Revelation 5

Questions to ask in Revelation Five:

I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. 4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; 5 and one of the elders *said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.” 6 And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 7 And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8 When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they *sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.  10 “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

Angels Exalt the Lamb

11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” 13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”  14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

  1. What does this portion of Scripture reveal about Jesus?
  2. What does this portion of Scripture reveal about the church?
  3. What does this portion of Scripture reveal about the world?
  4. What does this portion of Scripture reveal about the Evil One?
  5. Can you see Christ’s Mercy towards humanity in the passage?
  6. Can you see Christ’s judgment of disobedience?

Thoughts:

  1. About the scroll –
  2. Who is worthy –
  3. To open the book AND break it’s seals
  4. Traits John attributes to Jesus
    1. Behold, the Lion – He is referred to as the Lion. What do we commonly call a lion? The King of the Jungle.  When Jesus is given that title, the jungle is creation.  He is royal, He is fierce, He to be feared.
    2. From the tribe of Judah, – this tells us two things really. First is that Jesus was from a tribe, a people.  He was a human being.  But not just any tribe, but the tribe of Judah, just exactly as God had promised that He would be.  Born among men, of the tribe of Judah.  Jesus was Jewish – you can’t be from the tribe of Judah and not be Jewish.
    3. The Root of David, – from the root of David speaks to his royal lineage within the nation of Israel. This is the reason both Matthew and Luke record such specifics of the ancestry of Christ.  Are you aware of the remarkable way God brought together the blood line of David and the rightful heir to the throne in Jesus?  This is one of the miracles of Christmas that Jesus was and is the final King of Israel.
    4. He has overcome – so as to open the book and its seven seals.”
  5. Traits the Elder attributes to Jesus
    1. A Lamb standing, Jesus has been seated at the right hand of God, but now He stands because He is about to begin the work of judging creation for the sin. He is about to take complete and total ownership of all creation, every man woman and child as well as those things seen and those things unseen.  So He stands because He is about to begin the work of complete redemption.  He has earned the right to redeem, so at this point in history, He begins that work.
    2. As if slain, — John also sees another characteristic of the Lamb. As if slain, and yet, not.  We know that Christ still had the holes in his hands and his side after his resurrection.  I might have mentioned this before to you, but did you know that I was on dialysis for about a year.  My son donated one of his kidneys to me.  Not sure if he was joking around, but he did ask me who gets to keep the kidney when we get to heaven?  I said I didn’t know, but I did know he would get to keep his scars?  I told him that the things that are done for Christ are the things that last forever.  And that was the reason he offered (aka made me) take his offer of a kidney.  Jesus retained the marks on Him that show the sacrifice that He made on our behalf and on behalf of creation. John saw that.
    3. Having seven horns – Horns are a symbol of power in the scriptures and seven is the number of perfection. So this is the perfection of power
    4. And seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. Jesus knows all things. The seven spirits of God are also spoken of in Isaiah 11.  This phrase is used 4 times in the book of Revelation.   I don’t have time to cover them, but they embrace the completeness of the work of the Spirit of God.
  6. Donald Grey Barnhouse, a former pastor and author, provoked my thinking when he wrote, “There are four things that are out of place in the universe; four things not yet in their final place.
    1. Christ, who belongs on David’s throne reigning;
    2. Israel, who belongs in the land promised to her;
    3. Satan and his demons, who belong in hell;
    4. the church, who belongs in heaven.”