Objectives in Studying this Chapter:
1) To examine what is revealed about the Lamb (Jesus) and what He has accomplished through His death
2) To consider the impact this scene would have had upon the persecuted Christians in Asia
THE SCROLL AND THE LAMB (VERSES 1-7)
A Reading of Revelation, Chapter 5, Verses 1-7
1And 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. 2Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” 3And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.
4So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. 5But 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.”
6And 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. 7Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him Who sat on the throne.
Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 are closely related. Chapter 4 sets up this picture, the throne scene that we have already studied. It talks about “Who sits on the throne,” obviously referring to God. But, then, Chapter 5 gives prominence to the Lamb, the Lamb of God—the Son of God. He is given equal praise with God, and is given the scroll, which He takes out of the right hand of God.
The Scroll in God’s Right Hand (verses 1-4)
1And 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. 2Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” 3And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.
4So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.
John begins, “and I saw.” This introduces a new phase of the vision. John sees a scroll. Some translations say “book.” Others say “scroll.” Obviously, it is a scroll. The scroll lay in (actually the Greek word is “on”)…the scroll lay on the open right hand of God.
We understand that, during the time that Revelation was written, they wrote on parchment, or papyrus—long sheets that were rolled onto two cylinders, which were then rolled up together in the form of a scroll. As one end was pulled open (or the two cylinders pulled apart), it revealed what was on the inside.
There was something very peculiar about this scroll as John viewed it from whatever distance he was. It was written on both sides. This was not the usual way on which to write a scroll. Usually, the writing was contained on the inside of the scroll. On this particular scroll, the writing was within and without—“inside and on the back,” [verse 1]. This suggests that it was full, that it was complete. There was no room left, no opportunity left, to add anything to the scroll, because what was contained therein was final. Ezekiel saw such a scroll that was written within and without, except that in the vision that Ezekiel saw, Ezekiel 2 and verse 10, that scroll was actually opened so its contents could be seen. We’ll talk more about the significance of the scroll that John saw when we get down to verse 8. [Ezekiel 2:9-10: “Now when I looked, there was a hand stretched out to me; and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. 10Then He spread it before me; and there was writing on the inside and on the outside, and written on it were lamentations and mourning and woe.”]
We see that this scroll was sealed. There is something about this, as well. Not that the scroll was sealed, because we know that in this particular day and time and up to more recent times, official documents were sealed with a seal. The seal indicated, first of all, that this was an authentic document, coming from the king, using his signet ring, or the person who had the authority to send such a document, dispatch, decree, law, or whatever. Secondly, the person who received the document could be assured that the document had not been violated—that it had not been opened.
John is seeing a scroll that is in the hand of God Himself. In this particular case, this scroll was sealed with seven seals. The number “7” symbolized perfection, completeness. Thus, the scroll was completely and thoroughly sealed for its protection, as well as to prohibit anyone, who did not have the right authority, from opening it.
I was thinking about the fact that we don’t do that so much these days—have an official seal on our correspondence. Although, we have forms of it, I suppose. We usually seal a letter that we send through the Post Office. Or, if we get something through FedEx, or something similar, it’s in a package and we have to tear that tab open. But I was also thinking about all of the things that we buy these days that are in packages, which are referred to as “tamper-proof packages.” Virtually all of the food stuffs that we buy, the medications, other things like that—everything comes with some kind of a seal around the top so that when you receive that, when you buy that, you will know whether or not it has been tampered with, whether or not the seal has been broken. That’s the idea with a seal on a scroll.
Verse 2: Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” John’s attention is directed from this viewing of the scroll that is lying on the hand of “Him Who is on the throne,” to the voice, and, perhaps, the presence of a “strong angel.” Was he strong in the sense that he was powerful? No doubt. But commentators suggest that the strength, the power, that John refers to had more to do with this loud and powerful voice that emanated throughout heaven, throughout the earth, even under the earth. The voice is presented in the sense of a challenge, challenging “Who is worthy…?” In the original language, that literally meant, “Who is of sufficient weight?” “Who has the moral character?” “Who has the ability?” “Who is worthy to open the scroll….?”
You remember that a word became very prominent on the political front during the 2000 Presidential campaign and election process. The word was “gravitas.” You remember that? Most of us have probably never heard of that word before, and we haven’t heard of it since then. But all of the pundits, all of the “talking heads” in the campaign election process challenged and wondered of George Bush (now President George Bush) had the “gravitas” to be the President. The meaning was, did he have the ability to rule, to have all of the international experience, etc., that were required to be the President of the United States. That word literally has to do with the gravity, or the seriousness, of what needs to be done, and also has to do with being able to be held down.
[gravitas \GRAV-uh-tahs\, noun:
High seriousness (as in a person's bearing or in the treatment of a subject).Gravitas is from the Latin gravitas, "heaviness, seriousness," from gravis, "heavy, serious."
