Revelation 5:1-14 – A Scroll With Seven Seals

by Dr. Gary Linton | Updated March 3rd, 2023

John sees a scroll with seven seals in the right hand of the majesty on high. There seems to be no one worthy to open the seals and read the things written therein. John weeps until one of the elders says, “Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” These seal judgments will be opened in chapter six and unleashed on the earth.

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The Right Hand of Him that sat upon the Throne

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.”

The scroll or book in the right hand of Him that sits on the throne signifies a place of authority. Our God has all power and authority over heaven and earth and all the activities therein. All the events that will be coming on the earth forthwith will be by His authority and power.

This authority was granted and passed on to the Son of God as well Who in turn passed it on to the church as result of His vicarious death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of the Father. Authority is given us in the name of the Son to set captives free. Of course, He is the only one with ultimate authority. The authority we have is given us by Him and for His purposes.

Revelation 1:18 – “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”

Ephesians 4:8-13 – “Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.) And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

Ephesians 1:19-23 – “And what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power, Which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.”

Ephesians 2:6-7 – “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

Matthew 28:18-20 – “All power (authority) is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Matthew 16:18-19 – “Upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

Matthew 18:18-20 – “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.”

The Book or Scroll

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.”

In the days of the Apostle John books were written on scrolls (the Greek Biblion). When completely filled with writing, it would be rolled a little ways, a seal would be placed on it, rolled a little more and sealed again. When completely rolled, seven seals would secure its message. To unroll the scroll and reveal it’s contents the seals must be broken successively.

Roman law required a will to be sealed with seven seals. This was very probably the title deed to the earth. The earth and the world in which we live was originally given to man, under his authority, care, and dominion. When Adam and Eve fell by willful transgression they forfeited their authority over the earth and it was given over to Satan.

It’s interesting that when the devil tempted Jesus and offered Him all the kingdoms of this world, Jesus never disputed his authority to give it (Matthew 4:8-11). He was tempting Him to get Him to take a short cut to taking the dominion of the earth and world back from Satan. His purpose was to get Him to bypass the cross. On Calvary’s hill Jesus purchased back the title deed to this world.

Dominion has been restored to man (believers) but it’s up to us to assert our dominion. At the end of Revelation we see that the earth and world is completely restored to Christ and we will reign with Him. We act now, in this life, under His power and authority, as power of attorney of all that’s His. It must be noted that when asserting dominion we are acting as His representatives and must do so for His purposes.

Hebrews 2:5-10 – “For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that Thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; Thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of Thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became Him, for Whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”

Deuteronomy 11:24 – “Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours.”

Joshua 1:3 and 5 – “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life.”

Luke 10:18-19 – “He said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

Romans 16:20 – “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.”

Revelation 11:15 – “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.”

Revelation 1:6 – “And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Revelation 5:10 – “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

None Found Worthy

Revelation 5:2-3 – “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.”

This proclamation comes from a strong angel. Strong in the Greek is ischyros – mighty, powerful and indicates an important angel. The emphasis here is that this angel is exceptionally strong in nature. Though some angels may be especially strong, all angels excel in strength. Angels are meant to carry out the purposes of God and to minister on behalf of His people.

We worry over the battle with the powers of darkness and demonic attacks forgetting angels are strong and powerful. It’s interesting that in the end it only takes one angel bind Satan and throw him into the abyss (Revelation 20:1-3). Besides, their strength God’s angels outnumber fallen angels. I recall Billy Graham say, “When Lucifer fell, a third of the angels fell with him. You know what that means? They’re outnumbered two to one.”

2 Kings 6:16 – “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.”

Psalms 103:20 – “Bless the Lord, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His Word.”

Hebrews 1:7 and 14 – “And of the angels He saith, Who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?”

This is likely Gabriel who usually brought proclamations. He proclaims not merely says. The word signifies to proclaim like a herald. Loud voice is the Greek “phone”, literally a loud sound. The purpose of this dramatic proclamation is to impress on John the importance of the contents of the scroll. Who is worthy or none able is the Greek “edynato”, none has the power or authority.

It’s significant that none is found worthy. None of us are worthy in and of ourselves. Any worthiness we have is found in Jesus and Him alone. Not a one of us will ever be able to stand before God in our own worth. That’s why we so desperately need Jesus. Jesus paid the price on Golgotha’s hill and Calvary’s cross to make us worthy. Our only hope is His blood and righteousness and to be clothed with Him. Therein is our reason for rejoicing.

