Revelation 5: The Lamb before the Throne

• v.1-4 The Scroll that causes Anguish
• v.5-7 The Uniquely Worthy One
• v.8-10 The Song of the Creatures & Elders
• v.11-12 The Song of the Angelic Host
• v.13-14 The Song of all Creation

v.1-4 The Scroll that causes Anguish

v.1 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.

v.2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”

v.3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.

v.4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.

[Note: John sees a scroll on God’s hand, sealed with seven seals. The question is raised, who can open this scroll (which eventually seems to be the scroll of the end time events, i.e. who can oversee the end time events? Although God holds it, there is an expectancy that someone else will undo the scroll, but there seems no one worthy of that role. John senses the anguish of the moment.]

v.5-7 The Uniquely Worthy One

v.5 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.”

v.6 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.

v.7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.

[Note: An angel reassures him, the king from the tribe of Judah has triumphed and is worthy, and then he sees a lamb with marks of death on it, a supreme ruler [7 horns] and all-seeing [7 eyes].  The Lamb takes the scroll from the Father [who permits him to take it].

v.8-10 The Song of the Creatures & Elders

v.8 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.

v.9 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.

v.10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,   and they will reign on the earth.”

[Note: Now the worshippers of God worship the Lamb and they sing of his triumph – a redeemed people.]

v.11-12 The Song of the Angelic Host

v.11 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.

v.12 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!”

[Note: Then all the angelic hosts of heaven join in, and they too honor the Lamb.]

v.13-14 The Song of all Creation

v.13 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!”

v.14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

[Note: Then every being in creation join in worship God and the Lamb, including those closest in.]

[Comment: Chapter 5 flows on from chapter 4 and reveals the Redeemer of the world, the Lamb of God. See also Jn 1:29,36, 1 Pet 1:19. In the chapters that follow, it is the Lamb who is emphasized, a constant reminder that the Redeemer is the one who oversees the ongoing events of the End Times.

Interpretation: Note in what follows there are differences in interpretation [because it has not been made clear]

– as to whether the events that occur are one long continuous flow or whether the different ‘approaches’ or descriptions of what is happening are repeats of the time thing.

– as to what is literal and what is allegorical (we suggest probably a combination of both.)

The thing to hold onto, whatever approach we take is that these End Times judgments are all under the hand of the Lamb of God, the Son of God who lived and died and rose again to redeem us. He alone is worthy. He is in control throughout as 1 Cor 15:24,25 indicates, he IS reigning [ruling] throughout the last days history, which includes today!]

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: