Revelation Chapter 5
Vs. 1-7: the Sealed Book
Rev. Bruce A. Shields
First Baptist Church of Tawas City Michigan
www.tawasbaptist.org
Key Verse; Revelation 1:19
“Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.”
Revelation Chapter 1: Things you have seen,
Revelation Chapter 2 & 3: The things which are,
Revelation Chapters 4 – 22: The things which shall be hereafter.
Chapter 2 & 3 – The Things that Are.
Chapter 1 – We see the Lord Jesus as the Glorified One.
Chapter 2&3 – We see the Lord Jesus as the Head over the Church.
Chapter 4-22 – We see the Lord Jesus as the Triumphant One.
We will see the Lords striking message to the seven churches of Asia.
They are applicable to the churches of today.
Before the vision of the Father in Heaven in Revelation Chapter 4, we have the vision and words of the Son, Jesus Christ in Chapters 1 – 3.
We must know the Son before we can know the Father. He is the only way to God.
THE SEALED BOOK
1a – And I saw the Right Hand – The right hand signifies power.
1b – of Him who sat on the Throne a Book written within and on the backside, sealed with Seven Seals – The ‘Seven Seals’ signify that the ‘Time of Jacob’s Trouble’ is about to begin, which will rapidly bring to a conclusion that which must be done.
Jacob’s Trouble – [Jeremiah 30:7] “Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.”
2a – And I saw a strong Angel proclaiming with a loud voice – this strong Angel is probably Gabriel, as evidenced by Gabriel’s appearance to Daniel.
2b – who is worthy to open the Book, and to loose the seals thereof? – This implies moral fitness.
3 – And no man in Heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth (Sheol), was able to open the Book, neither to look thereon – The wording is very clear…”no man” is worthy to break the seals on the book in the right hand of God upon His Throne.
4 – And I (John) wept much, because no man was found worth to open and to read the Book, neither to look thereon – This pertains to the fact that this Book is so very, very important. It contains not only the information regarding the coming Judgment upon the Earth, but as well the message that this Judgment, as rendered by God, will ultimately lead to the Redemption of the Earth.
THE LION AND THE LAMB
5 – And one of the Elders said unto me (John), Weep not: behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the Book, and to loose the Seven Seals thereof – This is talking about Jesus.
6a – And I (John) 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 – the Crucifixion of Christ is represented here by the word Lamb, which refers to the fact that it was the Cross which redeemed mankind; the slain Lamb alone has redeemed all things.
The Slain Lamb – Jesus Christ, with the marks of His Crucifixion visible.
6b – having seven horns – horns represent dominion. Remember the horns on the anti-Christ in the Book of Daniel; they represented the demonic dominion over the nations. Seven is the number for perfection or completion, therefore, the slain Lamb having seven horns means through the Lamb sacrifice He was given complete dominion. Jesus said “all authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to me.” This authority was made available to us through the Cross.
6c – and seven eyes – This represents the total (or complete because of the number seven) perfect, pure and complete illumination of all things spiritual, this also was made available to us through the Cross so that we too would never be drawn away by false doctrine.
6d – which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into the Earth – This signifies that the Holy Spirit, in all His perfection, functions entirely within the parameters of the Finished Work of Christ; or in other words, if we make Jesus Christ our focus, we receive the Holy Spirit which guarantees the “dominion” and the “illumination”
Isaiah 11:2
“The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of power,
the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD”
Romans 8:2
“Because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.”
7 – And He (The Lord Jesus Christ) came and took the Book out of the Right Hand of Him (God the Father) Who sat upon the Throne.
All of Heaven stands in awe as the Lamb steps forward to take the Book.
