Revelation 5:1-10 KJV
1) And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
2) And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
3) And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
This is the scroll opened in chapter 6, leading up to half an hour of silence in heaven, and seven angels are given seven trumpets.
What is this scroll, and what does it say?
Jeremiah shows us a sealed scroll which is the deed to land, only unsealed to prove a claim.
Ezekiel shows us a scroll written within and without with lamentations and mourning and woe.
Is this scroll the "title deed to the earth", as some say? Is it a scroll of judgement?
Something different from these?
My view is that this is the scroll of judgment as Jesus claims His chosen nation of Israel.
Much love!
David Guzik looks at the different possibilities about that scroll, it’s interesting.
I still think the scroll could be the deed to the earth, because God gave it to Adam when He gave him complete dominion over the earth, and he transferred it to Satan - and scripture says the last Adam takes back what the first Adam lost::
THE LION, THE LAMB, AND THE SCROLL
A. One worthy to take the scroll.
1. (
Rev 5:1) The throne and the scroll.
And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals.
a. I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll:
The focus of Revelation 4 was the throne. Here, John begins with reference to the throne, but now shifts his focus to the scroll held by the enthroned Lord.
b. Written inside and on the back: This means that this scroll is unusual. It wasn’t common practice to write on both sides of the scroll. This means that whatever the information on this scroll, there is a lot of it - almost more than the scroll can contain.
i. Ancient scrolls were read horizontally, not vertically. The “rolls” of the scroll were on the left and the right, and the writing lay in narrow columns about three inches wide, written on a substance kind of like brown paper. The scroll was held in the left hand, and unrolled with the right, and as the reading went on, the previously read portion was re-rolled. On such a typical scroll, the Book of Revelation would fill a scroll 15 feet long.
c. Sealed with seven seals: When a roll was finished, it was fastened with strings and the strings were sealed with wax at the knots. This scroll is sealed with seven seals; there are seven strings sealed with was around the scroll.
i. These are not seven writings each separated by a seal; but seven seals all set upon one scroll. All the seals must be opened before the scroll can be read.
d. What is this scroll? What is written in it? Through the centuries, commentators have suggested many different ideas. It’s important to remember that whatever is on this scroll, no one except Jesus is worthy to open it (
Rev 5:3-4).
i. Some think the scroll is the Old Testament, or the Old and New Testaments together, or fulfilled prophecy. But these ideas look back, not forward, and John is speaks of things related to things which must take place after this (
Rev 4:1). Additionally, if the scroll is the Old or New Testament, who is unworthy to open that scroll?
ii. Some think the scroll is God’s claim of divorce against Israel, but there is little Scriptural evidence for this idea, and who is unworthy to open that scroll?
iii. Some think the scroll is God’s sentence against the enemies of the church. Perhaps this is true, but only in an indirect sense; but who is unworthy to open that scroll?
iv. Some think the scroll is the text of the Book of Revelation, or the next few chapters. But this is rather unlikely considering how the idea of the scroll is communicated, and who would be unworthy to open that scroll?
v. Some think the scroll is the title deed to planet earth. This is an attractive idea, especially because the coming time of tribulation will end with Jesus ruling on earth. But it is hard to demonstrate this with certainty. The best connection in this idea seems to be with
Jer 32:6-15, which describes Jewish title deeds as sealed. But there is no doubt that the earth is the Lord’s (
Psa 24:1), though the governments of this world belong to Satan (
Luk 4:5-8). If God has to get the title deed back, when did God ever “lose” the title deed to planet earth? In fact, God holds this scroll - it isn’t lost. But the scroll must be opened, it must be revealed.
e. The best solution is to see the scroll as “God’s will, his final settlement of the affairs of the universe.” (Barclay) This is based on the idea that customarily, under Roman law,
wills were sealed with seven seals, each from a witness to the validity of the will.
i. “Roman law required a will to be sealed seven times as illustrated in the wills left by Augustus and Vespasian for their successors.” (Walvoord)
ii. “The book may mean the purposes and designs of God relative to his government of the world and the Church; but we, whose habitation is in the dust, know nothing of such things. We are, however, determined to guess.” (Clarke)
iii. “The seven sealed book therefore is the comprehensive program of God culminating in the second coming of Christ.” (Walvoord)
iv. “The book of the counsels, decrees, and purposes of God relating to his church, as to what more remarkable things should happen to it to the end of the world; which book was in the hand of the Father.” (Poole)
v. The idea here is that God has a book in which the history of the universe is already written. He has written the history of the world in advance, He holds in His hand the history of the world in advance, and He initiates the consummation of all history. Only God can hold this scroll.
f. Remember the emphasis is not on the content of the scroll, but on its seals and the One who worthy to take it.
2. (
Rev 5:2-4) Who is worthy to open the scroll?
Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.
a. A strong angel: We don’t know who this angel is. Many have suggested that it is Gabriel, but we don’t know. Nonetheless, this angel issues a challenge to all creation: Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals? This is a challenge no creature can answer because no creature is worthy to open this particular scroll.
b. No one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it: John could not have said it any stronger. It is as if the strong angel looked through the entire universe to find someone worthy, and had not found anyone worthy to even look at the scroll.
i. There is no answer to the strong angel’s challenge because the creation is utterly incapable of deciding or effecting its own destiny. Someone above the order of created must determine the course of history; only God can unfold this plan.
c. So I wept much: John’s weeping is either because a previous promise to see the future may now be denied (
Rev 4:1), or more likely, because the consummation of history is now indefinitely postponed.
d. No one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it: To look upon the scroll, one must have the right to open the scroll and possess it - and no creature was found worthy.
3. (
Rev 5:5-7) The Lion of the tribe of Judah is worthy to open the scroll.
But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.
a. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah: One of the elders (not an angel) rescues John from his grief, showing him the one who has prevailed to open the scroll. The one is the great figure of Old Testament prophecy: the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, Messiah of Israel and of the Gentiles.
