Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. (Revelation 5:1)
The Apostle Johns’s attention is drawn to another wondrous sight! He sees that the one sitting on the throne has a scroll in His right hand. The scroll had writing on both sides, and it is sealed with seven seals.
That the scroll is in the right hand of Him who sits on the throne in heaven means that whoever He gives it to must be standing to His right.
At Acts 7:55-56, the martyr, Stephen – who was full of Holy Spirit, sees Jesus Christ standing at the right hand of God. The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:34 that when Jesus was raised from the dead to life and ascended, now stands at the right hand of God. At Colossians 3:1, Paul when addressing the congregation in Colossae, he tells them, ” Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”
So, the ascended Christ, our Lord, and Master is seated at the right hand of God, a special place of honor! Why? And, how long will he remain there?
In Acts 2:34-35 we have Luke quoting King David at Psalms 110:1 where he says, “The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
So, the ascended Christ sits at his Father’s right hand patiently waiting for his Father to “make your (Christ’s) enemies a footstool for your (Christ’s) feet.”
This means that before God gives His Son his kingdom of a thousand years over the earth, He will ensure that there will be no resistance or opposition to Christ’s kingdom being established over the earth. That way, when His Son gets down to the business of ruling over his kingdom of 1000 years, nothing will present itself as an obstacle to that happening. Satan the Devil, though not destroyed at that time, must be removed out of the way. He will be abyssed for the duration of Christ’s 1000-year reign over the earth. (Revelation 20:1-2) All of the governments of the world must be removed. Christ’s 1000-year government will not be shared with them. When the Most High God has accomplished these things in His own timeframe, then Christ is given his kingdom. Until then, he sits at his Father’s right-hand side.
The scroll has written on both sides. Why? Well, the two tablets Moses received from God were written on both sides. At Exodus 32:15 we read, “Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back.”
That the scroll is written on both sides means that it is exclusive from God. Written by Him. That the scroll is sealed perfectly with seven seals are God’s judgments, not man’s. Whoever is found worthy to open the scroll and break each seal, is the one worthy of carrying out God’s judgments.
And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll? (Revelation 5:2)
Next, Johns sees a mighty angel proclaim to all present, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scrolls.”
But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. (Revelation 5:3)
Of the myriads and myriads of angels in heaven or anyone on earth or in the earth was found worthy to open the scroll to see what God had written.
I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. (Revelation 5:4)
John gives way to a great deal of weeping because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and look inside. That John weeps is most curious because he must have been thinking, “Well, what about my Master who I followed when he was on earth? What about all of the things he said? What about the sacrifice he made in giving up his life? Was it all a lie? Was it all for nothing?
Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals. (Revelation 5:5)
What a relief it must have been when John hears one of the Elders say to him that his Lord and Master was able to open the scroll and its seven seals. He alone out of all of God’s creations was found to be worthy. He had been the Word of God on earth and he will continue to be as he later opens the scroll and breaks its seven seals and read what God has written in it. He alone will be the declarer of what is written in the scroll. Please keep this in mind as I progress through The Revelation From Jesus Christ That God Gave Him.
Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. (Revelation 5:6)
There is no doubt who the Lion of the tribe of Judah is. He is seen here as the sacrificial lamb, Jesus Christ! John recognizes his Lord and Master because he looks as if he had been slain! John sees his Lord and Master standing in the center of God’s throne which was encircled by the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders.
The worthy one had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
I had discussed the meaning of the sacred secret of the seven stars in my discussion of Revelation Chapter 1. Here, we see that the lamb has seven horns and seven eyes. What are these? We are told here that they both – collectively – mean the seven spirits of God sent out into all of the earth. So, what then, are the seven spirits of God? They are angelic messengers! Seven angelic messengers at the lamb’s disposal!
Angels are referred to as stars at Revelation 1:20. They are also invisible spirits. (Hebrews 1:14)
He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. (Revelation 5:7)
The lamb did not hesitate to take the scroll of the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. The one who sat on the throne did not withhold from giving it to him. The one who sat on the throne knew that His son was worthy to take the scroll.
All present and witnessing the lamb taking the scroll from his God and Father and the Father giving it to him would know without a shadow of a doubt who alone is worthy! Who God has chosen! Who it is, is the right hand of God!
