THE SEVEN-SEALED BOOK

#424                                         THE SEVEN-SEALED BOOK

Scripture  Revelation 5:1-14 NIV                                                                                Orig. 1-21-1973

                                                                                                                                 Rewr. 3-29-1989

Passage: 5 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. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 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.”

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[a] of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 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. 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.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
    and they will reign[b] on the earth.”

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. 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!”

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!”

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

Purpose: Continuing a study in Revelation for adults in Church Training.

Keywords:        Bible Study      Christ the Saviour

Timeline/Series:           Revelation

Introduction

            Dr. H.A. Ironside 1draws from an Old Testament parallel a factor aiding in understanding this 5th chapter.  It, too, concerns a sealed parchment, and is in the form of a property deed.

            Jeremiah continued to remind the people of Israel of the impending disaster hanging over their heads.  He spoke to “Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon” that “any nation [willing to] bow its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon . . .” would live.  The same message was delivered to Zedekiah (Jeremiah 27:12f).  “Bow your neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon . . . and you will live.”  This message made Jeremiah far more enemies than friends.  But Jeremiah was also projecting restoration.

            The instrument of the sealed parchment arose at the instigation of a cousin of Jeremiah by the name of Hanamel (Hanameel).  Hanameel was a kind of real estate broker.  He believed what Jeremiah was forecasting about Judah’s downfall.  That being the case, the best thing it could do with property was to unload it.  Jeremiah is instructed of the Lord to redeem the property. (Jeremiah 32:6-15) “Houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land” (v15).

            So the title deed was signed, sealed, and put away for the one who would come as Jeremiah’s heir.  Whoever, and whenever, the property would be his.  He would be able to communicate his ownership through the title that the prophet signed.

            Dr. Ironside suggests that the seven-sealed scroll here described is the title deed to the souls of men.  Once it is established who the rightful heir is, he has but to step forward, prove his title, and claim the legacy.  “Worthy is the lamb, who was slain” (Revelation 5:12).

            See also Daniel 12:8-9, Ezekiel 2:9-10. 

I.          Note First the Creator Who Holds the Book.  “And I saw a scroll in the hand of the One who was sitting on the throne (5:1).  Title deed to souls of man (see Genesis 1:26-28); “prince of this world”—John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11.

            Keep in mind that we are still in the same vision from Chapter 4.  John has been transported in the spirit to the throne room of God.  There he sees God surrounded by four heavenly creatures (Revelation 4:4,6, zōon/Greek—living creatures) who give constant glory to God, and who represent the perfection of creation.  Around them are the thrones of the 24 elders who are not heavenly creatures but very real people.  These 24 represent the legitimacy of the claim to human eternality. They likewise are giving constant praise to God.

            Then John sees the book, and knows with spiritual intuition that this is the Book which contains the title deed to the world, to the souls of men.  John observes that it is unopened.  He then hears the angel call out for One who is worthy.  Where is the One who has established that He is the heir?  (John 10:11, 18:21).  Perhaps he hears God ask:

Adam, are you worthy, can you come and claim?

I forfeited the inheritance through sin.

Abraham, are you the heir?

I was a servant, not the son.  My only virtue was that I believed the promise.

Moses, can you come and break the seals?

O no Lord, not I, I was not even worthy to enter the Promised Land with your people.

David, you were a man after God’s own heart.

I? No, Lord, not I.  I was a degraded sinner indulged by the love of God.  Not even when I stood before Nathan and heard the words that broke my heart and changed my life was I worthy.

Paul, you were a committed man of God.

Can I Lord?  I who held the cloaks of those who stoned your servant Stephen?  I who was chief of sinners?

These are all men.  Perhaps there is a woman.  Mary you were one of the choicest humans ever to walk upon God’s earth.  In fact, some mistakenly called you the mother of God.  Are you worthy?

I? I, who wanted Jesus to be a son to me, and not a Saviour to men?

            Angels were there: Michael, Daniel 12:1; Gabriel, Daniel 9:21.

II.         Note the Deepening Conviction of the One Who Stands in Need of What this Book Contains (Psalm 137:1; Jeremiah 8:18, 9:1).  V4 “Then I wept with disappointment because no one anywhere was worthy; no one could tell us what it said.”

            Perhaps a word is here in order about the book itself.  Up until the 2nd Generation there were no books as we know them.  The most common type of manuscript was in roll form made from the pith of a Nile plant called bulrush.  This paper was called papyrus.   Such a roll was very expensive, so if one had much to say, he even wrote on the reverse, though it was more difficult to write thereon.   It may be interesting to note that the writings of Luke required scrolls about 32 feet in length, Revelation about 15 feet.

            Important documents were always sealed with varying numbers of seals.  The only item requiring seven seals (individual, personal seals) under Roman law was a will.  Recall Matthew 27:66, the tomb of Jesus was sealed to keep it safe.  There is an apocryphal Gospel of Peter which says that it was sealed with seven seals.  Whatever the specifics of the arrangement of the seal, there can be no doubt that this meant no unauthorized person could open.

            Now see the one who is standing in the throne room of God.  He is aware that this scroll contains the title deed to the souls of men and that it is unopened.  And we must be aware that this man would stand himself highly recommended:  He had been born a Jew, and for much of his life kept all the law; he came to be a close associate of Jesus; he spent perhaps thirty years pastoring in a most crucial city.  There are two things yet which are known to John:  The book is closed, [and] nothing in his life has qualified him to break the seals.  The words would again send a chill through him.  Job 15:16, “How much more abominable and filthy is man which drinketh iniquity like water”;  Ecclesiastes 7:29, “God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions.”

III.       Note Lastly, the Christ Who is Able to Break the Seals and Open the Scroll.  V5, Stop crying! For Look! The lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, and proved himself worthy to open the scroll.  V11, Then in my vision I heard the singing of millions of angels surrounding the throne, and the living beings and the Elders.  V12, The Lamb is worthy, the Lamb who was slain, He is worthy to receive the power, and the riches, and the wisdom, and the strength, and the honor, and the glory, and the blessing.

            Just in case you have forgotten a promise made to John—Revelation 4:1, “I will show you what must happen in the future.”  We must understand the attitude of receptivity.  The teacher can only teach a receptive pupil.  The doctor can only heal the willing patient.  The preacher can touch his congregation only at the level of their comprehension.  It is the problem of love—Love can not give its gifts, champion its causes, touch with tenderness those who deny its power.

            But there is one capable of receiving the message of future, spiritual things.  The lion of the tribe of Judah (v5): Genesis 49:9-10, Judah is a lion’s whelp—the scepter shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come, and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.  The root of David (v5):  Luke 1:32, And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David.  The lamb with the look of sacrifice upon him (v6): John 1:29, Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. (“Lamb of God” appears 29 times in the book of Revelation.)

            Now note the absolute paradox—a lamb—the most docile, the most incapable of harm—is pictured with seven horns and seven eyes.  Revelation 6:16, after the sixth seal, “Fall on us and hide us[a] from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!”

Closing

            Take note of this.  The Christ who endured the shame and ignominy of the cross did so for one bold reason.  Because this is the only way that the souls of men can be transformed and redirected.  This is the only way that the scroll of God’s forgiveness can be opened.

            But you are doing yourself a grave injustice if you do not see also a LAMB with seven horns and seven eyes.  Not only is He worthy of opening the scroll, but He is worthy also of the highest form of loyalty which we can pay—the surrender of our lives into His keeping.

1Ironside, H. A. "Commentary on Revelation 5". Ironside's Notes on Selected Books. https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/isn/revelation-5.html. 1914.