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.