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. 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 right hand of Him who sits on the throne lies a book written inside and on the back and closed with seven seals. Its writing fills it completely, leaving no blank space for anything more to be added. It is the roll of God's providences and the prophetic history of nations and the church, holding His utterances, authority, commandments and laws, with the history of ruling powers and the influence of every nation, tongue and people from the beginning to the close of earth's history, even the destiny of every nation. No one can open it until the Lion of the tribe of Judah prevails to unseal it, and its opening brings the truth to light. Its unsealing exposes what is coming upon the earth and what truly constitutes sin, showing every transaction for judgment so that transgressors of the law who remain beclouded will be found wanting and receive according to their works unless they repent and make a decided change.
What the Book Contains
In the right hand of Him that sat on the throne is a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. It is written within and without, with no blanks and space for no more writing, its writing filling the book completely. The book is the roll of the history of God's providences and the prophetic history of nations and the church. It contains the divine utterances, His authority, His commandments, His laws, and the whole symbolic counsel of the Eternal. It contains the history of all ruling powers in the nations, and in symbolic language the influence of every nation, tongue, and people from the beginning of earth's history to its close. Therein is shown also the destiny of every nation.
Unsealing and Coming Judgment
No man is able to open the book until the Lion of the tribe of Judah prevails, and He Himself unseals it. Because its opening reveals the truth, there is no need to despair that it remains sealed. It holds the registered record of the choice by which the Jewish leaders rejected Christ, which will appear before them in all its vindictiveness when unsealed and expose their condemnation. That recorded rejection was refusing Him as ruler, choosing Barabbas for release, demanding His crucifixion, declaring no king but Caesar, and calling His blood upon themselves and their children.
Taken together with Ezekiel 9 and Ezekiel 2:1-10, and with the flying roll of Zechariah 5 that records wrongdoing, it means that God sees every transaction and the wrongdoer's name stands written for judgment unless he repents, and His judgment will come upon those who do wrong. It shows what is coming on the earth, exposes deception about what is coming and what constitutes sin, and warns that those whose minds are beclouded about sin and who are beclouded and deceived, who transgress the law and break the everlasting covenant, must make a decided change or they will be found wanting when God pronounces judgment upon men and will receive according to their works.
Some details concerning the third angel's message and the mark of the beast will not be understood until the prophetic scroll is unrolled. Understanding of the prophetic message of Daniel and Revelation will come as the scroll is unrolled, and its truths are to be explained and shared more clearly with the church and the world. It is the long-sealed book of mystery that shall by and by be unfolded, and until then the Lord's dealings often baffle understanding, His ways are deeper than can be fathomed and vainly tried to be comprehended, calling for simple, confiding, unreserved submission to His will and trust that He is too wise to err and too good to do harm and will make all things work together for good to those who love Him.
Study and Obedient Response
Revelation 5 needs to be closely studied because it is of great importance to those who act a part and will take part in the work of God for these last days. It belongs to the highest education that can be given to man, coming from a higher source than any human teacher, even from God Himself. It is to be read together with the law pronounced in grandeur from Mount Sinai to teach obedience to all of God's commandments, by which truly sanctified souls are educated and taught of God.
The chapter is to be used in urging believers to seek unity and to make right every wrong with fellow believers, with sins confessed rather than left unresolved. Those who are beclouded and deceived must make a decided change or they will be found wanting when God pronounces judgment upon men.