We are now going to see Christ as
the only individual worthy to open the book of prophecy and judgment,
identified as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. We will see the scene in heaven
as judgment on this earth and the Beast and his kingdom is prepared. Christ
will be praised and a countless multitude will praise Him.
Revelation 5:1 ¶ And I saw in
the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the
backside, sealed with seven seals. 2 And
I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the
book, and to loose the seals thereof? 3
And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to
open the book, neither to look thereon. 4
And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the
book, neither to look thereon. 5 And one
of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda,
the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven
seals thereof.
Verse 1 - God is holding a book in
His right hand. It has writing on both sides and is sealed with seven seals.
The right hand signifies authority and the seals signify that only God knows
what is in the book.
Genesis 48:14 And Israel
stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head, who was the
younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh’s head, guiding his hands wittingly;
for Manasseh was the firstborn…17 And
when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim,
it displeased him: and he held up his father’s hand, to remove it from
Ephraim’s head unto Manasseh’s head. 18
And Joseph said unto his father, Not so, my father: for this is the
firstborn; put thy right hand upon his head.
Daniel 12:8 And I heard, but I
understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for
the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
Books, or Biblion, in Greek, were
made much more common by Christians as they spent a great deal of effort in
reproducing Biblical texts and the letters of the Apostles and the Gospels in
book form. However, that took time to come about and here at the end of the
first century the book referred to may have been a scroll book, some would say.
The reason I think this is a book as we know it is because when scroll is used
in Isaiah 34:4 and in Revelation 6:14 it is talked about as being rolled together not opened as here.
Ancient scrolls, I have read, were made smooth on one side to be written on but
this book is written on both sides, as pages in a book have writing on both
sides. You open a book. You unroll a scroll.
Verse 2 – An angel, a strong angel, asks in a loud voice who is worthy to open the
book and the seals? This is clearly a rhetorical question as we can be sure
that they know.
Psalm 103:20 Bless the LORD, ye
his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto
the voice of his word.
Five more times in Revelation an
angel with a loud voice proclaims things that will not be good for the people
of the earth.
Revelation 7:2 And I saw another
angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried
with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth
and the sea,
Revelation 8:13 And I beheld,
and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud
voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other
voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!
Revelation 14:9 And the third
angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and
his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Revelation 14:15 And another
angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the
cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap;
for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
Revelation 19:17 And I saw an
angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the
fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto
the supper of the great God;
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