Revelation 5:1-14

 

THE LAMB OPENS THE SCROLL

Revelation 5:1-14

From the Life Application New Testament Commentary ^I "Revelation 5 continues the glimpse into heaven begun in chapter 4. The scene in Revelation 5 shows that only the Lamb, Jesus Christ, is worthy to open the scroll, which reveals the events of future history. Jesus, not Satan, holds the future. Jesus Christ is in control; he alone is worthy to set into motion the events of the last days of history. Verses 9, 12, and 13 contain three hymns. The first two worship the Lamb; the third one worships God and the Lamb."

Rev 5:1  Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals.

The one sitting on the throne is God, he has a scroll with seven seals on it. In Roman times all important scrolls were sealed with seven seals. That may have been what the Romans did but these seals are different. The seven seals have meaning that is different than from the Romans. This will be quite long but it explains the seals very well. From Got questions.org: Question: "What are the seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls (vials) in the Book of Revelation?"

Answer: The seven seals (Revelation 6:1-17, 8:1-5), seven trumpets (Revelation 8:6-13; 11:15-19), and seven bowls/vials (Revelation 16:1-21) are three succeeding series of end-times judgments from God. The judgments get progressively worse and more devastating as the end times progress. The seven seals, trumpets, and bowls are connected to one another. The seventh seal introduces the seven trumpets (Revelation 8:1-5), and the seventh trumpet introduces the seven bowls (Revelation 11:15-19, 15:1-8).

The first four of the seven seals are known as the four horsemen of the Apocalypse. The first seal introduces the Antichrist (Revelation 6:1-2). The second seal causes great warfare (Revelation 6:3-4). The third of the seven seals causes famine (Revelation 6:5-6). The fourth seal brings about plague, further famine, and further warfare (Revelation 6:7-8).

The fifth seal tells us of those who will be martyred for their faith in Christ during the end times (Revelation 6:9-11). God hears their cries for justice and will deliver it in His timing—in the form of the sixth seal, along with the trumpet and bowl judgments. When the sixth of the seven seals is broken, a devastating earthquake occurs, causing massive upheaval and terrible devastation—along with unusual astronomical phenomena (Revelation 6:12-14). Those who survive are right to cry out, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” (Revelation 6:16-17).

The seven trumpets are described in Revelation 8:6-13. The seven trumpets are the “contents” of the seventh seal (Revelation 8:1-5). The first trumpet causes hail and fire that destroys much of the plant life in the world (Revelation 8:7). The second trumpet brings about what seems to be a meteor hitting the oceans and causing the death of much of the world’s sea life (Revelation 8:8-9). The third trumpet is similar to the second, except it affects the world’s lakes and rivers instead of the oceans (Revelation 8:10-11).

The fourth of the seven trumpets causes the sun and moon to be darkened (Revelation 8:12). The fifth trumpet results in a plague of “demonic locusts” that attack and torture humanity (Revelation 9:1-11). The sixth trumpet releases a demonic army that kills a third of humanity (Revelation 9:12-21). The seventh trumpet calls forth the seven angels with the seven bowls of God’s wrath (Revelation 11:15-19, 15:1-8).

The seven bowl/vial judgments are described in Revelation 16:1-21. The seven bowl judgments are called forth by the seventh trumpet. The first bowl causes painful sores to break out on humanity (Revelation 16:2). The second bowl results in the death of every living thing in the sea (Revelation 16:3). The third bowl causes the rivers to turn into blood (Revelation 16:4-7). The fourth of the seven bowls results in the sun’s heat being intensified and causing great pain (Revelation 16:8-9). The fifth bowl causes great darkness and an intensification of the sores from the first bowl (Revelation 16:10-11). The sixth bowl results in the Euphrates River being dried up and the armies of the Antichrist being gathered together to wage the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-14). The seventh bowl results in a devastating earthquake followed by giant hailstones (Revelation 16:15-21).

Revelation 16:5-7 declares of God, “You are just in these judgments, you who are and who were, the Holy One, because you have so judged; for they have shed the blood of your saints and prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve. … Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.”


Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/seven-seals-trumpets.html#ixzz3Uvw7X5J5

The one who sits on the throne is God (Rev_4:2-3) and he has the scroll with the seven seals.

Rev 5:2  And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: "Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?" Rev 5:3  But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it. Rev 5:4  Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. Rev 5:5  But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, "Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals." Rev 5:6  Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth. Rev 5:7  He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the One sitting on the throne.

The one who was slaughtered is Jesus he is the Lamb of God and he is the one who will open the seals.

Rev 5:8  And when He took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God's people.

When you pray the prayers are put in a bowl, like a recorder, and when appropriate God The gold bowls filled with incense are described as the prayers of God’s people ( Psa_141:2). The prayers are from the believers on earth were for God to bring his justice to the earth, as later chapters will describe (Rev_6:10; Rev_8:3-4). The administration of God’s righteous justice will mean deliverance for God’s faithful people and punishment on those who have rejected God and persecuted his people. Paraphrased from the Life Application New Testament Commentary

Rev 5:9  And they sang a new song with these words: "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For You were slaughtered, and Your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. Rev 5:10  And You have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth."

Rev 5:11  Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. Rev 5:12  And they sang in a mighty chorus: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing." Rev 5:13  And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: "Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the One sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever."

Rev 5:14  And the four living beings said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb.

Jesus was about to break the seals. He was the only one that was worth and it is our prayers that help motivate the use of the seven seals.

Agape

Dave