Revelation Chapter 5/Commentary

Revelation Chapter 5 “Chapters four and five are closely related: chapter four sets forth the throne of the universe and Him who sits upon it; chapter five gives prominence to the Lamb, to whom is given equal praise with God; and the book which He takes out of God’s right hand” (Hailey p. 174).

5:1 “I saw”: Introduces a new phase in this vision.

5:1 “A book written inside and on the back”: “Indicating fullness and completeness; nothing was to have been added” (Hailey p. 174). Indicating this is the full will of God in the matter. There is no room for addition.

5:1 “Sealed up with seven seals”: The book/scroll was perfectly sealed. “The number seven often symbolizes perfection, completeness (1:4); thus the full roll was thoroughly sealed for its protection” (Hailey p. 174). Various authors note that in Roman times a scroll sealed with seven seals was usually a last will and testament. These seals may also stand for profound secrecy of what is on the scroll.

Some view this scroll as symbolizing the New Covenant, yet by the time that the Revelation letter is written (whether early or late dates are considered) the vast majority of the New Testament had already been written, and thus there was nothing hidden or secret about the information concerning the New Covenant.

Most view the scroll as containing God’s plan and purpose for the future. Of course, futurist writers seek to argue that its contents only apply to the time right before the end of the world and that the mighty judgments of the supposed Tribulation period that are unleashed by the opening of the document are all part of God’s reclaiming for Himself control of the earth. Rather it appears that the scroll is God’s will that will be revealed in the rest of the book, that is the scroll describes “the things that will take place after these things”.

5:2 “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?’”

No personal name is applied to the strong angel, who is also mentioned in 10:1 and 18:21. The term “worthy” means of sufficient weight, that is, of sufficient moral and spiritual character. I believe that various writers are correct in pointing 1

out that breaking the seals of the book do not indicate making known the contents of the book, but such an act also indicates the power and authority to execute and carry out God’s purpose described in the book.

5:3 “And no one in heaven”: That is no angel, cherubim, or seraphim. This “no one” obviously does not include the Father who sits on the throne or the Holy Spirit, for the Spirit knows the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:9-11).

5:3 “Or on the earth or under the earth”: The phrase “under the earth” is a figurative expression for all the dead, including all the righteous dead (Ephesians 4:9; Romans 10:7) All previous heroes of the faith including Moses, David, and the prophets were not worthy to break the seals.

5:3 “Was able to open the book or to look into it”: That is, to comprehend, disclose, and execute the contents.

5:4 “Then I began to weep greatly”: “John’s was weeping much, not from selfpity or because his curiosity regarding the book’s content would not be gratified, but because it appeared that the purpose for which he had been caught up to heaven, ‘to see the things which must come to pass hereafter’ (4:1), would not be realized” (Hailey p. 175). John seemed to sense that without anyone qualified to open up the book God’s purposes would be delayed or hindered. Notice opening the book is not merely a question of strength but of worth. “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. No wonder John weeps” (McGuiggan p. 89).

5:5 “And one of the elders said to me, ‘Stop weeping’”: “Is there better advice than this for you and me? To constantly look to our troubles is to look in the wrong direction” (McGuiggan p. 90). Some times human grief is needless as in this case, John’s grief was due to insufficient knowledge. Barclay notes, “If we had patience to wait and to trust, we would see that God has His own solutions for the situations which bring us tears” (p. 213).

5:5 “One of the elders”: That is, one representing the redeemed, one who himself had been redeemed by the mighty power of Jesus’ sacrifice.

5:5 “Behold”: Urging John to focus his attention on what is to be seen and heard.

5:5 “The Lion that is from the tribe of Judah”: The fulfillment of Genesis 49:9-10. “This long-expected descendant of Judah, who would possess the strength of a lion” (Hailey p. 176). See also Hebrews 7:14.

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5:5 “The Root of David”: Jesus is both the source to David (Jesus created the human race, John 1:1-3), and He is also the offspring of David as well (Isaiah 11:1, 10; Romans 15:12; 2 Samuel 7:12-13; Jeremiah 23:5-6).

Please note that all the prophecies in the Old Testament about the arrival of the Messiah and His work, mission, and rule, were fulfilled when Jesus came the first time (Luke 24:44; Acts 3:24-26; Acts 2:29ff).