Example: At first sight the tall, stooped figure with the hawk-like features and bloodless cheeks, the look of extreme gravitas, seems forbidding and austere, the abbot of an ascetic order, scion of an imperial family who has foresworn the world.
--John Lehmann, "T.S. Eliot Talks About Himself and the Drive to Create," New York Times, November 9, 1953Example: And we want to tell our readers about sharp, clever books, utterly lacking in gravitas, that we know will delight them on the beach or the bus.
--Benjamin Schwarz, "(Some of) the best books of 2001," The Atlantic, December 2001]
In the original language, the meaning of the word “worthy” is used in a similar way. “Who is of sufficient weight?” This word “worthy” occurs seven times in Revelation. Six of the seven times, it’s used in a good sense, as it is here, and then, once in a negative sense, Chapter 16, verse 6 [“For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy,” KJV].
Who is worthy to loose the seals, to break the seals, thus, allowing the scroll to be opened, and the contents be made known? Who is the one, then, who has the ability, who has the authority to open the seals that are on this scroll? That’s the challenge of this strong, of this powerful angel.
Verse 3: “And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.” To open the scroll meant loosing the seals and exposing the content that it contained. To look upon it meant more than just merely viewing it, for John had viewed it, he had seen it there lying on God’s right hand. To open and look thereon meant to comprehend, meant to disclose, meant, even, to execute—to carry out—its contents. A search was made, a search throughout heaven, a search throughout the earth, even a search under the earth in the realm of the dead, Hades, including the living creatures that were described in Chapter 4, the twenty-four elders, the angels of heaven, all the great and mighty ones of the earth and even the spirits in Hades, the unseen realm. None of them were worthy. None of them had sufficient weight, none had the “gravitas,” to open the seals. So, an all-inclusive search was made, looking for someone who would be the recipient of the scroll and be qualified to open these seven seals.
Verse 3 uses the word “able”—“And no one…was ABLE…to open the scroll….” That word “able” comes from a Greek word, which is the same root word that the word “dynamite” comes from. “No one possessed the power, no one possessed the ability, by virtue of his own resources, or through state of mind, to open the book,” one writer said.
Why was that? Because contained in that scroll was a very important Message, a Message from God Himself; a Message having to do with life and death. Unless the seals could be broken and the scroll opened, no one would know the Message that it contained.
Verse 4:“So I wept much….” This is John, of course, weeping “because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.” Why was John weeping? Was he weeping out of a sense of self-pity, or because his curiosity regarding the scroll’s content would not be satisfied or gratified? No, I don’t think so. Remember that he had been caught up into heaven to see “the things which must come to pass hereafter,” Chapter 4 and verse 1 [“Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”].
We have a sense, here, that John realized the very important contents of that scroll. If that scroll could not be opened, if the contents could not be revealed and executed, or carried out, then his purpose would not be realized. Therefore, he, along with the saints—those who were alive in the latter part of the 1st Century when this took place—would be deprived of this knowledge and the purpose of God, not because God did not want to reveal it, or it was not possible to be revealed. But there was no one who was able to open the scroll and reveal the contents.
The One Worthy to Open the Scroll and Loose its Seven Seals (verses 5-7)
5But 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.”
6And 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. 7Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him Who sat on the throne.
Verse 5: “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.’” One of the twenty-four elders spoke to John. Of course, we spoke about those twenty-four elders, what they represented—the two Covenants of God, perhaps, the twelve tribes of Israel under the Old Covenant, and the twelve apostles representing the proclamation of the New Covenant. But these elders, themselves, had been redeemed by the mighty power of Christ. One of these elders urged John to stop weeping. For though the created beings—those in heaven, those on the earth, those who were under the earth—had been contemplated for this task, there was yet another One to be considered. There was One Who was not of the created beings, those who lacked the weight, who lacked the “gravitas”to open the seals. Who was that One?
The elder describes this One as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David.” What does that mean? The phrase looks back to the time when Jacob blessed his sons, and said of Judah, “Judah is a lion’s whelp…the scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the obedience of the people’s be,” Genesis 49:9-10. This was a Messianic prophecy, looked at that way by the Jews as time went on. We understand very clearly, on this side of the cross, what was being spoken of by this prophecy.
It was custom, or tradition, in the Hebrew families to refer to the oldest, the most prominent of the family—the male, that is—as a “lion.” So, this long-expected descendent of Judah, Who would possess the strength of the lion, and bear the scepter of rule over the peoples and speak peace, or bring rest to men, had now come. The Hebrew writer says in Hebrews 7 and verse 14, “It is evident that our Lord has sprung out of Judah….”
