John next recorded the revelation of the sealed scroll and its recipient. He did so to continue the revelation of what will be going on in heaven before God pours out the judgments to follow on the earth (chs. 6-18). This chapter continues the vision of God in chapter 4.
John also saw a book (scroll) on God's "right hand"--suggesting its source, His authority, and power adequate to translate its contents into action--as He sat on the throne. This scroll was the focus of John's attention in this chapter, and it is what Jesus Christ opens in chapter 6 resulting in the judgments that will come upon the earth. Its contents comprise almost all the revelation that will follow. It was so full of words that John could see writing on the outside as well as on the inside of the scroll (cf. Ezek. 2:10). Someone, probably God, had sealed it with seven seals, suggesting the profound nature of the revelation it contained.224The perfect number of seals may also hint at the absolute inviolability of the scroll.225In John's day people used a seal to keep the contents of a document secret until some authoritative person broke the seal. In this case after Jesus broke the first seal the scroll unrolled until the second seal made it impossible to open it further. Then He had to break the second seal that revealed more of the contents and so on. Probably the seals were on the edge of the scroll. The book contained the prophecies that follow. It may represent the book of prophecies God instructed Daniel to seal until the end times (Dan. 12:4, 9).
5:2 The identity of the strong angel is probably unknowable. His loud voice indicated his authority and the importance of what he said. One with sufficient authority was necessary to open (Gr. anoixai) the scroll and by breaking its seals to unleash the judgments on the world that it contained. Any prophet could have revealed this information, but it took someone with adequate power to execute the events foretold as well as to reveal them. The "and"(Gr. kai) is probably epexegetical, meaning "even."
5:3 No created being (cf. Phil. 2:10) had authority to break the seals or even to learn of God's plans contained in the scroll--no one in heaven, on earth, or in the place of departed spirits.
"What simpler and more sublime way of picturing God's ultimate sovereignty over all history could be found than this picture of the scroll resting in the hand of God? However strong evil becomes, however fierce be the satanic evils that assail God's people on earth, history still rests in God's hand."226
5:4 John's continual weeping reflected his sorrow that the revelation of God's plans and their execution would remain hidden and postponed because no one had sufficient authority to open the scroll.
"He did not want to see God's vindication of His people as a part of the OT Messianic hope deferred for an undetermined period . . ."227
5:5 One of the 24 elders comforted John with the news that Jesus Christ would open the scroll (cf. Luke 7:13; 8:52). He had achieved victory over all God's enemies and therefore had the authority to open the scroll and to release its contents. The "Lion . . . of Judah"(Gen. 49:9) and the "Root [offspring] of David"(Isa. 11:1, 10; Jer. 23:5; 33:15; Matt. 22:42-43; Rom. 15:12) are both titles of the divine Messiah who would fulfill the Old Testament promises of salvation and rule.228As God's ultimate Anointed One, Jesus alone possessed the authority necessary for this task. He overcame Satan, sin, and death so He could implement God's purposes for the future that this scroll revealed.
5:6 As with our dreams, John's vision contained some unusual features. John saw the Messiah as a Lamb.229The Lamb is a symbol of Jesus Christ at His first advent, meek and submissive to a sacrificial death as our substitute (Isa. 53:7; John 1:36; 21:15).230The Lion is a symbol of Him at His second advent, powerful and aggressively judging the world in righteousness (Ps. 2).
John saw the Lamb now in the center of all the angelic creatures gathered around the throne as the central character and most important personage in the entire heavenly scene (cf. 3:21; 4:6; 7:17). The Lamb was standing, ready to complete His work bearing the marks of His death. His self-sacrifice led to His supreme power.
"In one brilliant stroke John portrays the central theme of NT revelation--victory through sacrifice."231
He had seven horns representing the fullness of His power. The horn is a common Old Testament symbol for power or strength, and it came to represent kingly authority (Num. 23:22; Deut. 33:17; 1 Sam. 2:1; 2 Sam. 22:3; 1 Kings 22:11; Ps. 75:4; 132:17; Dan. 7:20-21; 8:5). Thus the Lamb is the all powerful warrior and king. The Lamb also had seven eyes representing the fullness of His divine wisdom and discernment (Zech. 4:10). His eyes are the seven Spirits of God (i.e., the seven principle angels of God). That is, they communicate to Christ all that transpires. The Lamb is, nonetheless, omniscient as well as omnipotent.
An alternative interpretation, which I favor, is that the clause "which are the seven Spirits"refers to both the seven horns and the seven eyes. In this case John may have meant that the Lamb had the seven spirits, who are powerful and perceptive, at His disposal.
5:7 Next John saw God the Father on the throne and the Lamb (evidently now in human form) coming and taking the scroll out of His right hand.232Clearly this symbolizes a transfer of authority from the Father to the Son to reveal the future and to execute judgment (cf. 1:1).