5:5 “Has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals”: Compare with Philippians 2:6-9. “Overcoming” for Jesus involved His willingness to die upon the cross (Revelation 5:9; Romans 16:33).

5:6 “And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures)”: The creatures previously mentioned in chapter 4. The term “between” points to the position nearest to the Eternal God. “The Lamb is the center of creation and redemption” (Hailey p. 177).

5:6 “And the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain”: “In our thinking we are prone to magnify the true characteristics of a lamb seeing it as a docile, innocent, meek, submissive, and helpless creature. However John’s use of ‘the Lamb of God’ seems to emphasize the sacrifice of the Lamb” (Hailey p. 177). This “Lion from the tribe of Judah” is pictured as a Lamb in the sense that He became our sacrifice for sin. In the following chapters Jesus is portrayed as anything but gentle (6:16) 5:6 “As if slain”: Jesus had been truly offered (5:9).

5:6 “ Having seven horns”: Throughout the Bible horns are symbolic for strength, power, or authority (Deut. 33:17; 1 Samuel 2:10; Psalm 75:10). Seven horns would denote full authority (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:20-23).

5:6 “Seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God”: This Lamb has omniscience and perfect knowledge and perception.

5:6 “Sent out into all the earth”: Seems to be a reference to the fact that before Jesus left this earth He promised that He would send the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17), Who would guide them into all the truth. Compare with 2 Chronicles 16:9).

5:7 “And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne” From the above description and what follows it is clear that Jesus is completely qualified to take this book, for He had come down from heaven, not to do His own will, but the will of Him who had sent Him (John 6:38).

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5:8 “When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twentyfour elders fell down before the Lamb” Carefully note that Jesus is an object of worship, therefore it is clear that Jesus is Divine and equal in nature with the Father, for even Jesus noted that only God is to be worshipped (Matthew 4:10).

5:8 “Each one holding a harp”: At this point some attempt to argue that seeing we have instrumental music in heaven, we can have instrumental music in the assembly.

1. First note that the harps must be figurative, for the golden bowls of incense are not literal bowls of incense, but rather represent the prayers of the saints, thus the harps must represent praise from saints. Heaven is a spiritual place, there are no material harps in heaven.

2. What may be authorized during one dispensation or time may not be authorized under another. Musical instruments were commanded in the Old Testament (Psalm 150), but they are not commanded nor even mentioned as part of the worship in the New Testament (Ephesians 5:19).

3. In like manner, incense offerings were commanded in the Old Testament, but are not part of the New. 4. To argue that anything mentioned as being part of heaven in a symbolically book can therefore be part of our worship here on earth does not make sense. There are many things in chapters 4-5 that do not exist on earth, such as the four living creatures, God’s throne, His throne room, and so on.

5:8 “And golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints”: Incense and prayer were often associated together in the Old Testament (Psalm 141:2; Luke 1:10). “Neither the literal harp nor the burning of incense were a part of New Testament worship, but in the vision they symbolize praise and prayer of the saints” (Hailey p. 181). We should be impressed with the fact that this vision pictures our prayers as coming into God’s immediate presence! (Hebrews 4:1416).

5:9 “And they sang a new song”: Typically in the Bible a “new song” is one that, in consequence of some new great deed that God has done, comes from a new gratitude in the heart of His people. Compare with Psalm 98:1; Psalm 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; Isaiah 42:10-13. The new song is sung because of what Jesus had accomplished which is mentioned in the next line.

5:9 “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for”: The following will exclaim Jesus’ worth.

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5:9 “For You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation” The people that Jesus purchased with His blood are Christians (1 Peter 1:18-19), and these Christians compose the church (Acts 20:28). One comes into contact with this blood when one is baptized (Acts 2:38; Matthew 26:28).

5:9 “Every tribe and tongue and people and nation”: “There is nothing narrow or national about this redemption. It is world-wide in its scope and embraces every group; ethnic (tribe), linguistic (tongue), political (people), and social (nation)” (Hendriksen p. 92).

5:10 “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God”: This is not some millennial kingdom in the future, rather, the redeemed are presently a spiritual kingdom (Colossians 1:12-14) and are currently serving as priests (1 Peter 2:5-10). The above language infers that the original kingdom of priests (physical Israel, Exodus 19:5-6), has been replaced by a New Covenant and a new spiritual nation, the church.