What about the expression, “the Root of David”? This fulfills the promise that God made to David, 2 Samuel 7:11b-14 [“Also the LORD tells you that He will make you a house. 12When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, Who will come from your body, and I will establish His kingdom. 13He shall build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever. 14I will be His Father, and He shall be My Son...”]. And, this was a covenant that was confirmed by an oath, which is revealed in Psalm 89 [see verses 3-4: “I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: ‘Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.’”]. It was kept alive through the prophets; for example Isaiah’s prophecy, Isaiah 11, verses 1 thorough 10 [see Isaiah 11:1-10 below]. And Paul would refer to this in Romans 15, and verse 12 [“And again, Isaiah says: ‘There shall be a root of Jesse; And He Who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope.’”]—the Root of Jesse, the Seed of David, referring, of course, to Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He has conquered, He has prevailed, He has made Himself worthy, able to loose the seals, to open the scroll, to make known its contents, and, moreover, to execute, to carry out, its contents.
[ Isaiah 11 1 There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.
3 His delight is in the fear of the LORD,
And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes,
Nor decide by the hearing of His ears;
4 But with righteousness He shall judge the poor,
And decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.
5 Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins,
And faithfulness the belt of His waist.
6 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
Their young ones shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole,
And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den.
9 They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD
As the waters cover the sea.
10 “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse,
Who shall stand as a banner to the people;
For the Gentiles shall seek Him,
And His resting place shall be glorious.”]
How is that possible? What is it that qualifies Him? He is the Son of God. He is not created. He is the Creator. Moreover, in His conflict with Satan, the Lamb overcame, and, in the conflict, through the cross, He wrested—He took away—the keys of death and Hades from Satan. He is described in this way in Revelation 1, and verse 18 [“I am He Who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”]. After that, then, He sat down at the right hand of God , waiting till His enemies are made His footstool [Hebrews 1:3, 13: “…Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the Word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…But to which of the angels has He ever said: ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool’?” and Hebrews 10:12-13: “But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.”]
Thinking about the crucifixion of Jesus and what it meant, one of things that we should keep in our meditation about the cross, about the crucifixion, is that it meant the death of sin. In His victory, He has secured redemption for the world. Therefore, He, and He alone, is worthy to open the scroll. He is worthy because He has prevailed. He has prevailed over sin; He has prevailed over the grave; He has prevailed over Satan himself.
Verse 6: “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.”
“And I looked….” This indicates a new phase of the vision that John is having that began in Chapter 4, verse 1. There’s a new significance to what John sees. It seems as though what he had seen before, that was so very impressive to him—the sea of glass, the rainbow, the thunders and lightnings—are not seen, nor heard. John looks to see, perhaps, a lion, the symbol of majesty and power, but instead, what does he see? He sees a Lamb, which, though it had been slain, was now standing and alive. This introduces and demonstrates the sacrificial and redemptive aspect of the One Whom John saw. He’d overcome to open the scroll, not by the power of kingly might, not by the power of military might, but by sacrifice through love. By this, He had defeated His foes and He had overcome the world, John 16:33 [“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”]. By this, His subjects must now conquer.
John says he saw this Lamb Who was slain but was now standing “in the midst.” It points to the position there in the center, in the midst of what John had seen before. The Lamb is at the center of creation, He is at the center of redemption. He has “first place” among the living creatures, among the elders and in creation. God summed all things up in Him. That is, He brought all things under One Head in the Son. That’s what Paul says in Ephesians 1, verse 10 [Ephesians 1:7-10: [“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9having made known to us the mystery of His Will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.”]. And then, in Colossians, chapter 1, verses 15 through 18, Paul will, again, allude to that and he sums that up by saying “that in all things He might the preeminence.” [“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18And He is the head of the body, the church, Who is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”] Who has preeminence? Christ! Christ, “the Root of David,” “the Lion of the tribe of Judah,” the Lamb Who was slain and is now alive.
There are three words, which occur in the New Testament, that are translated “lamb.” The word that is used here in this context presents Christ on the basis of His sacrifice, especially in His acquired majesty, His acquired dignity, His honor, His authority and His power. That’s according to An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words by W. E. Vine. The Lamb is “in the midst” of all that John sees.
We see that the Lamb has “seven eyes,” and He has “seven horns.” What is the meaning? The word “horns” was used metaphorically by the Hebrews for “power.” This is used prophetically to describe the strength of Joseph’s sons among the tribes of Israel, Deuteronomy 33, verse 17[“His glory is like a firstborn bull, and his hornslike the horns of the wild ox; Together with them He shall push the peoples To the ends of the earth; They are the ten thousands of Ephraim, And they are the thousands of Manasseh.”], and that of Jehovah’s king, speaking of Saul, 1 Samuel 2, and verse 10 [“The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken in pieces; From heaven He will thunder against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. ‘He will give strength to His king, And exalt the horn of His anointed.’”]. Zedekiah, the false prophet, symbolized “power” by iron horns, which he used as if to push the enemy, 2 Chronicles 18, and verse 10 [“Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah had made horns of iron for himself; and he said, ‘Thus says the LORD: “With these you shall gore the Syrians until they are destroyed.”’”]. The Psalmist and the prophets used the term repeatedly to express the idea of “power.” So, the Lamb that John sees has seven horns.
