a scroll
Bibli'on
also rendered "book." The scroll reflects aspects of all of the following:
1) A Catalog of Judgments
- as seals are opened
(Eze. 2:9-10).
2) Prophetic Revelation
- the fulfillment of prophetic themes
(Rev. 10:7).
3) A Testament
- redemption and fulfillment of the New Covenant
(Jer. 31:31-37;
Heb. 9:15-17;
Rev. 5:9;
Rom. 11:26-27).
4) A Deed of Purchase
- Christ's inheritance purchased at the cross
(Ps. 2:6-8;
Rev. 5:9;
11:15).
sealed
Various types of documents are said to be sealed:
1)
Prophetic pronouncements concerning the future are sealed until the time of
fulfillment
(Dan. 8:26).
2)
Deeds are sealed to protect their contents from tampering until the time in
which the title is claimed
(Jer. 32:10-14).
seven seals
All seven seals enclose the scroll as a unit. It is the Lamb
who opens
all seven seals
bringing about all seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments.
See the lesson discussing the
Literary Structure
of Revelation.
5:2 - who is worthy?
who is worthy to open the scroll?
No one had the authority and virtue for the task.
1)
Perfect Judgment
2)
Relationship to Mankind - a "kinsmen-redeemer" or
Goel. 3)
Right of Possession - paid the price of redemption.
4)
Ability to Possess - both the
right
and the
might
to possess!
5:3 - no one
no one was able to open the scroll
All men are fallen in sin. The angelic host are not
kinsmen-redeemers
nor have they paid the
redemption price
nor do they have the
requisite power.
5:4 - I wept much
Why did John weep?
Being
in the Spirit(Rev. 4:2),
John understood the significance of the scroll. If the scroll could not be
opened, then the current pattern of sin, sickness, death, and
destruction would continue and promises of Scripture
would remain unfulfilled.
5:5 - Lion of Judah
the Lion of the tribe of Judah
God had revealed that the kingly ruler would be from Judah
(Gen. 49:9-10).
Jesus was born in the line of Judah
(Mat. 1:2-3;
Luke 3:33;
Heb. 7:14).
If, as Judaism believes, Messiah has not yet come, how could His tribal
affiliation be verified if He came today? The tribal genealogical records
were destroyed with the temple in A.D. 70.
the root of David
Jesus was born in the line of David
(Mat. 1:1;
Mat. 1:6;
Luke 3:31).
Root
refers to a small growth which continually springs up from the stump of a
felled tree
(Job 14:7-9;
Isa. 11:1,
6).
5:5 - Messianic Line
From Abraham to Jesus
.
5:5 - prevailed
has prevailed
From
nika'o , the same root as "overcomer" used in chapters 2 and 3.
Jesus is the
overcomer (John 16:33)
and those who trust in Him share in his overcoming and inheritance.
to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals
The Father will not break any of the seals for all judgment has been ceded
to Jesus
(John 5:22-27).
When all seven seals have been broken (and the seven trumpets in the
seventh seal and the seven bowls in the seventh trumpet), Jesus will have
claimed that which He purchased at the cross. The kingdom of God will have
supplanted the kingdom of Satan (and of man)
on earth.
5:6 - a Lamb slain
a Lamb
Arni'on,
a young lamb, as used in passover
(Ex. 12:3-6). Jesus is the passover lamb
(Isa. 53:7
cf
Acts 8:32-35;
John 1:29,
36;
1Cor. 5:7).
as though it had been slain
Jesus
still bears
the marks of His crucifixion
((Isa. 52:14);
(John 20:20, 27)).
The crucifixion was not an afterthought in response to the Fall
(Rev. 13:8;
1Pe. 1:20).
seven horns
Horns are often used to symbolize power, strength, or government
(1S. 2:10;
Ps. 132:13-17;
Dan. 7:7-8;
Dan. 8:3-12).
seven eyes
The Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
See lesson discussing
Revelation 1:4.
5:7 - He took the scroll
He came and took the scroll
A pivotal moment in history, second in import only to the crucifixion!
Jesus' role shifts from
intercession
to
judgment.
Justice, which had slept since the cross because of mercy, now moves into
action!
5:8 - golden bowls
golden bowls... which are the prayers
All the prayers of all the saints throughout history rise before God as
an offering of incense. They are stored up and contribute to the wrath of
judgment and coming of the Kingdom
(Mal. 1:11;
Acts 10:4).
Chief among them is "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth..." (Mat. 6:9-10)
5:9 - redemption
you redeemed us
"Redeemed" is from
agora'zo
meaning "to purchase, do business in the marketplace." Redemption here is both
soteriological
(individual souls reconciled to God)
and
eschatological
(the original creation finally restored).
Jesus is the great
kinsman-redeemer
or
Goel,
like Boaz in the book of Ruth.
by your blood
A "bloodless gospel" is
no gospel!
See lesson on
Revelation 1:5.
5:10 - we shall reign
we shall reign on the earth
This reign is
future tense
and involves the
earth.
This refers to the reign of believers with Christ in the Millennial Kingdom
after
the Second Coming.
5:11 - many angels
ten thousand times ten thousand
Myria'des myria'don,
myriads of myriads. The number
of angels is essentially "numberless." (Job 25:3;
Ps. 68:17;
Dan. 7:10;
Heb. 12:22)
5:12 - worthy is the Lamb
to receive power... honor... glory
The Lamb receives that which was just given to the Father
(Rev. 4:10-11).
Yet God will not give His glory to another
(Isa. 42:8;
48:11).
Jesus said "all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father" (John 5:23). What an
amazing statement!
It is either the height of blasphemy or
true!
Jesus is God!
5:13 - every creature worships
every creature
A four-fold designation:
1)
in heaven,
2)
on the earth,
3)
under the earth,
4)
in the sea.
Four denotes
global, worldwide
scope.
to Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
All that is
creaturely
worships the
Creator .
Jesus receives
absolutely equal
worship with the Father. This is
critical to understand and endorse!
For additional information on this topic, see the commentary.