REVELATION 5
Then I saw in the right hand of the one sitting on the throne a scroll which had been written on inside and on the back and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a powerful angel calling out in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and breaks its seals?” 3 But no man was able – not in heaven nor on the earth or under the earth – to open the scroll or look at it. 4 So I began to weep bitterly that no man was found worthy to open the scroll or look at it. 5 Then one of the elders says to me, “Don’t weep! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered! He can open the scroll and its seven seals! 6 Then in between the throne and the four beings and in the centre of the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been killed, having seven horns and seven eyes (which are the seven spirits of God having been sent into all the earth), 7 and he approached the one sitting on the throne… and he has taken it from his right hand! 8 When he took the scroll the four beings and the 24 elders fell before the Lamb, each one having a lyre and golden bowls filled with incense (which are the prayers of the holy ones). 9 And they are singing a new song and saying,
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were killed and you purchased us for God – by your own blood – out of all tribes and languages and peoples and ethnic groups. 10 And for our God you have made us kings and priests and we will reign on the earth.”
11 Then I saw and heard the sound of many angels encircling the throne, the beings and the elders – and the number of which was ten thousand ten thousands and a thousand thousands – 12 saying in a resounding voice, “The Lamb, having been killed, is worthy to receive the power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!” 13 Then every creature – that which is in the heaven and on the earth and underneath the earth and on the sea and all of those in them – I heard saying, “To the One sitting on the throne and to the Lamb be the praise and the honour and the glory and the supremacy into the eternal ages!” 14 And the four beings were saying, “Amen!” and the 24 elders fell down and worshipped the One living into the eternal ages.
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were killed and you purchased us for God – by your own blood – out of all tribes and languages and peoples and ethnic groups. 10 And for our God you have made us kings and priests and we will reign on the earth.”
11 Then I saw and heard the sound of many angels encircling the throne, the beings and the elders – and the number of which was ten thousand ten thousands and a thousand thousands – 12 saying in a resounding voice, “The Lamb, having been killed, is worthy to receive the power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!” 13 Then every creature – that which is in the heaven and on the earth and underneath the earth and on the sea and all of those in them – I heard saying, “To the One sitting on the throne and to the Lamb be the praise and the honour and the glory and the supremacy into the eternal ages!” 14 And the four beings were saying, “Amen!” and the 24 elders fell down and worshipped the One living into the eternal ages.
v1-14) Jesus, here represented as a lamb, is revealed as the one qualified to take the scroll (which probably represents something like the title deed to earth - or perhaps even the whole created universe, of which the earth is the focal point). It was given up by the first Adam, and now is reclaimed by the second.
v1) written on inside and on the back. Typical of documents such as land titles in the ancient world where the title deed was described on the inside part of the scroll and the qualifications for opening it were written on the outside ('the back'). For biblical examples of the process see Ruth 4, Jer 32:6-15.
v4) I began to weep bitterly. The gravity of the situation is not lost on John. He sees that if no one can rightfully claim this scroll then the devil has won and taken the earth for good.
v5) the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David. Notice how the titles of Jesus are more Jewish now. In the first few chapters they were more Gentile. This reflects the fact that in the Tribulation (about to be described in great detail in chapters 6-19) God will return his focus to Israel - the predominantly Gentile Church will have been removed in the rapture prior to the Tribulation.
v8, 14) The Lamb must be God because he is worshipped. If he didn't deserve it someone would have spoken up in the company he is keeping at this time!
v9,10) purchased us...us...we. From my research (which is admittedly limited at this point) these first person pronouns are preferable to the third person ones ('they...them') that most translations have today mainly on theological grounds and suspicions I have about certain texts. But, yes, I do need to look into this more.
v14) the One living into the eternal ages. Some manuscripts omit this phrase.
v1) written on inside and on the back. Typical of documents such as land titles in the ancient world where the title deed was described on the inside part of the scroll and the qualifications for opening it were written on the outside ('the back'). For biblical examples of the process see Ruth 4, Jer 32:6-15.
v4) I began to weep bitterly. The gravity of the situation is not lost on John. He sees that if no one can rightfully claim this scroll then the devil has won and taken the earth for good.
v5) the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David. Notice how the titles of Jesus are more Jewish now. In the first few chapters they were more Gentile. This reflects the fact that in the Tribulation (about to be described in great detail in chapters 6-19) God will return his focus to Israel - the predominantly Gentile Church will have been removed in the rapture prior to the Tribulation.
v8, 14) The Lamb must be God because he is worshipped. If he didn't deserve it someone would have spoken up in the company he is keeping at this time!
v9,10) purchased us...us...we. From my research (which is admittedly limited at this point) these first person pronouns are preferable to the third person ones ('they...them') that most translations have today mainly on theological grounds and suspicions I have about certain texts. But, yes, I do need to look into this more.
v14) the One living into the eternal ages. Some manuscripts omit this phrase.