Isaiah 53:6 – “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

Isaiah 64:6 – “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

Isaiah 61:10 – “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of His righteousness.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 – “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”

Philippians 3:9 – “And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”

Colossians 1:13 – “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet (Qualified us and made us worthy) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.”

Weeping Over the Sad Condition of the World

Revelation 5:4 – “And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.”

John wept over the sad condition of the earth and world for the way it existed then, now, and what was about to come over it. It is under Satan’s control as the god of this world, it’s fallen state, and the depravity of mankind. Until the full redemption of man and the world comes to fruition man and the world is in an awe-full state.

Satan’s present dominion over the fallen world. When the devil tempted Jesus and offered Him all the kingdoms of this world, Jesus never disputed his authority to give it. He was tempting Him to get Him to take a short cut to taking the dominion of the earth and world back from Satan. His purpose was to get Him to bypass the cross. On Calvary’s hill Jesus purchased back the title deed to this world.
Matthew 4:8-11 – “Again, the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto Him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.”
The earth is presently in a fallen state. The world in which we live is in a fallen state. When God created the world it was created perfect. After each act of creation He saw it and said, “It is good!” Before the fall the earth functioned perfectly. It was abundantly fruitful. After the fall the earth was cursed.
Genesis 3:17-18 – “And unto Adam He said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field.”
Romans 8:20-22 – “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him Who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”
Mankind in a fallen and depraved state. Man is in a fallen and depraved condition spiritually and physically. As the earth and world was originally created perfect so was man. Before the fall man never got sick, he had dominion over the earth, and he would have never died. After he sinned he was made subjection to sickness, death, and depravity but hope was made possible at the cross.
Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
Romans 5:12 – “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”
Romans 8:23-25 – “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

The Lion and Lamb is Worthy

Revelation 5:5-6 – “And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.”

The kinsman-redeemer is a male relative who, according to various laws of the Pentateuch, had the privilege or responsibility to act on behalf of a relative who was in trouble, danger, or need. The Hebrew term (go el) for kinsman-redeemer designates one who delivers or rescues (Genesis 48:16; Exodus 6:6) or redeems property or person (Leviticus 27:9–25, 25:47–55). The kinsman who redeems or vindicates a relative is illustrated most clearly in the book of Ruth, where the kinsman-redeemer is Boaz.

The story of Ruth and Boaz begins when Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, return to Bethlehem from Moab where they had been living. Naomi’s husband and both sons, one the husband of Ruth, had died, leaving the women penniless and without a male protector. Upon arriving in Bethlehem, Naomi sends Ruth to glean in the fields of Boaz, a wealthy relative of Naomi to whom they, through a series of divinely appointed circumstances, appeal as their go el. Boaz acquiesces, willingly takes Ruth as his wife, and together they bear a son named Obed who became the grandfather of David, the forefather of Jesus.

Yahweh is Israel’s Redeemer, the one who promises to defend and vindicate them. He is both Father and Deliverer (Exodus 20:2). There are numerous Old Testament appeals to God as rescuer of the weak and needy (Psalm 82:4; Daniel 6:27; Jeremiah 20:13) and preserver of the sheep of Israel (Ezekiel 34:10–12, 22).

In the New Testament, Christ is often regarded as an example of a kinsman-redeemer because, as our brother (Hebrews 2:11), He also redeems us because of our great need, one that only He can satisfy. In Ruth 3:9, we see a beautiful and poignant picture of the needy supplicant, unable to rescue herself, requesting of the kinsman-redeemer that he cover her with his protection, redeem her, and make her his wife. In the same way, the Lord Jesus Christ bought us for Himself, out of the curse, out of our destitution; made us His own beloved bride; and blessed us for all generations. He is the true kinsman-redeemer of all who call on Him in faith.

The kinsman-redeemer had to be a relative and able to pay the price of redemption. Jesus became our relative through His incarnation and was able to pay the rice of our redemption because He was both God and man (John 1:1 and 14) and because He was sinless. He is our deliverer. He saw our need and came down from the portals of heaven to earth to pay the price of redemption for sin and set us free from our helpless state. He alone was able. This depicts His sacrifice on the cross as payment for our sins, therefore He is worthy. It pictures Christ as being slain from the foundation of the world and the awe-fullness of sin.

