Chapter 5

1 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

Moving on to chapter five we see a scroll, written on the front and back.  There is a scroll described in Ezekiel 2:9 with writing on the front and back.  As described by Ezekiel, the words written on it were “laments, mourning, and woe.” The scroll in Daniel 12 was a scroll sealed until the time of the end.  This scroll in Revelation is the scroll in Daniel, ready to be unsealed, and has the likeness of the scroll of Ezekiel, so it’s full of laments, mourning and woe.  There was pending judgement from the time of Daniel but the sentence for the judgement was sealed for a later time.  

God is not executing this judgement himself, instead he’s finding another that is worthy of unsealing the scroll of lament and woe, and there is none found besides Jesus. He is described as both the Lion, who conquered sin, (v5) and the Lamb, who was slain (v6).  He fulfilled his calling from God and is worthy to execute judgement on the evil in the earth, showing that the seven horns and seven eyes represent his perfect kingdom. 

John 5:22-23 Furthermore, the Father judges no one, but has assigned all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.  

We can’t come against God in the end and say he was being unfair.  Jesus knows every temptation, and knows the fullness of God to overcome sin, and has made known this path to salvation.  Understanding this pending judgement of God, executed through Jesus, is the horrific consequences of sin and rebellion.  We need salvation from that so we can endure to the end, to the New Jerusalem…to paradise restored.  All creation is giving God praise.

7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. 8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” 11 Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” 13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.