John now sees in the right hand of him who sits on the throne a scroll, but notice it has writing on both sides of it, Ezekiel 2:9-10. We need to wait until we get to Revelation 6 to see what is written. The scroll is sealed with seven seals, indicating that it is complete; it’s completely sealed.
John now sees a mighty angel, Revelation 10:1 / Revelation 18:21, asking the question, who is worthy of breaking the seal and opening it, Revelation 5:2. We can almost feel the disappointment in John’s words when he realises that no one is worthy enough to open the seal or even look inside it, Revelation 5:3.
McGuiggan, in his commentary, says the following.
‘There is clearly involved a determinative function, that is, whoever opens it is responsible for the controlling and developing of what is to follow. The destinies of the people involved lie in the hands of whoever dares to step forward.’
It’s not surprising that John wept at this point, Revelation 5:4.
We can only imagine the disappointment John was feeling as he wept because no one was found worthy, but now, one of the elders shows him some good news. There is One who is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.
The elder points to the Lion of Judah, Genesis 29:9 / Hebrews 7:4, the Root of David, Isaiah 11:1 / Isaiah 11:10 / Romans 1:3-4 / Revelation 3:7 / Revelation 22:16. He has triumphed, John 16:33 / Colossians 2:13-15 / Romans 4:25.
Christians were being persecuted; they wanted to know if God is in control, who would help us overcome the great world power that is Rome? The elder tells us that it is Jesus, He has triumphed, Revelation 5:5 / John 16:33 / Romans 4:25.
Notice John saw a Lamb, who looked like it had just been slain, but He is very much alive, Isaiah 53:7. The Lamb is seen standing in the centre of the throne and surrounded by the four living creatures and the elders, whom he spoke about in Revelation 4:6-11.
Notice the Lamb had seven horns, representing complete and perfect power, Daniel 7:7 / Daniel 7:20. The Lamb also has seven eyes, representing that the Lamb is all-seeing. These are the seven spirits of God which were sent out into all the earth, 2 Chronicles 16:8-9.
Why is the Holy Spirit called ‘the seven spirits’ in Revelation? The most satisfying answer is to connect the reader to the similar description given in Zechariah 4:1-10. Seven has the symbolic meaning of perfection.
Barclay, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Here is a tremendous picture of Christ. He is the fulfilment of all the hopes and dreams of Israel, for he is the Lion of Judah and the Root of David. He is the one whose sacrifice availed for men, and who still bears the marks of it in the heavenly places. But the tragedy has turned to triumph and the shame to glory; and he is the one whose all-conquering might none can withstand and whose all-seeing eye none can escape.’
John says the Lamb took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne, Revelation 5:7 / Hebrews 1:3 / Hebrews 1:6 / Hebrews 1:8-9 / Hebrews 2:9.
Hendriksen, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The Lamb has taken the scroll out of the hand of him who was seated on the Throne. This very clearly refers to the fact that Christ, as Mediator, at his ascension received authority to rule the universe.’
Notice that the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders all fell down before the Lamb, Revelation 5:7. Who is the Lamb? It’s Jesus Christ, John 1:29, who is able to offer help during times of persecution. The Lamb is divine, the Lamb is Christ, the Lamb is worthy of worship.
Notice the elders each have harps, Psalms 33:2 / Psalms 98:5 / Psalms 147:7, and were holding bowls full of incense, which represents the prayers of God’s people, Revelation 5:7 / Psalm 141:2 / Luke 1:9-10.
Because the bowls are ‘filled’ suggests that there were many prayers uplifted before God, 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Clearly, these elders have the role of the priesthood, Revelation 4:4.
McGuiggan, in his commentary, says the following.
‘There are twenty-four of them, which is the number of courses of the priests in the Old Testament, 1 Chronicles 24:7-18. They are priestly in their activity in respect to harping and offering up incense, Revelation 5:8. We have in these the royal priesthood. This is the church of God, 1 Peter 2:5 / 1 Peter 2:9 / Revelation 1:6 / Revelation 5:9-10 / Revelation 20:4 / Revelation 20:6. The twenty-four elders are the royal priesthood.’
Barclay, in his commentary, says the following.
‘One of the characteristics of the Revelation is that it is the book of new things. There is the new name, Revelation 2:17 / Revelation 3:12; there is the new Jerusalem, Revelation 3:12 / Revelation 21:2; there is the new song, Revelation 5:9 / Revelation 14:3; there are the new heavens and the new earth, Revelation 21:1; and there is the great promise that God makes all things new, Revelation 21:5.’
