Revelation Ch 5

A WEDNESDAY NIGHT BOOK STUDY
EDGEMONT BIBLE CHURCH
FALL 2009 - SPRING 2010
DECEMBER 30,2009
VISIONS OF HEAVEN - Part 2

V. ACTIVITY AT THE THRONE OF GOD Rev. 5:1-14
A. In the right hand of Him who sat on the throne, a scroll v.1
1. Written on the front and the back
2. Sealed with seven seals
3. The scroll's identity and content are not revealed at first
a. Its importance seems evident to all that are present; some, including John, seem to understand its importance
b. Opening it seems to be a matter of importance and urgency
B. A strong angel proclaims with a loud voice that it must be opened and looks for one to open it vv. 2-4
1. Apparently this scroll is very important and its being open is a necessity.
2. It requires someone of great importance and worth to open it. Not just anyone can take it from the hand of God and open it.
3. No one in heaven or on earth was worthy enough to open it or even to look at it. We are not told who sets the standard for worth but certainly in the presence of God it would have to be God alone. Yet the word of disqualification does not seem to be coming from the throne. It seems to be self-determined - no one would dare admit worth without God's affirmation first. Who is holy or worthy in the presence of God? V.3
4. John is visibly shaken and grieved by this lack of one to open it. He is in a continuous state of weeping. We are not told what would happen if no one was found worthy to open it, but John somehow knew that it would be serious if it was not opened. V.4
5. The book of the Revelation is the content and material found in the scroll. As the scroll is opened it reveals all the content from Revelation 6 through 22. It is the story of the final redemption of all that God had created! The book of Revelation is the scroll with the seven seals. If the scroll had not been able to be opened the book of the Revelation would not exist after Rev. 5:4 and great sorrow would be ours today for we would be forever locked into sin, death, ever worsening deeds of the flesh and corruption.
C. One of the elders sees John's sorrow and comforts him with words of the discovery of a Worthy One to open the scroll and reveal its contents. V.5
1. He identifies Him as the Lion of the tribe of Judah of the Root of David for which see Gen. 49:8-10 and Isa 11:1
2. He says regarding Him that He has prevailed or overcome to open the scroll and loose its seven seals. It appears that the thing He has overcome was His death as a substitute for the sins of man. His overcoming was His resurrection.
3. These acts of sacrifice, authority and power have been adequate to make Him worthy to open the scroll and loose its seven seals.
D. John sees the One who is worthy to open the scroll and loose the seals. V.6
1. What John sees is actually a sacrificial Lamb standing at the Throne of God in the midst of the living creatures and the elders.
2. The word used for lamb here is the diminutive form as if speaking of the small lamb that was brought in for Passover. Such a lamb was almost a family pet by the time it was sacrificed.
3. The appearance of the lamb is as if it had been killed for the sacrifice. This meant the throat had been cut so that it "bled out".
4. The lamb also had seven horns and seven eyes
a. Seven horns: The horn in the OT is seen as a symbol of warrior/conqueror/king power when it is speaking of humans or when it is found on a living beast whether in reality or in a vision. In the Scriptures, the number seven is seen as the perfect number or the number of perfection or completion. The lamb with 7 horns then would be a warrior/conqueror/king with omnipotent power yet with the harmless appearance of a gentle lamb.
b. Seven eyes: We are told in the context that these are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth for which see Isa 11:2. This is a reference to the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, which proceeds from the Father and the Son. This is showing the omniscience of the lamb.
5. This is a lamb of sacrifice and delivery as in the Passover. It is not a ram as a sin offering as prescribed in the law. This is the sacrifice of redemption and salvation for the people of God, the saints. Yet He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.
6. Some difficulties with this scene are the Lamb's wounds are not in His side, hands and feet but rather the signs of a sacrifice, which would be the cut throat. The analogy with Christ's wounds should not be pressed to far or we no longer see this Lamb' as Jesus the Christ and must come up with a new identity for the Lamb. This mortally wounded Lamb is symbolic of the sacrificial death. The Lamb is standing in victory having been killed but not dead!
E. The Lamb takes the scroll out of the hand of the One seated on the Throne. V.7
1. A little difficulty in understanding here with the way in which the Lamb took the scroll from the hand. As a lamb of course He does not have hands. We are not told He took it in His mouth. Though the manner is not described for us, John sees that the scroll is now with the person of the Lamb.
