Revelation 5

The Lamb Takes the Scroll

1 Then I saw in the right hand of the One seated on the throne a scroll with writing on the inside and on the back,^[a] sealed with seven seals.

2 I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?"

3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or even to look in it.

4 And I cried and cried because no one was found worthy to open^[b] the scroll or even to look in it.

5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Stop crying. Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah,^[c] the Root of David,^[d] has been victorious^[e] so that He may open the scroll and^[f] its seven seals."

6 Then I saw one like a slaughtered lamb standing between^[g] the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God^[h] sent into all the earth.

7 He came and took [the scroll]^[i] out of the right hand of the One seated on the throne.

The Lamb Is Worthy

8 When He took the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

9 And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals; because You were slaughtered, and You redeemed^[j] [people]^[k] for God by Your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation.^[l]

10 You made them a kingdom^[m] and priests to our God,^[n] and they will reign on the earth.

11 Then I looked, and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, and also of the living creatures, and of the elders. Their number was countless thousands, plus thousands of thousands.

12 They said with a loud voice: The Lamb who was slaughtered is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!

13 I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say: Blessing and honor and glory and dominion to the One seated on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!

14 The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Revelation 5 Commentary

Chapter 5

A book sealed with seven seals, which could be opened by none but Christ, who took the book to open it. (1-7) Upon which all honour is ascribed to him, as worthy to open it. (8-14)

Verses 1-7 The apostle saw in the hand of Him that sat upon the throne, a roll of parchments in the form usual in those times, and sealed with seven seals. This represented the secret purposes of God about to be revealed. The designs and methods of Divine Providence, toward the church and the world, are stated, fixed, and made a matter of record. The counsels of God are altogether hidden from the eye and understanding of the creature. The several parts are not unsealed and opened at once, but after each other, till the whole mystery of God's counsel and conduct is finished in the world. The creatures cannot open it, nor read it; the Lord only can do so. Those who see most of God, are most desirous to see more; and those who have seen his glory, desire to know his will. But even good men may be too eager and hasty to look into the mysteries of the Divine conduct. Such desires, if not soon answered, turn to grief and sorrow. If John wept much because he could not look into the book of God's decrees, what reason have many to shed floods of tears for their ignorance of the gospel of Christ! of that on which everlasting salvation depends! We need not weep that we cannot foresee future events respecting ourselves in this world; the eager expectation of future prospects, or the foresight of future calamities, would alike unfit us for present duties and conflicts, or render our prosperous days distressing. Yet we may desire to learn, from the promises and prophecies of Scripture, what will be the final event to believers and to the church; and the Incarnate Son has prevailed, that we should learn all that we need to know. Christ stands as Mediator between God and both ministers and people. He is called a Lion, but he appears as a Lamb slain. He appears with the marks of his sufferings, to show that he pleads for us in heaven, in virtue of his satisfaction. He appears as a Lamb, having seven horns and seven eyes; perfect power to execute all the will of God, and perfect wisdom to understand it, and to do it in the most effectual manner. The Father put the book of his eternal counsels into the hand of Christ, and Christ readily and gladly took it into his hand; for he delights to make known the will of his Father; and the Holy Spirit is given by him to reveal the truth and will of God.

Verses 8-14 It is matter of joy to all the world, to see that God deals with men in grace and mercy through the Redeemer. He governs the world, not merely as a Creator, but as our Saviour. The harps were instruments of praise; the vials were full of odours, or incense, which signify the prayers of the saints: prayer and praise should always go together. Christ has redeemed his people from the bondage of sin, guilt, and Satan. He has not only purchased liberty for them, but the highest honour and preferment; he made them kings and priests; kings, to rule over their own spirits, and to overcome the world, and the evil one; and he makes them priests; giving them access to himself, and liberty to offer up spiritual sacrifices. What words can more fully declare that Christ is, and ought to be worshipped, equally with the Father, by all creatures, to all eternity! Happy those who shall adore and praise in heaven, and who shall for ever bless the Lamb, who delivered and set them apart for himself by his blood. How worthy art thou, O God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, of our highest praises! All creatures should proclaim thy greatness, and adore thy majesty.

Footnotes

• [a]. Ezk 2:9-10
• [b]. Other mss add and read
• [c]. Gn 49:9
• [d]. Isaiah 11:1,10; Rv 22:16
• [e]. Jn 16:33
• [f]. Other mss add loose
• [g]. Or standing in the middle of
• [h]. Rv 1:4
• [i]. Other mss include the scroll
• [j]. Or purchased
• [k]. Other mss read us
• [l]. Ex 19:5
• [m]. Other mss read them kings
• [n]. Ex 19:6; Rv 1:5-6

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO REVEALTION 5

This chapter contains the vision of the sealed book, and the opening of it by Christ, which occasions universal joy among all ranks and sorts of creatures. The book is described by the place where it was, in the right hand of God; by the uncommon manner in which it was written within and without; and by the seven seals it was sealed with, Re 5:1, next follows a proclamation made by a mighty angel, with a loud voice, to find out a person worthy and able to open this book, and loose its seals, Re 5:2, upon which a declaration is made, that none could be found in heaven, earth, or hell, Re 5:3, which had such an effect upon John, that it set him a weeping, Re 5:4, but was comforted by one of the elders suggesting, that there was a person that could, and would do it, when he calls the lion of the tribe of Judah, and the root of David, which are names of Christ, Re 5:5, of which he was assured by what he quickly saw, namely, the same person the elder spoke of, described by his position, standing between the throne, and the living creatures, and elders; and by his similitude and likeness, as a Lamb that had been lately slain, with seven horns and eyes in him; and by what he did, he went and took the book out of the right hand of God, his Father, Re 5:6,7. This occasioned a general joy among all kind of creatures; first among the four living creatures, and four and twenty elders, who are described by what they had, harps and golden vials, the one for praise, the other for prayer; and by what they did, they fell down in a worshipping posture before the Lamb, and sung the new song of redeeming love to him; in which they ascribe worthiness to him, to take the book and open its seals; declare their redemption unto God, by his blood, out of all nations of the earth; take notice of the honour done them by him, in making them kings and priests to God; and express their assurance that they shall reign with him on earth, Re 5:8-10, and next an innumerable company of angels join the living creatures and elders, in a doxology or ascription of glory to him, Re 5:11,12, yea, every creature in heaven and earth, upon it, and under it, and in the sea, are introduced as giving glory both to him that sat upon the throne, and to the Lamb, Re 5:13, and the whole is closed by the living creatures saying "Amen", to all, and by the elders prostrating themselves, and worshipping the living and eternal God, Re 5:14.