Why seven horns? “Seven” is the number for perfection, for completeness. That would symbolize the fullness and the perfection of the Lamb’s power. After all, as He said before He ascended back to the Father, “All authority (or “all power”) has been given to Me in heaven and on the earth,” Matthew 28:18. So, He posses seven horns. His power is full, is complete, is perfect.
What about the “seven eyes”? That symbolizes “full and perfect knowledge.” The ability, just as God the Father has, to see all.
So, we see in the “seven horns” the fullness, the completeness of His power, His omnipotence. We see in the “seven eyes” the symbol of His omniscience—His full and perfect knowledge.
He is also omnipresent through His “seven Spirits.” We talked about this in Chapter 4, verse 5. “The seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth” represent the Holy Spirit, and, perhaps more specifically, even the apostles, of whom John was one, to go forth, to carry the Gospel, to reveal the plan of God to the human family. In these seven distinct things that the Lamb had, we see once again, His omnipotence, His omnipresence and His omniscience.
Verse 7: “Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him Who sat on the throne.” The Lamb has proven worthy, has proven able, to be the One, the ONLY One Who can take the scroll, Who can open the seven seals to reveal the contents of what is in this scroll. We see that, that is exactly what He does. He takes the scroll from the hand of God. Then, we see, beginning with verse 8, a great celebration that will take place, because the One Who is able, the One Who is worthy, has stepped forward to take the scroll.
THE LAMB IS PRAISED (VERSES 8-14)
Verses 8-14: Revelation 5:8-14: Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
"You are worthy to take the scroll,And to open its seals;For You were slain,And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;And we shall reign on the earth."
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice:
"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom,And strength and honor and glory and blessing!"
13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
"Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne,And to the Lamb, forever and ever!"
14 Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.
The Significance of the Scroll
Verse 8: “Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”
This scroll (referred to as a “book” in some translations) we’ve spoken about briefly demands more explanation. What does the scroll symbolize? John said that the scroll was written within and without (on the front and on the back), indicating its fullness, its completeness, and that it was closed, sealed with seven seals, signifying that it was as originally purposed in the mind of God. Its contents had neither been made known, nor altered. This was not like a scroll that was in a synagogue on the earth.
This was not like the scroll of Isaiah that Jesus read from on one occasion when He went into the synagogue, Luke 4:16-21.This was not like the scroll of Isaiah that was, apparently, in the personal possession of that Ethiopian eunuch [Ethiopian treasurer] that he was reading from as he went on his journey back to his homeland, and Philip was joined with him, Acts 8:26-39. No, it wasn’t a scroll that had been frequently opened and read and closed. This was a special scroll—written on the front and back and sealed with seven seals.
The evidence indicates that the scroll (book) symbolizes God’s eternal purpose for man’s salvation and the grand scheme of redemption. That’s why, it would seem, that John became so upset, even to the point of tears, “because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.” Here was the greatest Message of all. Here was a document, information, the likes of which had never been seen and would never be seen again. But because no one was worthy, no one was able to open it, the contents would ever be known! That was what had John crying.
But this plan, this grand scheme of redemption was formulated in the mind of God before the earth began. It was a mystery—not in the sense of an Agatha Christie mystery novel, not that kind of a cloak and dagger kind of mystery. No. The mystery that we’re talking about here is something that was unknown, something that was hidden, that is, until it could be revealed. God purposed, or planned, that this salvation, which existed as a mystery, should be brought forth and made known on His terms. Paul refers to it in Ephesians, chapter 1, as “in…the fullness of times.”
Let’s notice that reference, because it goes along with what we are talking about here. Keep in mind this image of this scroll and the contents of this scroll as John views it. This would be many, many years after Paul has written here in Ephesians, chapter 1, beginning with verse 7 through verse 10: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9having made known to us the mystery of His Will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.”
Then, notice verse 11 of Ephesians, chapter 1: “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him Who works all things according to the counsel of His Will….” For ages and ages, for generations and generations, this mystery, this unknown, unrevealed plan of God had been hidden in God. That’s what Paul says in Ephesians 3, verse 9 [Ephesians 3:8-11: “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God Who created all things through Jesus Christ; 10to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, 11according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord….”] “Principalities and powers” indicates that both earthly realms, as well as heavenly realms, did not understand what God was doing. But they were now learning the “manifold wisdom of God” through the fulfilling and revealing of the purpose in Christ IN the church, Ephesians 3, verse 10 (above).