2. We know that without objection from anyone in Heaven or from the Throne of God, the scroll comes into the possession of the Lamb. The Lamb is worthy to take it and to look upon it.
F. A spontaneous outburst of praise and worship comes from the four living creatures and the 24 elders v.8
1. Both groups fall down before the Lamb, indicating His deity and worth. Since their worship had been confined to the worship of God and God alone, this Lamb must be equal to God to receive such worship. No rebuke is forthcoming from the Throne indicating that God has approved of this worship that is taking place with them. Since God shares His glory with no one Isa 42:8 this Lamb must be God. Jesus is the only One in history who has claimed equality with God, to be His Son, to have the approval of God, to be crucified and raised again. This Lamb is Jesus in another symbolic form of His authority, power, humility and substitutionary sacrifice.
2. Some difficulties arise in understanding what takes place after both groups fall down in worship before the Lamb. Do both groups have harps? Are both groups holding golden bowls of incense? The English translation cannot reflect the difference that is indicated by the Greek. The living creatures are designated as neuter and the elders as masculine. The word translated "having" is a masculine participle. In Greek, there must be gender and number agreement for words to go together. We conclude from the use of the masculine that it is the elders only who have the harps and bowls.
3. The harps are the type of instrument used for singing psalms and prophesying for which see 1 Samuel 10:5; 2 Kings 3:15; 1 Ch 25:1. This instrument is used to worship God and to reflect on His prophetic pronouncements.
4. The golden bowls of incense are identified as being the prayers of the saints. To which saints is this referring? The options are:
a. The saints of all time up to the point that John is witnessing?
b. Israel only since this is the term used most often of them in the OT?
c. The church saints?
d. The saints martyred during the tribulation?
e. It is my view that these are prayers of all saints of all time that have been prayed for the end of the suffering sin has brought on, for coming of the kingdom of God in its finality ("Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven"), for the end of the sin and death cycle, for the final redemption of man, for vindication for the lives persecuted for their righteousness in believing God etc. These prayers are being offered up especially now in this scene which is the beginning of the final act of the drama of creation, fall and redemption.
G. The spontaneous outburst of praise and worship included a new song.
1. The song is new in that a new but planned action is now being initiated. The song could not have been sung before the final redemption had taken place. With the standing of the slain Lamb, a new song of redemption and delivery of the whole cosmos can now be sung. The new promised cosmos and era of righteousness is beginning.
2. The song is focused on the Lamb and His finished work.
a. The Lamb is worthy to take the scroll and open its seals
b. The reason of the Lamb's worth is His having been slain and as a result, having redeemed, by His blood, for God, men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation
c. The fact He is standing and alive is not mentioned in the song because it is clearly evident that He is.
d. They then acknowledge the changed situation for the now redeemed men as that of kings and priests who will rule on earth.
3. Difficulties with this song are found in the use of the pronouns us or "them" and with the identity of the singers. Some manuscripts read "us" showing that the singers themselves have been redeemed by the Lamb and are destined to rule on earth. The difficulty with this is that the singers have been identified as the elders and the living creatures. If the elders are resurrected redeemed humans this makes good sense. But it does not make sense for the living creatures to be singing this song. For, to our knowledge, the living creatures have not been redeemed and are clearly not human. Other manuscripts read "them" showing that the singers are speaking of a group other than themselves. This would make the elders and the living creatures alike not redeemed humans but nonetheless worshipping the Lamb for His work in redeeming corrupted humanity from every tribe, tongue, people and nation. It is my view that the pronouns in this song should be third person, plural, "them", and not first person, plural, "us" and that the identity of the singers are the specially created living creatures and a special group of creatures known as the elders who were created at the time the heaven and earth were created with the other beings such as the angels, cherubim and seraphim.
H. Their spontaneous outburst has a ripple effect with everything else in the cosmos!
1. The first group that breaks out into song is the angels around the Throne.
a. They are said to be millions in numbers (10,000 times 10,000 = 1,000,000! Then they are said to be thousands of thousands)
b. They are saying (not singing) with a loud voice that the Lamb is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing! Their song is continuous.
2. The second group that now sings includes everything not directly around the Throne.
a. This group includes every creature in heaven (winged creatures such as birds but it may include a yet unnamed group of creatures who, like the angels, are a part of the heavenly.