5:10 “And they will reign upon the earth”: Futurists argue that this applies when Jesus supposedly reigns on the earth in the future. In fact, “according to dispensational expectations, many unsaved people will live on the earth during the Millennium and the saints will reign over these people from their headquarters in Jerusalem” (Gregg p. 99). Yet Christians are now a kingdom (Colossians 1:12-14; Revelation 1:9), and Christians are now priests (1 Peter 2:5-10). Added to this, Christ presently reigns (Ephesians 1:20-23; 1 Peter 3:22).

Paul noted in Romans 5:17 that we presently reign with Christ, that is we are presently victorious over the world, sin, and the temptations of this world.

McGuiggan reminds us, “It cannot be said too often appearances do not prove the saints are not now reigning. Appearances do not prove Jesus is not reigning.

The same appearances ‘prove’ to the skeptic there is no God in control of the world” (p. 93).

Barclay notes, “His people shall reign upon earth. This is not political triumph or material lordship. It is the secret of victorious living under any circumstances (John 16:33). In Christ there is victory over self, victory over circumstance, and victory over sin” (p. 225).

The reader should know that some in the religious world interpret the above verse as meaning that Christians will gradually gain all the positions of power and authority in the world prior to Christ’s return.

5:11 “Then I looked, and heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads, and thousands of thousands”

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In addition to the group of heavenly beings mentioned in the previous verses, there appear on the scene a heavenly host of angels. The expression “myriads, and thousands of thousands” refers to an innumerable company (Hebrews 12:22; Psalm 68:17; Daniel 7:10). “Imagine a chorus of a hundred million angels plus thousands and thousands joining together singing adulation and praise. What an overwhelming thought! John hears the numbers of singers escalate as the entire creation, in one massive crescendo, shouts praise to God and the Lamb” (Harkrider p. 76).

5:12 “Saying with a loud voice”: In praising God, heavenly beings are not timid, shy, or quiet.

5:12 “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing” The entire chorus of the heavenly host agrees with the Father’s assessment of the Son. Jesus is worthy to receive power (Matthew 28:18). This is the power invested in Christ as the King. Riches (Ephesians 3:8). He is now heir of all things (Hebrews 1:2). Wisdom (Colossians 2:3), all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in Him. Might (Ephesians 6:10), honor (Philippians 2:11), the honor that belongs or is shown to one: the honor of one who outranks others, pre-eminence. Glory (John 1:14), and blessing (Romans 15:29). Jesus received Praise and blessing from the Father (Ephesians 1:21; Philippians 2:9-11). “So, the angels in heaven join in acceptance of the crowned King and submit willingly to Him” (Ogden p. 191).

5:13 “And every created thing which is in heaven”: The angels are created beings.

5:13 “And on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying” That the creation glorifies God is noted in Psalm 19 and Psalm 148:7-10. The writer of Revelation knows that many people on the earth do not praise God; in fact opposition to God is mentioned in this book (Revelation 3:9). In fact, the only aspect of reality that are not praising God are unbelievers. Christians need to realize that far from being alone in their adoration of God, the creation (both in heaven and on earth, minus unbelievers) is praising God. The point being made here is that Jesus reigns, and as a result believers need not fear in times of tribulation, persecution, and anguish.

The physical creation (minus unbelievers) praises God in the sense that plants, animals, and so on demonstrate God’s power, wisdom and creativity by their very existence and complexity. Compare with Psalm 19, Romans 1:20 and Psalm 148:7-12.

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5:14 “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb”: Notice that Jesus and the Father are equally praised (John 5:23).

5:14 “Be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever”: While unbelievers do not acknowledge God, everything around them does! “All Creation recognizes these total attributes of its Creator and Redeemer” (Hailey p. 184). The term “dominion” means “active power in the rule of the universe” (p. 184).

“In the Apocalypse from henceforth the Lamb occupies the throne at the right hand of God. He is in complete control. The events to be unfolded are to be understood as planned, ordered and directed by the throne of God and carried out by the Lamb” (Ogden p. 191).

These Christians were about to experience a period of testing (2:10); they are in these chapters reminded that Jesus reigns. “They needed to see themselves in the true light: Not as forgotten troops in a lonely outpost fighting a losing battle, but as kings and priests already, waging war and overcoming” (Chilton p. 180).

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