Peter says in 1 Peter 1, and verse 12, that angels had desired to look into it. Prophets of old had been given glimpses of what it included, but they realized that the plan was not to be revealed in their day. But it would be fulfilled and made known at a later date. [1 Peter 1:10-12: “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ Who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.”]
Christ had NOW made this possible. What was it that had made this possible? Was it just God being capricious and arbitrarily saying, “Okay, now’s the time—let’s do it”? No, there was a series of very specific events, which took place in time and in history and in eternity so that this scroll could be opened, so that this mystery could be revealed. And those events all centered around this Lamb, this image, this vision of this Lamb Who had been slain, but was now standing—that is Christ. He had provided the acceptable sacrifice for sin. He had defeated Satan. He had conquered sin and death, and He had fulfilled the purpose of God. Now, He was in a position to take the purpose, or plan, of God out of the hand of God and send forth the Holy Spirit to reveal this Truth. He Himself would carry out the purpose to its ultimate consummation.
That is, in a summary way, what this section of Revelation, chapter 5, is about. It’s being told by the use of images, by the use of symbolism, but that is the thrust of this Message. That is what is being revealed to John on this occasion. This concept, the concept of the scroll, or of the book, is in harmony with the entire New Testament, AND it will be confirmed as we continue on in Revelation.
The Lamb is Praised by the Four Living Creatures and the Twenty-Four Elders (verses 8-10)
Verses 8-10: Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
"You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth."
As the Lamb took the scroll, or took the book, out of God’s right hand, “the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense…,” [verse 8].There was cause for great rejoicing. They gave the Lamb adoration and praise. The “harp,” or the “lyre,” depending on your translation, symbolized praise. It and an instrument called the “psaltery” [an ancient stringed musical instrument resembling the zither] were the chief instruments of worship under the Old Covenant—not that worship exclusively involved these—but, when the occasion called for it, these were the chief instruments.
We know, of course, that the use of mechanical instruments in the New Testament church is not permitted. We don’t see any example of their use in worship at all. Of course, you know as well as I, that many people will turn to passages like this and seek to use this for their justification for using instruments of music in their worship. We know that according to Paul in Ephesians, chapter 5, verse 19, our worship involves melody—making melody [Ephesians 5:19: “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…”]. And, yes, you can make melody on an instrument of music, but the kind of melody that Paul speaks of there is the kind that is generated in the heart, in the spirit of the worshiper, not in a dumb instrument. On another occasion, in 1 Corinthians, chapter 14, verses 7 and 8, Paul refers to the harp, flute and trumpet. Again, there are those who would turn to these passages and say, “Well, look! Look! Paul speaks of instruments in those verses!” But again, let’s look at the context, let’s see what Paul is truly speaking about here, and he is not speaking there at all in that section about worship.
John heard the redeemed who were with Christ—the 144,000—singing, whose voice was as the harpers harping on their harps, Revelation 14, verse 2. [Revelation 14:2: “Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s Name written on their foreheads. 2And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps.”] And John saw those who came off victorious from the beast and his image, having harps of God, Revelation 15:2. [Revelation 15:2: “And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.”]
Whatever these harps were, they were provided by God, and they were suitable for heavenly praise. That is just a little bit about these harps that we read about here, and this certainly is not, in any way, shape or form, any justification for use of instruments of music in our worship today.
Well, what about those “golden bowls full of incense” that John sees in this image [verse 8b]. He identifies them as “the prayers of the saints,” symbolizing, I believe, literal prayers. Incense and prayers are associated in the Old Covenant. David prayed, Psalm 141, and verse 2, saying, “Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” In the New Testament, as incense was being burned within the sanctuary, Luke, chapter 1, verse 10, prayers were being offered without. [Luke 1:8-10: “So it was, that while he (Zacharias) was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.”] We’ll also see the same combination of incense and prayer as we study Revelation, chapter 8, verses 3 and 4 [“Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand.”].
Again, neither the harp nor the burning of incense is a part of New Testament worship. But in the vision, they symbolize the praise and the prayer of the saints.
Verses 9 and 10: “And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.’”
We see this marvelous, this magnificent, scene there in the heavenly realm, a scene which would appear to be a spontaneous period of worship. The singers that are depicted here are the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders. They sing “a new song.” What was the song? What was the thrust of the song that they sang? It was the song of redemption, or a song of spiritual creation. John says that the song is “new.”
The word in the original Greek language for “new” is a specific word, and indicates something that is new, something that has not been used before. That is because of its content. A “new song” is one in which the consequence of some new and mighty deed, or deeds, of God has come about, has been revealed. So, this is a new impulse of gratitude in the heart. This is in response to what has occurred.
This term that is used here indicating the nature of this song, a “NEW song,” occurs frequently in the Psalms and with the coming of salvation through Jehovah’s servant. Isaiah, in Isaiah 42, and verse 10, wanted all to “Sing unto Jehovah a new song, and His praise from the ends of the earth.”
