Revelation 5:1–7 (ESV) — 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. 7 And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.
If you have ever put together a resume, you know how important it is to show your qualifications for the job or position you are applying for. Here, in Revelation Chapter Five, we have an impossible job requirement. “Who is worthy, who is qualified to take the scroll from the hand of God the Father and open its seals?
John’s attention is now drawn to the right hand of the enthroned One, on which lies a “book”—not a book with its pages bound along a spine but a scroll written on front and back, rolled and sealed along its outside edge. In the ancient world documents were sealed with wax impressed with the author’s insignia as a token of authenticity (Jer. 32:10–11; 1 Cor. 9:2; cf. John 3:33) but also for security and privacy (Dan. 12:4, 9; Rev. 10:4). A sealed scroll could not be read until the seals were broken (Isa. 29:11); but since the seal symbolized its owner’s authority, it could not legitimately be broken without his authorization. (Dennis E. Johnson, Triumph of the Lamb: A Commentary on Revelation)
This is similar to the scroll shown to the prophet Ezekiel (Ezek. 2:9–3:3). Ezekiel’s scroll symbolized the message that he was to deliver to God’s people. After reading it, he was commanded to eat the scroll in preparation for his proclamation.
The Apostle John could neither read the contents of this scroll nor proclaim its message. This scroll was in God’s right hand, and it was sealed. Not just one seal, but seven. John’s attention is abruptly interrupted by a loud voice that is followed by silence. “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?”
No one stepped forward. No one was qualified. No one could fulfill what was in that scroll. So the Apostle John began to weep loudly and deeply. “… because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.” Whatever this scroll is, and whatever is in it, is so grand and powerful that none of the heavenly hosts were able to touch it. The very consequence of the scroll not being opened shook John to his very core; he wept loudly.
We are reading this and wondering, “What is this scroll? What is contained within it that causes the Apostle John to break down? The scroll contains the eternal plan of God. His eternal plan and purpose of redemption. From the beginning to the end of history. It culminates in the fulfillment of the entire plan, including a new heaven and a new earth, which is the restoration of all creation as initially created. There are several scriptures that speak of God’s redemptive plan from eternity past, from before the foundations of the world. See Eph.1:4-5; 2 Tim. 1:9; Matt. 13:35; 25:35.
And “What are the consequences if the scroll is not opened?” If the seals are not opened, it means that the edicts, purposes, and plan of God will not be executed. This is the reason John is crushed. The plan of God must be executed, carried out, and no one has stepped forward. This eternal plan of redemption, reconciliation back to God, and the restoration of all things back to God. Jesus is the promised One who will restore all the things in the eternal plan of God. This we will read about at the end of the book of Revelation.
Acts 3:21 — 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.
Colossians 1:20 — 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
Ephesians 1:10 — 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
Now the attention is shifted from the problem to the answer, who is Christ Jesus. He steps forward. He is the answer to the question of “Who is worthy to take the scroll from the Father and open its seals?” He is able to break the seals and execute the eternal plan and will of God. We know that He does!
The next section of this chapter is like a resume of Christ. We read a list of His qualifications that make Him worthy to take the scroll from the hand of the Father and open the seals of history. Here are His qualifications that are stated and that we will address: “The Lion of the tribe of Judah,” “Root of David,” “a Lamb standing, as slain,” “with seven horns,” “with seven eyes”.
In Vs. 5, Christ is the One Whispered Of, in History Past. He is “The Lion of the tribe of Judah.” This is the only place in the Bible where Jesus is referred to as the “Lion of … Judah”. Yet, the image is so inspiring that it is one of Christ’s titles most beloved by Christians. This reference is traced back to Genesis 49:9-10, which alludes to one of the first prophecies of a Messiah/Savior.
Genesis 49:9–10: “Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, you have gone up. He stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as a lioness; who dares rouse him up? The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.”
Richard D. Phillips in his commentary points out, “This title sees in Jesus the fulfillment of Jacob’s prophecy when he departed from his sons. “Judah is a lion’s cub,” Jacob said, and foresaw a royal dynasty emerging from this tribe (Gen. 49:9–10). Jesus was the promised heir from Judah, the Divine Warrior who rules history like a lion who reigns unchallenged over his domain.”
George Eldon Ladd adds, “We know from contemporary Jewish literature that the figure of a lion was used to designate the conquering Messiah (4 Ezra 11:37; 12:31), even though the metaphor is not found elsewhere in the New Testament. The reference in Genesis is obviously not to a humble, suffering Messiah but to one who wields the sceptre as a ruling king.”
Christ, the divine warrior who conquers, like a mighty lion. How important this is to executing the eternal plan of God throughout history and to the very end.