And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. (Revelation 5:8)
In respect and acknowledgment that the lamb alone among all of God’s creatures is worthy to take the scroll from God’s right hand, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall down, bow down before the lamb! This is not an act of worship. God alone is worshiped. What a sight this must have been for John to behold. I personally would have swelled up with great and intense emotion at seeing such a thing!
What did John just see! Hold on to your butts! He saw – in heaven – the coronation of Christ being given his kingdom of one-thousand years by his Father! This is the sign Jesus referred to in answer to his disciple’s question to him at Matthew 24:3. There, they ask him, “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
Jesus answers them at Matthew 24:3o. There he answers, “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.”
The sign is his coronation as king over the earth for 1000 years! That is why when he takes the scroll the four living creatures and twenty-four elders fall down before the lamb!
Later, in Revelation, you will see this sign in heaven mentioned again.
Note: The Revelation From Jesus Christ That God Gave Him is written in an unconventional way. It will repeat the same event but either provide more detail or plug it into a profile that flows with a timeline. So, it appears to be jumping back and forth and all over the place. But it is not. It is brilliant in the way it is laid out. It took me quite some time to figure this out. I hope by the time I get through all of it, you will see. A light bulb in your head will go off and you will be forever enlightened by what is contained in this wonderful revelation. My book, when completed, will go into far more detail than what is presented to you in these articles.
Both the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders each had a harp and each was holding golden bowls full of incense. We do not see them playing their harps. Neither do we see the golden bowls of incense each one carrying burning.
Only the High Priest can enter into the Most Holy to offer up incense. Neither the four living creatures nor the twenty-four elders are High Priests. Only Lamb of God, the worthy one, is High Priest and allowed to enter into the Most Holy. Therefore, the harps and incense are to be given to the lamb to take into the Most Holy.
Even on earth, Jesus taught that he was the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to the Father but by him. He alone as High Priest can enter into the Most Holy (presenting the presence of God) and intercede on our behalf. Later, we will see the smoke filling God’s temple. The lamb of God as High Priest will burn the incense and hear the prayers of His people and answer them. The prayers of the wicked will not be heard.
And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were slain, and with your blood, you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. (Revelation 5:9)
Nothing witnessed here has ever happened before. Thus, John sees the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders sing a new song.
The lamb, the sent one of God, the Word of God, the Son of God was slain! He willingly sacrificed His life and shed his precious and perfect blood to purchase for God persons from among mankind for a special purpose.
Please understand here that the lamb sacrificed his life for all of mankind. All of mankind will be resurrected. Christ is the Head, Owner, Lord, and Master of all mankind. (1 Cor 11:3)
But here, we see a special group of persons that the lamb purchases especially for God! They comprise of persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. What purpose will they serve? Let’s see.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:10)
The special group of persons from among mankind that the Lamb sacrificed his life for and who he purchased for God are to be made – by Christ – to be a kingdom and priest to serve God! Thus. Christ is seen here with authority to grant kingship and priesthood to these persons.
These persons are not in heaven. They are not from heaven. These are persons born out of the dust of the ground. They will be Christ’s visible representatives on the earth. They will serve God as he does and they will rule and administer Christ’s kingdom under his direction and authority. The Lamb never leaves heaven. He is an invisible spirit being. He will rule over the earth from heaven and through his visible chosen kings and priest on earth.
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! (Revelation 5:11-12)
Not only are the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders in agreement with the lamb being worthy to take the scroll as if a scepter, but also the many tens of thousands of angels. That the lamb is given his kingdom is shown by what they say here, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever! (Revelation 5:13)
Now, John sees every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea praising, the honorable one, the glorious one, the powerful one who sits on the throne. He has made it all possible and has set in something wonderful and beneficial in motion for his creation, mankind. That the Lamb now has his throne, too, is praised in the same way as the one who sits on the throne.
The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 5:14)
Here John sees that four living creatures and the twenty-four elders say Amen and they fall down and worship.
The Amen means “So be it.” or “Let it be so.” They fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne. Not the lamb.
Now its time for the lamb to open the seven seals and reveal their contents.