The word “song” is a word that would be familiar to us. It is a word in the Greek language that’s familiar to us in the English language. It’s spelled the same as our word that we pronounce “ode,” but pronounced a little differently in the Greek, with the accent on the “de,” sounding like “oday.” This word in the original language, “ode,” is used and occurs in the New Testament only when it is referring to praise to God and to Christ: Ephesians 5:19: “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…”; Colossians 3:16: “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”; here in Revelation, chapter 5, twice, and then again in chapter 15, twice. Those are the only times when this Greek word is used, and, again, it is specifically in regard to, specifically in reference to, praise, the praise of God and of His Son Jesus Christ.
This “new song” praises the Lamb for His worthiness through sacrifice. Through this sacrifice, He is worthy to take the scroll from the right had of God, the scroll which is God’s eternal purpose. He is worthy not only to take the scroll and to open it, but also to open the seals, to make known what is contained therein, AND to carry it out (perform and complete).
Though He is worthy, though He is given honor and praise on this occasion, we see that this perfect and all-sufficient Lamb had, through what He had accomplished already, purchased men with His blood. That’s part of what is being sung here in the “new song.” Depending on your translation, it may say “purchased”; it may say “redeemed”; it may also have the word “ransomed.” Verse 9: “For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood….” This concept, “to purchase,” “to redeem,” “to ransom,” comes from a Greek word which is derived from another Greek word for the ancient market place in Grecian communities—a place where things were purchased. The word that’s used in the Greek that says that “He purchased [redeemed]” is that same word. It had to do with a transaction that took place in the marked place. There was something, usually money or other goods that was exchanged for something else. That is what is being said in the “new song” here, that the Lamb has “purchased [“redeemed”] us.” What is the purchase price? It is His blood.
Paul uses this same word, this same concept, when he speaks in 1 Corinthians 6, and verse 20 and again in 1 Corinthians 7, verse 23, saying that we have been “bought with a price,” indicating those who have come into contact with the blood of Christ, those who have had their sins forgiven, those who have been “redeemed.” That word “redeemed,” of course, means “to buy back, to purchase again.” [1 Corinthians 6:20: “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 7:23: “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.”]
Peter also uses this same word, this same concept, when he writes concerning false prophets, those who deny “the Lord Who bought them”, 2 Peter 2, and verse 1. [2 Peter 2:1: “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord Who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.”]
Being purchased by His blood is the equivalent of His washing us from our sins by His blood. Remember, that is one of the descriptions we saw in Revelation, chapter 1, and verse 5. Of those several descriptions there describing the Lord, one of those descriptions is the “One Who washed us with His blood.” [Revelation 1:5: “and from Jesus Christ, the Faithful Witness, the Firstborn from the dead, and the Ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him Who loved us and washed us from our sins in His Own blood….”]
These ones purchased unto God were representative of all peoples, being fromevery tribe, every clan, or company united by kinship, and every tongue. [Revelation 5:9: “…You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation….”] This is a fulfillment, actually, a carrying-out, of what the prophet Daniel had said in the long ago, Daniel 7, verses 13 and following. Let’s read that—there are many passages in Daniel that we see are referred to, or we see the fulfillment of, in the New Testament, and often, reference is made in the book of Revelation. Daniel 7:13-14: “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.”
Again, the “new song” is praising Him, because what He has done, what He has accomplished, reaches across the boundaries of nationality, and of language, and of race. It is inclusive—it takes in people of every stripe [people of every kind; people of every sort]. So this is, in part, the “new song” that is being sung.
Verse 10: “And have made us priests and kings to our God, and we shall reign on the earth.” Since those who have been purchased, those who have been bought, with Christ’s blood were purchased unto God, that is, FOR Him, they now, therefore, belong TO Him. Because those belonging to Him, who have been purchased by the blood of the Lamb, were made kings and priests to our God, it follows that these are now the kingdom of God.
Earlier, John had said that those “washed from their sins by His blood” were made a kingdom, to be priests unto God. That’s a reference back to the first chapter, Revelation, chapter 1, verses 5-6 [“…To Him Who loved us and washed us from our sins in His Own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”] He identified them in Revelation 1, verse 9, as suffering saints in the kingdom, he being a “companion in [their] tribulation.” This is the kingdom that God would establish in the days of the fourth world empire [the Roman Empire] as spoken of by the prophet Daniel in Daniel 2, and verse 44 [“And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”]. This was the kingdom given to Christ when He ascended triumphantly to God. It is a kingdom in which all the peoples of every nation, and every language should serve Him. Again, Daniel’s prophecies find their fulfillment in this kingdom of people redeemed by Christ.
Notice that this prophecy, indeed, has already been fulfilled. There are those who would say that prophecies such as we are speaking of this evening, specifically these ones concerning the kingdom, are yet to be fulfilled. But, in fact, we know that the kingdom was established, and it, indeed, is in existence even now. [See Acts 2.]
