was led as a sheep to the slaughter”. This is significant that John uses this imagery because Christ as many know was slain on the Cross, and pierced in His side. This picture of God thus represent the image of a conquer who was mortally wounded while defeating the enemy. Christ’s death, the end-time sacrifice of the messianic Lamb, becomes interpreted as a sacrifice that not only redeems but also conquers. The repeated use of horns, eyes and seven spirits three times in succession with the number seven mentioned shows the completed work of redemption is found only in Christ. In the Bible, horns stand for power, strength and authority to rule (Daniel 7:8, 20, 24) These two images give us a picture of a lamb both slain and standing. The fact that it mentions standing is very important. This standing imagery means He was resurrected, both depicting His victory over death to give us new life, meaning that opposed to what many say about Jesus not rising the fact remains, and the evidence is clear, He has risen indeed. To deny this fact is to deny who you are, denying your true self for a lie.
John interpreted the seven eyes of Zechariah 3:9 as Yahweh’s Spirit and has identified both eyes and spirits as possession of the lamb. It is only by the Spirit of Yahweh’s “Servant the Branch,” the messianic Lamb, that iniquity has been removed from the world (Zech 3:9) and resistance to the kingdom overcome (Zechariah 4:6-7) The seven spirits of God can also be interpreted as the seven burning lamps in (1:4; 3:1; 4:5) implying that they are agents only of God operating throughout the earth.
He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne.”
Christ is now stepping forward to take the scroll from the hands of Christ. This is in direct fulfillment of what verse 1 says, “of the one who was sitting on the throne” Christ’s stepping forward towards the throne signifies the reception of authority places Christ in a position together with his Father as Lord of all affairs in heaven and earth.
Revelation 5:8-10, “And as he took the scroll, the four living beings and twenty four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they had bowls filled with incense-the prayers of God’s people! And they sang a new song with these words:
You are worthy to take the scroll
And break its seals and open it.
For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed the people of God
From every tribe and language and people and nation.
And you have caused them to become God’s kingdom and his priests.
And they will reign on the earth.”
I must say in sitting here studying these words, I’m blown away by the picture of them. The fact that He takes the scroll or the elders playing the harp just pails in comparison to the song they sing. Despite the fact that before this no one was found to open the Scroll then One was found, the dramatic climax of Christ going to the Throne of the Father if that doesn’t get your emotions going nothing will. This picture I cannot even imagine it in my mind, but it is by far one of the most beautiful Scriptures in all the Bible. I sit here in awe the fact that the prayers of God’s people the elders sitting there with the prayers of God’s people singing this song. Its mind blowing beyond our compression. Perhaps you are sitting here thinking the same thing in reading this as I did in studying it. It is truly an honor to serve the Living God and to know Him, the power of His son to liberate His people from the power of sin, to give us new life in His Son.
Beginning in this verse the effects of the lamb’s reception of authority are stated. The fact that the elders are seen together and later with more people means that the people here were together in celebration of God’s redemption of His promise to save them and give them a new life. The declaration they sung was a praise to Him for all the work, both in His work on the Cross, in His redemption personally and corporately to remove every spot, and wrinkle from their lives. The linking of the “prayers of the saints to “new song” shows that they were in community with one another, as we are to be with one another. We are to be of one mind, one according because we have a new song in our hearts, not a heart of stone or flesh, but of the Spirit. He has freed us indeed, and we can praise Him out of the pure abundance of our hearts, because He has freed us from the life of death (spiritually) to new life in His Son Glory to His name!
God’s message of eternal life is not limited to a specific culture, race or even society, but to all people’s nations so that they can hear the glorious message of what God has done for them in the person of Christ. This hymn is a declaration of what Christ accomplished on the Cross for our sins so that we can have new life. Christ gave us new life for the sole purpose of declaring His message to a world that might or might not accept it, but our duty as priests of the living God is to take the message of the Cross out to the nations and tell them about the change He has done in our lives. This is the meaning of this hymn. It means that He was worthy to take the scrolls because of what He accomplished on the Cross meaning His divine authority to receive the scrolls as well as to open them. The Christian life is all about being blown away by God’s love in His kindness in dying for our sins.
Revelation 5:11-12, “Then I looked, and again I heard the singing of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus:
“The Lamb is worthy- the Lamb who was killed.
He is worthy to receive power and riches.
And wisdom and strength
And honor and glory and blessing.”
The fact is that when we are in heaven there will be millions upon millions, myriads upon myriads. The word myriads was in the Greek ten thousand so when John says myriads upon myriads he means ten thousands upon ten thousands meaning a countless number of people worshipping the Messiah who was slain but who has risen to the Right hand of the Father to receive the scrolls.
This description of Christ in this verse reiterates that He was worthy, putting. As we have already seen the Lamb was the one who was slain, but now the usage of worthy to receive, power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and blessing describe what He has done to receive those things. It shows His Sovereignty in that He is indeed worthy to receive that which is His.
Revelation 5:13-14, “And then I heard every creature on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They also sang:
Blessing and honor and glory and power
Belong to the one sitting on the throne.
And to the Lamb forever and ever.”
And the four living being said, “Amen!” And the twenty four elders fell down and worshipped god and the Lamb.”
The glory of God and the Lamb, which is grounded in their sovereignty, is the main point of Ch.5 vision, as well as of the vision in Ch.4.
This is a hymn of declaration of praise for God’s sovereignty. Blessing and honor belong alone to Christ for what He is doing in our lives. The fact that John heard every creature on earth and under earth singing means that those in heaven will sing of God’s redemption, and sovereignty. This chapter is a chapter of praise for God’s redemption. We can praise Him, because He is control of everything, both in heaven and on earth. He is in charge! We can worship out of gladness and joy from the abundance of our hearts for this very reason. Let your worship be sweet rising to the heavens. Be undignified get on your hands and knees in adoration of the King, don’t be afraid of what people think because one day we will be before the King of Kings falling down at His feet in adoration and praise for all He has done. We shall be clothed in white and sing GLORY HALLELUIAH POWER AND MAJESTY BELONG TO THE KING OF KINGS. Let your prayers be sweet worshipful offerings to the King. The fact that the elders fell down and worshipped the Lord intensifies as we will see throughout the rest of this book in further praise because God is about to judge the world of its sin, even though it does not want it, nor does it know it, but it shall know there is a God in heaven, and they will have a choice to receive Him or deny Him. This is the message of this book.
God bless each of you.
Pastor David