Jesus is further referred to as “the Root of David” (Rev. 5:5). This reference alludes to Isaiah 11:1: “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.”
This title is based on the prophecy of Isaiah 11, which sees God as bringing peace to the earth: “They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isa. 11:9). This blessed state will be secured by the One who comes as “the root of Jesse” (Isaiah 11:10), who was David’s father. The house of David would be almost cut off because of sin, Isaiah said, yet “a shoot” would come “from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit” (11:1). This promise describes Jesus, who was born of the line of David when that household seemed virtually snuffed out and yet came in the power of God’s Spirit to bring salvation to earth. As the Lion of Judah and the Root of David, Jesus embodies the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises, providing evidence that God’s saving plan is being fulfilled.
The royal family of David, the son of Jesse, is likened to a tree that has fallen, but out from its roots springs forth a new tree to restore true kingship, righteous kingship, and a divine, kingly rule over all the earth. The verses that follow (Isa. 11:2–9) give us one of the most vivid prophecies of the promised triumphant messianic King. “With righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked” (vs. 4).
Scholar, George Eldon Ladd: “Jesus didn’t come for spiritual salvation alone, of freeing the elect from his guilt and his sin. While individualistic salvation is included, the primary emphasis is upon the salvation of the people of God as a society dwelling on the earth and their deliverance from all evils—spiritual, social, political, and physical. He will one day destroy all evil, deliver God’s people from their affliction by evil powers, both spiritual and political, and establish a new order on earth in which peace, righteousness, and blessedness reign. It is the ultimate redemption of man and creation to the place God originally made it to be.”
Isa. 11:9–10 - They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain [Jerusalem], for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples; him shall the nations seek, and his dwelling shall be glorious.”
Romans 8:19–23 — For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
James Hamilton summarizes: “By his death and resurrection, Jesus has taken control of history. … Jesus is the one who will right the wrongs and heal the hurts and wipe away the tears.” As the Lion of Judah and the Root of David, Jesus embodies the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises, providing evidence that God’s saving plan is being fulfilled.
In Vs.6a, we read that Christ conquered death and the grave in the phrase, “a Lamb standing, as slain”. This statement requires a closer examination to fully grasp its weight. In the Greek, it literally says, “a Lamb standing, as slain.” The words “if” and “though” (“as if” / “as though it had been slain”) were added by the translators to help with the statement. Personally, I think it can be misleading. To me, adding “if” or “as though” waters down what John saw and who Jesus Christ is. This lamb did not appear “as if” he may have been; “as though” he was slain. He was slain. His appearance was of a Lamb that was slain, not as if he were slain. The translators were not trying to water down the impact or picture. I want us to get the punch of this picture of Christ.
But wait, let’s get the impact here. This is not a PG-rated picture. The word “slain” in this verse is literally “slaughtered” or “violently murdered.” That is what happened to Jesus Christ. That’s the picture. Not a soft, cuddly lamb that you give to little girls on Christmas. This is a lamb that had been slaughtered as a sacrifice.
The picture is intended to convey the truth about what happened to Christ and what He came from heaven to do for sinners. A sacrificed lamb, slaughtered for the sins of those whom the Father had given him to redeem. (John 6:37, 39). He was slaughtered for those “chosen in Christ before the foundations of the world to be holy and blameless before Him (Eph.1:4-5).” But this slaughtered Lamb, who was dead, stands alive forevermore. He defeated death by resurrecting from the dead.
We move to the second part of verse six, and we see Christ, the Lamb, is All-Powerful, All-Knowing, and All-Present. We see this first in the Lamb “with seven horns”. In the Old Testament, horns are symbols of power and strength lifted up against one’s enemies. The first mention of this is in Deut. 33:17, and appearing frequently in the Psalms (Pss. 18:2; 112:9). We already know that the number seven represents completeness or fullness. Therefore, having “seven horns” means complete power over all dominions and kingdoms. It means divine omnipotence. All power is given unto Him in Heaven and earth. Jesus affirmed His ultimate strength and authority in Matthew 28:18, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
The Lamb is seen “… with seven eyes,” which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.” Seven eyes represent Christ’s fullness of vision, and his omniscience—see all things. He sees all things all the time. Not only physical, but also the heart and intentions of man. See Hebrews 4:11.
Background for this is Zech. 4:10, where the seven lamps in the prophet’s vision “are the eyes of the Lord, which range through the whole earth.” John explains further that the seven eyes are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth” (5:6), that is, the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 11:2 says of the root of Jesse that “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 the fear of the Lord.” Jesus is fully active by the Holy Spirit and thus is worthy in divine power to take and open the scroll, that is, to reveal and accomplish God’s saving will.
This is telling us, Jesus is fully active by the Holy Spirit on the earth to work God’s saving plan in those whom Jesus said “… will believe in me (John 17:20).