If the people are priests now, they are a kingdom now. Peter is, of course, our most familiar reference to being priests. He writes that those redeemed by the blood of the Lamb are a holy priesthood, set apart unto God, a royal priesthood, related to the King, and a holy nation, a people for God’s Own possession, 1 Peter 1:19, 1 Peter 2:5 and 1 Peter 2, and verse 9. [1 Peter 1:18-19: “…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 2:5: “…you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His Own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light….”]
The mission of this new priesthood, a redeemed people, is to offer spiritual sacrifices, and to show forth the excellencies of God, Who called them, Who established them, Who made the kingdom, not just a possibility, but a reality, AND has made provision whereby we might be priests, we might be kings, we might be a holy nation.
We notice in the last part of verse 10, “And they reign upon the earth.” How is that so? Christ reigns now, and the redeemed ones also reign in life with Him, those who have been purchased with the blood of the Lamb. They are endued [provided (with qualities)], or given, kingly power to rule with Him upon the earth at this present time. These who are saved by grace have been raised up to sit with Him in this spiritual realm, as Paul says, Ephesians 2, verse 5 and following [Ephesians 2:4-7: “But God, Who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”]. And through this abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness, they reign in life through Him, Romans 5:17 [“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”].
A parallel can be seen from the days of Israel. Israel was referred to as “a holy nation, a priesthood.” They were also a “redeemed people”. As God brought the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage and brought them to Sinai, He told them, “You shall be unto Me a kingdom, and priests, and a holy nation,” Exodus 19, verses 5-6 [“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. 6And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation….”]. So, those redeemed in Christ are also made a kingdom, and priests, a holy nation.
In summary, concerning the “new song,” these ones purchased by Christ’s blood are made a kingdom and priests, and they reign upon the earth, exercising kingly power with Him. That is the essence, the thrust, of what was being sung in the “new song.”
The Lamb is Praised by Thousands Upon Thousands of Angels (verses 11-12)
Verses 11-12: “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12saying with a loud voice: ‘Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!’”
It seems that in addition to the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders, there was also in that heavenly scene a great throng, a great group of angels—“many angels around the throne,”—who attend Him Who rules over all. How many were there? “…the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands….” Can we pin that number down? Well, we really can’t. That is, again, one of those elusive numbers, but we do know the source from which it comes. It actually comes from a Greek expression, which goes like this: “Myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands.” In the original language, this expression was not intended to specify an exact number, but, rather, to indicate an indefinitely great number, standing for a quantity that is unable to be counted. It’s a quantity similar to that which was expressed by the Hebrew writer when he spoke of “an innumerable” host, Hebrews 12, and verse 22 [“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels….”].
What concern would angels have about what is happening here? Christ’s sacrifice, you recall, makes no provision for fallen angels, Hebrews 2 and verse 16 [“For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham.”]. The faithful, holy angels need no provision that Christ could offer. Yet, as ministering spirits for those who have been redeemed, as the Hebrew writer refers to them, Hebrews 1, verse 14 [“Are they (angels) not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?”], they desire to look into the grand scheme of redemption. You recall that Peter alluded to the fact, in 1 Peter 1, and verse 12, that, even the angels were not privileged—were not privy—to that grand scheme of redemption. [1 Peter 1:10-12: “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, 11searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ Who was in them was indicating when He testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. 12To them it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the Gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into.”] The angels are interested; they are intently looking; they are desirous to learn what is in that scroll as well.
They join their fellow servant, John, and his brethren. You remember that the great apostle was brought to tears (verse 4), “because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.” He must have felt the anguish, the suffering, that the information in the scroll would never be revealed or shared. Now he hears praise to the Lamb, the One Who could open the scroll and reveal its contents, the Lamb Who was slain to redeem us by His blood.
John hears the voice of these many angles around the throne, the four living creatures, and the twenty-four elders. The angels are described as fellow servants with John, and with his brethren the prophets in Revelation 19:10: “And I fell at his feet to worship him [the angel]. But he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the Testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the Testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy’” and in Revelation 22:8-9: “Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. Then he said to me, ‘See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the Words of this book. Worship God.’” So, they are praising the Lamb, Who is worthy by virtue of His victory in conflict and sacrifice.
