CHAPTER 5
OBJECTIVES IN STUDYING THIS CHAPTER
SUMMARY
The scene that began in chapter four continues. Whereas the theme of chapter four can be stated as "God is on His throne!", the theme of this chapter may be called "Worthy is the Lamb!" John's attention is drawn to a scroll in the right hand of God. Written on the inside and on the back, it is sealed with seven seals. A strong angel proclaims "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?" and at first there seems to be no one in heaven and earth deemed worthy to open the scroll or look at it. This prompted John to weep (1-4). But one of the twenty-four elders tells him not to weep for One described as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David" (cf. Gen 49:9-10; Isa 11:10) has prevailed so to be able to open the scroll and loose its seals. In the midst of the throne and of the living creatures and the elders, John sees a Lamb standing as though slain (i.e., Jesus - cf. Jn 1:29), with seven horns and seven eyes. The seven eyes are explained as the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth (cf. Zech 4:10). As seen before (cf. 1:4; 3:1; 4:9) they represent the Holy Spirit, while the seven horns are indicative of great strength (cf. Deu 33:17; 1 Sam 2:10). The Lamb is then seen as taking the scroll out of God's right hand (5-7). Taking the scroll prompts the four living creatures and twenty-four elders to fall down before the Lamb. Each possessing a harp (perhaps symbolizing praise, Hailey) and golden bowls of incense which depict the prayers of the saints, they sing a new song praising the Lamb as worthy to take the scroll. They proclaim His worthiness on the basis of being slain and redeeming by His blood those from every nation who are made kings and priests to God who shall reign on the earth (cf. 1:5-6; 1 Pe 2:9). The voices of many thousands of angels around the throne then join in with their praise of the Lamb who was slain as worthy to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing. Finally, every creature in heaven, earth, and sea join in with praise for both Him who sits on the throne (God) and the Lamb. To which the four living creatures say "Amen!" and the twenty-four elders fall down and worship (8-14).
This awesome scene should certainly encourage the faithful Christian. As stated by Summers: "Such a scene was calculated to bring new courage and new hope to the hearts of John's first readers, the persecuted Christians of Asia; it brings the same cheer to Christian hearts in any age. Believing in the power of God (ch. 4) and the redeeming love of God (ch. 5), there is no enemy or force of evil which Christians need to fear. They can enter the conflict or endure the evil knowing that God is still on his throne; he has not laid aside his scepter; he has not abandoned his throne to any other." And what does the scroll represent? As Shelly says in his commentary: "This scroll is the book of the destiny of mankind. In it could be found the fate of the suffering saints, the outcome of Rome's (and I would add the world's) machinations against the church, and an outline of the future from John's time through the resolution of the particular battle raging between Christians and Satan's forces. The things revealed in the subsequent visions of the Revelation were bound up in this scroll." I.e., the scroll reveals how God would manifest his righteous indignation upon those who rejected His Christ and persecuted His people. Also, how the suffering saints would eventually overcome. As long as the scroll was sealed, the workings of God was still a mystery. But as the seals are broken (6:1-8:1), we have: "the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants -- things which must shortly take place." (1:1)
OUTLINE
I. THE SCROLL AND THE LAMB (1-7)
A. THE SCROLL IN GOD'S RIGHT HAND (1-4)
B. THE ONE WORTHY TO OPEN THE SCROLL (5-7)
II. THE LAMB IS PRAISED (8-14)
A. BY THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES AND TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS (8-10)
B. BY THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF ANGELS (11-12)
C. TOGETHER WITH HIM WHO SITS ON THE THRONE (13-14)
REVIEW QUESTIONS FOR THE CHAPTER
1) What are the main points of this chapter?
2) What did John see in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne? (1)
3) What did a strong angel proclaim with a loud voice? (2)
4) How did John react when it seemed there was no one worthy to open the scroll? (3-4)
5) What did one of the twenty-four elders then say to John? (5)
6) What did John see? (6)
7) Where was the Lamb? What did He do? (6-7)
8) What happened when the Lamb had taken the scroll? (8-9a)
9) What did they proclaim in this "new song"? (9)
10) Why did they deem the Lamb worthy? (9-10)
11) What did John then see and hear? (11)
12) What were they saying? (12)
13) What does John hear next? (13)
14) What happens then? (14)
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