"It has been frequently recognized that the vision of chapter 5 gives us a Christian prophet's version of the enthronement ceremony known to the ancient world, when its potentates ascended their thrones. Here the king is the Christ, his domain the universe, and his throne the throne of God [cf. Phil. 2:6-11]. . . . The steps of the ancient enthronement are commonly described as exaltation, presentation, enthronement. If we apply these to chapter 5, the exaltation must be seen in the conquest of the Lamb referred to in 5:5, the presentation in verse 6, and the bestowal of authority in verse 7."233
5:8 This transfer precipitated an outpouring of praise for the Lamb because it signaled that Christ would begin judging. While the four living creatures and 24 elders prostrated themselves in worship, only the elders had harps (lyres) and bowls.234They used the harps to praise God in song (Ps. 33:2; 98:5).235
John explained that the bowls contained the prayers of God's people that are as the fragrant aroma of burning incense to Him (cf. Ps. 141:2; Luke 1:10). In the Old Testament the offering of incense was a priestly prerogative (Num. 16:6-7), so these angels were functioning in a priestly capacity. The Jews believed that angels carried human prayers to God (cf. 8:3).236The prayers offered are probably all those as yet unanswered petitions that people have prayed asking God to judge unrighteousness including, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven"(cf. 5:10; 6:10; 8:3-5; Matt. 6:10; Luke 18:7-8).237
5:9 The Lamb's receiving authority from God to advance God's plan of the ages led these 28 angels to sing a new (Gr. kainen, lit. fresh, distinctive in quality, rather than recent) song of praise. It may be new in the sense that it celebrates His death that inaugurated a new covenant.238However, I think it was probably new in the sense that it represented new praise for deliverance about to take place.
"This [i.e., "a new song"] is a well-known expression in the psalms, relating to songs sung on festal occasions and celebrating new mercies from God, especially his deliverances from distress (e.g., Ps. 40:1, 98:1). It receives a deeper meaning in Isaiah 42:10, where the new song relates to the new and greater deliverance which the Lord is about to make in the earth."239
In this song the Lamb receives honor as being worthy in view of four things. The first is His death. The second is the purchase (redemption) of a people for God by His death including those yet to be saved (cf. 14:2-3; 15:2-4). People from every branch of the human family will make up this company (cf. Gen. 10:5, 20, 31). This does not mean that all will be saved because Jesus died for all, of course. Only those who appropriate the benefits of Christ's death by faith will be. Tribes, tongues, peoples, and nations represent divisions of humanity based on lineage, language, race, and political orientation. Together these terms describe the universal nature of the redeemed people of God.
5:10 The third reason for praise is the creation of a kingdom and priests (a priestly kingdom) for God by the Lamb's death (cf. 1 Pet. 2:5, 9). Priesthood involves immediate access into God's presence for praise and worship as well as the privilege of priestly service. The fourth is the blessing of His people by allowing them to rule on the earth (during the Millennium).
Some translations render this song in the first person ("You have redeemed us. . .,"2:8, AV). Others put it in the third person ("You have redeemed men. . .,"e.g., NASB, NIV).240The second reading is better, and it harmonizes with the identification of all these creatures as angels. These creatures offer worship to God for man's salvation.
5:11 An innumerable host of angels now joined the four creatures and 24 elders in ascribing worth to the Lamb (cf. Dan. 7:10; Ps. 68:17-18; Matt. 2:13). The word order "myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands"may seem anticlimactic.
"The word order is deliberate and the resultant anticlimax brings even more emphasis to the expression. When ten thousand is multiplied by itself, even this does not match the number of angels involved. The leftover still comes to a figure amounting to a thousand multiplied by itself. This is an apocalyptic symbol for countless thousands of angels who lift their voices in this great doxology."241
5:12 The Lamb deserves all power, riches, wisdom, might, honor, glory, and blessing. All seven qualities belong intrinsically to Christ.
"The angels use seven expressions (the perfect number is probably significant) to indicate the wonder of the Lamb."242
The repetition of "and"(Gr. kai) between each quality brings special emphasis to each one individually.243
5:13 In his vision John saw every creature giving praise to God and to the Lamb. The creatures in view must be intelligent beings who can appreciate God and the Lamb, not the stars, planets, and animals. This probably involved a forward (proleptic) look to the end of the history of planet earth when every creature will bow the knee to Jesus Christ (cf. 5:10; Phil. 2:8-11).244
"In these two chapters [4 and 5], the sequence of hymns shows that the first two are addressed to God, the next two to the Lamb, and the last one to both. There is also a gradual enlargement in the size of the choirs. The internal movement also builds as the last hymn is sung by every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth' to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb' (5:13)."245
". . . that blessing and that thanksgiving are the one gift that we who have nothing can give to Him who possesses all."246
"In all three doxologies the repeated us of kai["and"] heaps up the ascriptions like a great tower of praise."247
5:14 The worship culminated in John's vision with the four creatures saying "Amen"repeatedly after the vast crowd fell silent. The elders worshipped by prostrating themselves before God's throne (cf. 4:10).
These chapters (4-5) present heaven, God's dwelling place, as a real place. John saw God receiving great honor there surrounded by innumerable angelic worshippers. Even though John saw a vision, it was a vision of something that truly exists. We may be able to see it and the individuals said to be there someday.
In chapters 4-20, John described what he saw in heaven and on earth. The following chart identifies which place was in view in each of the sections that compose these chapters.