What is our conclusion? It is an Ironic picture of truth. “Christ, as a Lion, overcame by being slaughtered as a Lamb” (G. K. Beale, The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text). This Lamb, the Lamb of God, who was slain but is alive forevermore, is the One who will execute and usher in the eternal plan of God for the redeemed. Vern Poythress marvels at what he calls “the central paradox and mystery of the Christian faith,” that “God achieved his triumph and delivered his people not through the fireworks of military might, but through the weakness of crucifixion.” Through the weakness likened to a lamb, a sacrificial lamb, is victory over all history, creation, and powers. He is the only One worthy to take the scroll from the Father God and open its seals.
Here are applications of what we have read about Christ:
First, it wasn’t a Lion who conquered, but a Lamb. We do not conquer by physical force. Jesus as a Lamb is how we conquer in this life. What does that look like? He did it by laying down His life to die in the place of others. This is 100% contrary to what the unbelieving world sees as the perfect resume to take the book of redemption history and execute it. This flips the mindset of the unbelieving world on how to conquer and hold victory in the hand.
The World’s way of winning is by force or deception. This is another way Christianity contrasts with the worldly thinking around us. Christianity is not about forcing a physical knee to bow in submission. Christianity is about a heart set free that wants to surrender to the loving God.
A second lesson from this for us is, we are to be as courageous as lions in spiritual warfare. We stand firm in the strength of the Lord using spiritual weapons. And we are to be gentle lambs with a spirit of humility, not arrogance or a religious self-righteousness towards man.
We are to be lions in spiritual strength and faithfulness, and lambs in our manner of dealing with sinners and sin. To conquer as followers of Christ is to suffer for the gospel, placing the eternal well-being of others—even enemies—ahead of our own earthly good. Peter wrote: “To this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21). A hallmark of true spirituality for Christians is learning to harness the lion’s spiritual power in the gentleness and meekness of the lamb. Like Jesus, we will often make our greatest spiritual impact on the world by suffering loss out of obedience and faith.
Corrie ten Boom was one who learned this lesson, and it was a hard lesson to learn. She tells a story in her book, “The Hiding Place.” When the army of Nazi Germany swept through western Europe in 1940 and its swastika-wearing tyrants took over Holland, Corrie’s family faced a situation not unlike the one looming before the churches of Asia in the time of the apostle John. As caring followers of Jesus, the ten Booms risked their lives to harbor Jews from the German Gestapo, until an informer notified the Nazis, and Corrie’s family was arrested and sent to a concentration camp.
In the brutal Ravensbrück camp, Corrie and her sister Betsie learned to rely on Christ the Lion, whose power protected and saved them. At one point, Betsie became ill and could be sustained only with drops from a small vitamin bottle. There were only a few days’ worth of serum in the bottle, but Corrie found that it never ran out. She was tempted to hoard the precious medicine for her failing sister, but decided to trust Christ by sharing with everyone in need and then to pray. She later recalled that “every time I tilted the little bottle, a drop appeared at the tip of the glass stopper.” The bottle lasted far beyond what was physically possible until Betsie improved. Toward the end of the war, Corrie heard her name called out during a roll call. Certain that she was being summoned for execution, she instead received a card marked “Released.” She was given back her possessions along with a railway pass to Holland. She later learned that it had been an administrative mistake and that a week afterward, all the women in her cell had been put to death. In these and other ways, she witnessed the power of the Lion of Judah to overcome evil and save.12
It was after the war, however, that Corrie fully learned of the conquest of Jesus the Lamb. Due to her remarkable story, she became a popular speaker and frequently shared the gospel with her listeners. On one occasion, after speaking of Christ’s forgiveness, she was met at the back by one of the former SS guards at the Ravensbrücke camp. He had been a brutal man who mocked and tormented Corrie and the other women prisoners. Now he came up to her after the service, bowed, and said, “How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein. To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!”
It was at this moment that Corrie fully learned to conquer in the steps of the Lamb who had been slain, the Savior who had died for those who sinned against him. She related what happened: “His hand was thrust out to shake mine. And I, who had preached so often … the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side. Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him. As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand, a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.
Courageous to stand in faith like a lion, and forgive like a gentle lamb. Stand against spiritual enemies, but sacrifice pride that Jesus may minister to others.
In conclusion, Jesus Christ is (Past, Present, and Future) executing God’s perfect will, purposes, and plan as determined in eternity past—before the foundations of the world. He is not finished. He will return to put the final death blow on His enemies and the enemies of His church. Then He will usher in the new heaven and earth. He can and will complete the full redemptive plan of God. Amen.
12 Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place (New York: Bantam, 1971), 202–3.
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