There are many new songs mentioned within the Scriptures, Psalm 40:3 / Psalms 33:3 / Psalms 96:1-2 / Psalms 98:1, many of which are usually associated with deliverance and redemption, Exodus 15:15-21 / Deuteronomy 32:1-43 / Luke 1:46-55. Here we read of another new song, concerning the worthy Lamb of God, Revelation 5:9 / Revelation 14:3 / Revelation 15:3 / Isaiah 42:10 / Isaiah 42:14-17.
The Lamb is worthy to take the scroll and open it because He was slain and because it was with His blood that He was able to purchase people for God, Acts 20:28 / 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 / 1 Peter 1:19-21, from all over the world, regardless of their race and nationality.
Because Jesus shed His blood, all Christians are a part of His kingdom and serve as priests, Revelation 1:10 / Revelation 1:6. Israel of old was supposed to be an object lesson; they were supposed to be a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation, Exodus 19:5-6. They were supposed to bring the world back to God by acting as mediators between the world and God, but they messed up.
When Moses was up the mountain, the people remained below and ended up building a golden calf under Aaron’s instructions; they messed up. Moses stood where Aaron should have stood and asked the question, ‘Who is on the Lord’s side?’ and only the tribe of Levi came forward, Exodus 32:29.
And so instead of all the Israelites being priests and mediators between God and the world, the tribe of Levi was chosen to mediate between the Israelites and God. We are what Israel as a nation was supposed to be in the first place.
We are now the chosen people, we are now the royal priest, we are now the holy nation, and we are now a people that belong to God, 1 Peter 2:9. And it’s our responsibility to be the mediators between the world and God, like it was supposed to be at the start. We’ve got the job of trying to reconcile the world to God.
Jesus says that Israel, as a nation, will have the kingdom taken away from them and it will be given to another nation, Matthew 21:43. He’s taking it away from the Jewish nation because they messed up and He has now given it to His church, Galatians 3:26-29 / Galatians 6:16. And just like the Israel of old who were responsible for proclaiming the praises of God, we too have the same task.
Notice also that we as Christians, acting as priests in His kingdom, will reign on the earth, Revelation 5:10. As Christians, we are reigning with Christ right now, John 16:33 / 1 Peter 2:9 / Ephesians 2:6 / 2 Timothy 2:11-13 / Revelation 2:26-27.
Coffman, in his commentary, says the following concerning Revelation 5:10.
‘The KJV renders this passage: ‘And hast made us unto our God kings and priests; and we shall reign on the earth.’ There are two significant changes in the ASV. ‘Us’ is changed to ‘they,’ and ‘we shall reign’ is changed to ‘they reign.’ We shall take the first change first. That the ‘us’ here means Christians of the present times is obvious, and since that is the true meaning of the passage, no matter how it is translated, the KJV should be retained.’
We get the impression that John can barely imagine how many angels are present surrounding the throne, the living creatures and the elders, Revelation 5:11 / Deuteronomy 32:2 / Psalm 68:17 / Daniel 7:10 / Hebrews 12:22 / Revelation 7:1.
These angels are praising the Lamb who was worthy and slain. It’s the Lamb who receives power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and praise, Revelation 5:12 / 1 Chronicles 29:10-12 / Hebrews 1:6.
The Lamb is pictured as the One Who is worthy to receive our honour. We aren’t to pay honour to Domitian. The Lamb is going to unleash God’s vengeance, and He’s the One Who is worthy of our honour or glory.
Our lives must be about giving Jesus, the Son of God, the glory and honour He deserves. In fact, that’s what our lives are all about, Isaiah 43:7 / 1 Corinthians 10:31.
All of creation is now involved in praising the Lamb, Psalms 148:1-14. After all, He was the One who created all things, Hebrews 1:3. He is the One who receives all the honour, glory, and power forever. It’s no wonder the four living creatures say ‘Amen’ and fall down and worship the Lamb, Revelation 5:114 / Revelation 4:10.
Revelation 5 tells us that the Lamb is worthy, He’s able to unleash God’s vengeance, and we must give Him the glory and honour that He deserves. It’s through Jesus that the devil, the beast, and Rome itself will be defeated because of Jesus’ actions. Jesus, through death, overcame that ‘he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil,’ Hebrews 2:14.