Matthew 13:44 – “The kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.”

Matthew 13:45-46 – “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 – “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”

Luke 19:10 – “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

The seven Spirits of God as we have seen before represent the complete working of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus. “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:2). After Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and ascension the Holy Spirit was sent to minister in Jesus’ stead. Therefore they are sent forth into all the earth signifying the Spirit of God will still be at work on earth during the tribulation period.

The Worship of the Lamb and Him Who Sits on the Throne

Worship in heaven should and must be emulated by us still here on earth. The worship of the Lord and the lamb must be practiced by us in the here and now in preparation for heaven. We are in on the job training for what we’ll be doing in eternity.

Harps of Worship

Revelation 5:7-8 – “And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne. And when He had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps.”

They “fell down before the Lamb” in worship and adoration. Whether they fell down prostrate or to their knees is unknown but that they fell down before Him reveals submission, humility, and surrender.

“Having every one of them harps.” This shows that instruments were used in worship. We see this throughout the Bible. Psalms 150 reveals many different instruments used in the worship of the Lord. The Church of Christ claims that instruments should not be used in worship because there’s no example of it in the New Testament. If instruments were used in the Old Testament and in heaven, it stands to reason they’d be used in the here and now as well.

The Prayers of the Saints

Revelation 5:8 – “And golden vials (bowls) full of odours (incense), which are the prayers of saints.”

Prayer, praise, and worship go hand in hand. Prayer should be incorporated in our worship experience. The church must get back to seeking God in prayer again. Prayer is sorely lacking in the modern church. Our prayers ascend as a sweet smelling aroma before the throne of God.

Psalms 141:2 – “Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.”

They Sang a New Song

Revelation 5:9 – “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.”

In Revelation 4:8-11 God the Father was worshiped for His holiness, creative work, and power. Here the Lamb is worshiped for His redemptive work on our behalf. This points to the work of the cross. We will forever worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for what He did for us on Calvary. It was there He suffered, shed His blood, and died paying the penalty for our sins and reconciled us to God.

Romans 3:25-26 – “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

Romans 5:9-11 – “Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

1 Peter 1:18-19 – “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

Made Kings and Priests

Revelation 5:10 – “And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.”

We see from this that He is worshiped for the fulfillment of His redemptive work. For our being made Kings and priests unto God and that we will reign with Him on the earth during the millennial reign of Christ. We who’ve been redeemed are elevated to the position of kings and priests and will rule with Him for a 1,000 years.

It must be noted that not everyone will have the same position in heaven and eternity. We see this group ruling and reigning with Him while later on we see a group in heaven who appear to be in positions of servitude. “Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them” (Revelation 7:15).

Our reward and position in eternity will be determined at the Judgment Seat of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:9-15 and 2 Corinthians 5:10-11). We’re saved by grace but reward and position is earned. It will be determined in accord to our faithfulness to what He entrusted us with (1 Corinthians 4:2). There will be different levels and positions according to our several abilities.

Luke 19:16-19 – “Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds. And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds. And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.”

The Worship of the Lamb and God the Father

Revelation 5:11-14 – “And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshiped Him that liveth for ever and ever.”

We see here an innumerable host worshiping. The fact the the lamb is worshiped along with God the Father declares the divinity of Christ. It shows equality. Both are worshiped equally. Praise, worship, and adoration is ascribed to both. If Jesus were not God there would be no worship of Him. The fact that He is worshiped is a cry to His divinity.

It’s significant that their worship and praise was “with a loud voice.” It was not timid worship but radical. We see this type of radical worship throughout scripture. When Judah was encompassed about by the armies of the enemy “the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high” (2 Chronicles 20:19). When Paul and Silas were in prison “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25). In heaven the praises of God’s people will be even more intense. We see this displayed here and also in,

Revelation 7:9-12 – “I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshiped God, Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.”

Revelation 19:1-7 – “I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are His judgments: for He hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of His servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshiped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye His servants, and ye that fear Him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him.”

Let’s praise and worship Him with all that we have!

Psalms 47:1 – “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.”

Psalms 63:4 – “Thus will I bless Thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in Thy name.”

Psalms 103:1 – ” Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name.”

Psalms 150:1-6 – “Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary: praise Him in the firmament of His power. Praise Him for His mighty acts: praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet: praise Him with the psaltery and harp. Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.”