Back in chapter 4 and verse 11, God received a three-fold ascription of praise “glory and honor and power.” Here, in chapter 5 and verse 12, we’re going to see that the angles will give the Lamb a seven-fold ascription of praise: “Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
It may be difficult to explain about these seven words of praise ascribed to the Lamb, but I thought this information was worth sharing. The scholars who have analyzed this and have made a great study of the original language state that there is not a definite article [the “and”] in front of each of the seven expressions of praise. Other ascriptions of praise to God, like Revelation 4:11 and Revelation 7:12, do not share this type of expression. But in this particular one, this ascription of praise that is given by the angels, there is not a definite article in front of each of the seven expressions of praise. One scholar says, “We must regard them all as if they formed but one word.” I thought that was interesting. In our language, of course, the words are separated. We see them, we read them separately, but in the original language, there is not an article in front of each word of praise. Perhaps, the way it would have been expressed, the way John would have heard it, it would sounded as though and appeared to have been one continuous word. [In the English language, it would be like saying all the seven words together as one word, “powerricheswisdomstrengthhonorgloryblessing!”] That’s a little difficult for us to imagine.
The ascription of praise given by the angels in verse 12 begins: “Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain…” and then lists the seven ascriptions: “To receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” Let’s look just briefly in a Greek lexicon about the meaning of each one of these words:
1) The Lamb is worthy to receive “power.” That is, infinite, or divine power—power to rule equal to that of God.
2) The Lamb is worthy to receive “riches,” meaning wealth, or abundance; riches in the fullness of His creation and Godhead.
3) The Lamb is worthy to receive “wisdom,” insight into the true nature of things by virtue of insight into their underlying causes and consequences.
4) The Lamb is worthy to receive “strength” or “might.” This expresses the idea of strength, or might, the attribute by which the power is put into action.
5) The Lamb is worthy to receive “honor.” This means high respect out of the value placed upon one; merit; preciousness.
6) The Lamb is worthy of “glory.” This is brightness, splendor, or radiance; the splendor of that light unapproachable in which God dwells, 1 Timothy 6:16: “Who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, Whom no man has seen or can see, to Whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.” That unapproachable light is now Christ’s, the Lamb.
7) The Lamb is worthy of “blessing.” This signifies praise. The word is often used as a benediction to wish happiness, honor, obedience to, and respect for, someone.
The seven-fold ascription is complete as a unit, as one.
The Lamb is Praised Together with Him Who Sits on the Throne (verses 13 and 14)
Verses 13 and 14: “And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him Who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!’ 14 Then the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him Who lives forever and ever.”
The scene doesn’t necessarily expand here. John has the vision of the four creatures, the twenty-four elders, and this innumerable host of angels. It’s not to suggest that he was able to see the whole creation, but it would seem that he is able to hear from the whole creation, because that is what would seem to be taken in by verse 13. Nothing, it would seem, would be left out. Everything, everything beyond what has already been described, everything on the earth, everything under the earth; everything on the sea and everything in the sea; everything in the heavens—EVERYTHING gives praise. Everything uttered praise to the Lamb and to God the Father on that occasion.
One can only imagine what the old apostle might have heard. This is reminiscent of Psalm 148, the entirety of creation giving praise to God:
Psalm 148
1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!
2 Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!
3 Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all you stars of light!
4 Praise Him, you heavens of heavens,
And you waters above the heavens!
5 Let them praise the Name of the LORD,
For He commanded and they were created.
6 He also established them forever and ever;
He made a decree which shall not pass away.
7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
You great sea creatures and all the depths;
8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His Word;
9 Mountains and all hills;
Fruitful trees and all cedars;
10 Beasts and all cattle;
Creeping things and flying fowl;
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Princes and all judges of the earth;
12 Both young men and maidens;
Old men and children.
13 Let them praise the Name of the LORD,
For His Name alone is exalted;
His glory is above the earth and heaven.
14 And He has exalted the horn of His people,
The praise of all His saints—
Of the children of Israel,
A people near to Him.
Praise the LORD!
That is, indeed, what John views in this heavenly scene. God is to be given honor; He is to be given praise; He is to be given dominion over all things.
In Verse 14, there not much left to be said except “Amen!” or “be it so.” The redeemed fall down and worship, paying homage due God and His Lamb. Total and complete praise has now been offered to the supreme Godhead. The throne rules!
Let me share with you a summary of that section, which I thought was expressed very well from one of the commentators that I read on Revelation. He says this: “In offering praise and paying homage befitting infinite Deity, to God on His throne, the quartet of living creatures sing the song of His absolute perfection—Holy, Almighty, Eternal. The chorus of elders praise Him in the song of creation, for by His Will they were, and are, created. An ensemble, consisting of the quartet, the chorus of elders, join in a song of praise to the Lamb as the Redeemer, Who purchased men unto God by His blood, proving Himself worthy to take, and to open the book [scroll]. The myriad of hosts of angels join the heavenly worshipers with their seven-fold song of praise to the Lamb. All creation, then, closes the series of songs with a stirring anthem of praise to God and the Lamb. The sound dies away with the quartet’s hearty ‘Amen!’ as a grand finale to the majestic scene.”
“And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him Who lives forever and ever [Revelation 5:14b].”
That’s the vision of John. That’s what he saw on that occasion. We will move to Chapter 6, and begin the exciting part of seeing the seals being opened.