Revelation 5:1-7

 

(Rev 5:1 KJV)
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.

Then John sees God holding a book in His right hand. The right hand of God is associated with power.

(Acts 5:31 KJV) Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

(Isa 62:8 KJV) The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured:

(Isa 48:13 KJV) Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

Now we look at the characteristics of this book and the word for book in the Greek is “biblion,” where we get our word “Bible” from. It can also mean “scroll or written document.“ Notice that this book has writing inside the pages and on the outside of the pages. This means that the book is full of writing as there is no place left to write anything else. In the book of Genesis, God is stating to Abraham that the Amorites will be judged for their iniquity but the time was not then. Their judgment was to come when Israel came out of Egypt and then the iniquity of the Amorites will be full.

(Gen 15:16 KJV) But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

The book which God the Father holds in His right hand is filled to capacity with writing and is sealed with seven seals. This means the time has finally come for the final judgments to come upon the world because their iniquity is now complete and all things are written in the books. The time of the final days has begun.

(Isa 29:10-11 KJV) For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. {11} And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:

Isaiah also records a book but that book was sealed at that time.

(Dan 12:4 KJV) But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

Daniel was told by Gabriel to seal the book because the time was not yet at hand. Both Isaiah and Daniel lived in a time when it was not yet the beginning of the last days. The last days began at the cross and will end on the last day. (Rev 22:10 KJV) And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. In Revelation 22:10, we are told that the time is now at hand and the revealing of all things has begun and will escalate as we approach the last day. The seven seals will begin the first of the judgments upon the Earth when they are finally opened.

(Rev 5:2 KJV)
And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?

It is believed that the mighty angel in view here is Gabriel as he is the one who told Daniel to seal up the book because the time was not yet at hand but now the time is at hand and now Gabriel approaches the throne and asks who is worthy to open and loose the seals. Those seals are the ones which not only seal the book but as they are opened, judgments will be falling upon the world and the Christians will be facing persecution at the same time as God will be bringing judgment on the oppressors. What is really in view is the consummation of the history of the world and one is being searched for who is able and worthy to bring about the consummation. God does not perform the final task of bringing the world to an end instead it will be the Lord Jesus Christ who is worthy to do it. (John 5:22 KJV) For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:

(Rev 5:3 KJV)
And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.

The words "no man" carry with it the meaning of “no one or none.” There was no one found in the greater creation in any quarter who was able to open the book and not only to open it, but even to look in it. This means that no human is capable of bringing a judgment on the world or even to establish a new heaven and new earth. The creation is void of such a person. No angel in heaven was qualified to open the book which includes the highest order or mightiest angel. Every created being was incapable of opening this book and unworthy to release what was about to happen on the Earth.

(Rev 5:4 KJV)
And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

John had realized that the revelation contained in the book was of utmost importance and believing that there was no one found worthy to open the book, he wept bitterly. In Revelation 4:1 he was told that he was going to be shown the things which were to happen and if the book could not be opened, then the revelation would be at an impasse. John was saddened because the end of the world and the judgments which were to come seemed to now be thwarted unless the book could be opened.

(Rev 5:5 KJV)
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

John had continued weeping but one of the elders had commanded him to stop weeping because the Lion of the tribe of Judah who had prevailed or overcame was now prepared to open the book and loose those seven seals. (Gen 49:9 KJV) Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The Lord Jesus Christ was of the tribe of Judah and in Genesis the tribe of Judah was called a Lion’s whelp. The Lord Jesus was the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. (Prov 30:30 KJV) A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any; The lion is one who would not turn away from any other animal and the Lord Jesus is the one who overcame the world, the flesh, and the devil and successfully paid for the sins of His Elect. He is also called the Root of David. (2 Sam 7:16-17 KJV) And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. {17} According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. The house of David was another name for the body of believers since we read in 2 Samuel 7:16 that it was going to last forever. Only the recipients of the covenant of grace will be forever with the Lord.

(Rev 5:6 KJV)
And I 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, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

Here John sees the Lord Jesus Christ in the throne room of God and among the four living creatures. He is portrayed as a lamb which was slain. Even though the Lord Jesus Christ is called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, it was as the Lamb of God that Christ had prevailed. He did not prevail by bringing the strength of heaven down to fight for Him or to bring legions of angels to free Him from the cross. It was submission to God’s plan that brought about Him being a conqueror. Then we are given the picture of Christ having seven horns and seven eyes. The horn in Scripture is associated with power. (Mat 28:18 KJV) And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. The Lord Jesus Christ has all power in all realms including Heaven which speaks of His omnipotence. Then we are told He has seven eyes. (Zec 4:10 KJV) For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth. The seven eyes represent that the Lord Jesus is all seeing which is why He has perfect knowledge. There is nothing hidden from the Lord Jesus Christ. (Heb 4:13 KJV) Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Then we are told that the seven Spirits of God, which is the Holy Spirit, is being sent out to all the earth. This teaches us that the Holy Spirit will be going throughout the whole earth and He will be sealing the Elect of God until the last day plus He will also be carrying out whatever sovereign plan the Lord will enact.

(Rev 5:7 KJV)
And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.

Then the Lord Jesus approaches the throne of God the Father and removes the book from His right hand. This was a legal act in which God is now showing that He has transferred authority to His Son in the matters of all judgment. (Dan 7:13-14 KJV) I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. {14} And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Daniel had a similar vision to the one John had. He sees the Lord Jesus approaching God the Father, the Ancient of days, and with the passing of the book to Him, there was given all the power to enact on Earth whatever was written in the book.