seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Revelation 5:1 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. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 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.”
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits[a] of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 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 God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign[b] on the earth.”
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign[b] on the earth.”
11 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. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”
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, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
a. Revelation 5:6 That is, the sevenfold Spirit
b. Revelation 5:10 Some manuscripts they reign
This is from the easy English site.
On the right hand of God was a scroll. The Lord had written on both sides of the scroll. On it, there were 7 seals. Each of these seals locked a part of the scroll. To read the scroll someone had to break all 7 seals in order.
The contents of the scroll were secret. God’s plans for the end of the world were in it. After each seal, the scroll showed the events that would happen.
History and the end of the world are in God’s plan. All will happen as he has decided. Nobody can know what is in God’s plan. When someone opens the scroll God will show us the future.
John saw a strong angel. This angel called out in a loud voice. He asked, ‘Who can open the scroll? Who can break the seals?’
The sound of his voice went to the ends of space, heaven and the earth.
In all that God had created, nobody could open the scroll. There was no angel who was good enough. No man or woman had earned the right to open it. So, nobody could read what was in the scroll.
One of the elders spoke to John. He told John not to weep. There is someone who can open the scroll. He will break the 7 seals. He has won the right to do it. He has overcome sin and death. He is perfect and he is able to break those seals.
This person is Jesus Christ. The elder used two special names to describe Jesus. Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. And Jesus is the Root of David.
Judah was called a young lion (Genesis 49:9-10). The great king would come from the tribe of Judah. The Jews understood this king to be their Messiah. So, the Messiah is the same person as the Lion who will rule the earth. He is the Christ. He came from the tribe of Judah.
The Root of David shows that Jesus belonged to the family of David. The Old Testament speaks about the king who would come. That king would be from the family of King David. That king would be even greater than David was. The Lord Jesus is that king.
Then John saw the Lord Jesus. He did not see Jesus as the king. He was not like a lion but like a lamb. He stood in the centre of the throne. He was with God. Round him were the creatures and the elders.
The Lamb (in other words, Jesus) had been dead but was now alive. The marks of that death were still there. He had given his life for us and died. But death could not keep him. He had risen from the grave. We call Jesus, ‘the Lamb of God’, because he died as a sacrifice for us. He takes away the *in of the world (John 1:29).
Normal lambs have two horns but this one had 7. He also had 7 eyes. The number 7 in the Bible often means that something is perfect or complete. So, this description shows that Jesus has perfect power and wisdom. Nobody can overcome the power of the Lamb. Nobody can hide anything from the Lamb. He knows all things.
The eyes are the 7 spirits of God. These 7 are the Holy Spirit. Jesus has sent him into all the earth. He is the agent of Jesus to bring people to God.
The Lamb stepped forward. He had taken the scroll from the right hand of God.
Then John saw the four creatures and the 24 elders fall down. They praised the Lamb. They made music to the Lamb on their harps.
They gave to the Lamb what was in the gold bowls. Incense has a sweet smell. It gives pleasure to those who smell it. This incense meant the prayers of God’s people. Their prayers pleased God.
The worship of the angels is for God alone. Here they worship the Lamb. Christ the Lamb is one with the Father. Christ is God.
The four creatures and the 24 elders sang a new song. They sang this song to the Lamb. The song was new not only in time. It was new in quality. It spoke about what the Lamb had done. He had made a new contract between God and his people.
The Lamb had earned the right to take the scroll. He had done what nobody else could do. He alone was able to break the seals.
They gave three reasons why the Lamb could take the scroll.
1. He died and he overcame death. Now, he is alive and he will always live.
2. When he died, he took away the sins of the people. By his death, he purchased people for God.
3. He made God’s people a kingdom. He made them priests to God.
Jesus has bought many people by his blood. They come from all the countries of the world. They are from all the nations. There will be in heaven those who speak every language.
All who believe in Christ are part of his kingdom. Each one of them is a priest to God. As a kingdom, they will rule with Christ. As priests, they serve the Lord God. Because of Christ, they can come to God.
Then all the angels joined in with those who were praising the Lamb. There were millions of angels. There were so many that nobody could count them.
This vast crowd of angels live to serve God. They surrounded the throne of God. And with loud voices, they sang to praise Jesus the Lamb.
They sang that the Lamb deserves to have seven qualities. These are power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and praise. The angels praise him because he has all these qualities. He always had them as the Son of God. But then he earned them. He died and he rose again from death. He now deserves that all people and angels should praise him.
Then every creature joined in the song of praise. All that God had created sang. They sang to praise God and the Lamb.
At the end of the song, the four creatures said ‘Amen’. The 24 elders fell down and they praised God.
I think this chapter is about the scroll, the strong Angel and Jesus the Messiah.As John was writing this... he was on a deserted rocky island. There was an Angel assigned to John to interpret any signs that Jesus used. John's friend Jesus was glowing as He had when John saw Him with Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration. John saw a door open in Heaven... and John had been invited to see the scene take place.
There was a strong Angel. One of the commentaries I read suggested this was the Angel Gabriel. My Bible doesn't tell me who specifically this is.... but apparently he is able to throw his authority around a little. All Angels have to obey God... it's in their DNA apparently.... but this one has a scroll in his hand and he is stomping his angelic feet about no one being able to open the seals and start the end times of humans on earth.
It seems to me... the Angel has had enough. It must have been really rough on those Angels, watching Jesus the Messiah... their Lord.... suffer through that beating. I bet they wanted to go take that strap away from that soldier and whip him to pulp... but God wouldn't let them. I get those angels felt those nails go into their Lords hands and feet.... and they wanted to go down there and rescue their Lord.... but God wouldn't let them. Those Angels who witnessed the execution had to obey God..... they couldn't intervene.
So.... I can see the strong Angel throwing a temper tantrum.... because of what those humans did to his Lord. He's got the marching orders [the scroll] in his hands and he's saying ..... when God? When can we open this up.... I bet he even yanked on that first seal that wouldn't give a nana-inch.
And then there was Jesus. Jesus had been to earth. Jesus had endured being tempted by all the crap that humans have to deal with every day.... and Jesus knew those humans better than anyone. It was Jesus they hung on the cross. It was Jesus that still had the holes to deal with in His hands and His feet. It was Jesus that had to dispose of death. Jesus was there.... sitting on that thrown next to God... who had been holding that scroll the strong Angel wanted to open.
I have quite a vivid imagination.... I can see Jesus get up from that throne... and stride [in heavenly gait.... glowing like He did on the Mount of Transfiguration] over to the strong Angel.... I can see Jesus take the Scroll from the strong Angel's hand... and I can hear Jesus say... "Here let me have that... I can open it... I know what it's like to be human... I can deal with this... it was Me they put on that Cross.... and it'll be Me who puts and end to such foolishness once and for all."
I imagine everyone in Heaven was saying "hip hip hooray... the Savior is here to save the day..... hip hip hooray"
But I figure John put it better... John's story has all the details and my imagination only has the highlights..... The Angels wanted to get on with taking those ignorant humans to task.... and now Jesus was there to open the scroll.
I think this chapter is about the scroll, the strong Angel and Jesus the Messiah.
