John Prays Before the Lamb and the Sealed Scrollby Cehepker
5:7Revelation 5:7
And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
The Lamb comes to the One seated on the throne and takes the book or roll from His open right hand, after no human being or angelic intelligence was found worthy to open and read it or even to look on it. The taker is the Lamb as slain, as one who had been slain and lives again, standing in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts and elders with seven horns and seven eyes. He is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Root of David who has prevailed.
The book is the roll of the history of God's providences, the prophetic history of nations and the church. It contains the divine utterances, His authority, His commandments, His laws, the whole symbolic counsel of the Eternal, and the history of all ruling powers in the nations. It sets forth in symbolic language the influence and destiny of every nation, tongue, and people from the beginning of earth's history to its close. The roll is written within and without, with no blanks in it and space for no more writing, so that as it is unrolled all who look upon it are filled with awe.
Only He is worthy to take the book and loose or open its seven seals because He was slain and redeemed people to God by His blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and made them kings and priests to reign on the earth. His taking the book leads to universal worship, when the four beasts and four and twenty elders fall down before the Lamb with harps and golden vials full of odors which are the prayers of the saints and sing the new song of His worthiness. Then ten thousand times ten thousand angels proclaim the Lamb worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing, and every creature in heaven and earth and sea gives blessing and honor and glory and power to Him that sits on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.
The vision points to Jesus receiving honor and kingly authority and to His future appearance in heaven's unsurpassed glory, escorted by the heavenly host in songs of victory. His crucifixion marks will remain visible to testify to the price of redemption, and those who despised and killed Him will see Him as King and be overwhelmed by His majesty. As the slain Lamb seated on the throne, Christ exercises the authority to dispense the covenant blessings purchased by His sacrifice and death for all who believe, giving His righteousness to helpless people. He pleads for the church in heaven by applying the merits of His atoning death, whose power never diminishes and remains fully effective through every age.
The chapter shows the Lord's eye upon every transaction and His coming judgment upon those who do wrong. It is to be studied in connection with Ezekiel 9 and the roll of Ezekiel 2:1-10 and Zechariah's flying roll, where the name of the wrongdoer is written unless he repents of his wrong. As the Lion of the tribe of Judah coming to this earth and opening the sealed roll, Christ exposed a roll long closed to the Jewish nation because they would not obey the Word of the Lord. The truth revealed in Him exposed their practice, and because His life did not harmonize with their practice they turned their eyes from it, being spiritually blind and unable to look truth and righteousness squarely in the face without becoming ashamed.
Revelation 5, including the taking of the book, needs to be closely studied because it is of great importance to those who will act a part in God's work for these last days. Many are deceived and beclouded about what constitutes sin and do not realize what is coming on the earth, and unless they decidedly change they will be found wanting when God pronounces judgment upon men for having transgressed the law and broken the everlasting covenant and will receive according to their works. The chapter is part of the highest education that can be given to man, to be read together with Revelation 3 and with God's law pronounced from Sinai's Mount. That education is from a higher source than any human unsanctified teacher, which is obedience to all of God's commandments.
The Lamb comes to the One seated on the throne and takes the book or roll from His open right hand, after no human being or angelic intelligence was found worthy to open and read it or even to look on it. The taker is the Lamb as slain, as one who had been slain and lives again, standing in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts and elders with seven horns and seven eyes. He is also the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Root of David who has prevailed.
The book is the roll of the history of God's providences, the prophetic history of nations and the church. It contains the divine utterances, His authority, His commandments, His laws, the whole symbolic counsel of the Eternal, and the history of all ruling powers in the nations. It sets forth in symbolic language the influence and destiny of every nation, tongue, and people from the beginning of earth's history to its close. The roll is written within and without, with no blanks in it and space for no more writing, so that as it is unrolled all who look upon it are filled with awe.
Only He is worthy to take the book and loose or open its seven seals because He was slain and redeemed people to God by His blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation and made them kings and priests to reign on the earth. His taking the book leads to universal worship, when the four beasts and four and twenty elders fall down before the Lamb with harps and golden vials full of odors which are the prayers of the saints and sing the new song of His worthiness. Then ten thousand times ten thousand angels proclaim the Lamb worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing, and every creature in heaven and earth and sea gives blessing and honor and glory and power to Him that sits on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.
The vision points to Jesus receiving honor and kingly authority and to His future appearance in heaven's unsurpassed glory, escorted by the heavenly host in songs of victory. His crucifixion marks will remain visible to testify to the price of redemption, and those who despised and killed Him will see Him as King and be overwhelmed by His majesty. As the slain Lamb seated on the throne, Christ exercises the authority to dispense the covenant blessings purchased by His sacrifice and death for all who believe, giving His righteousness to helpless people. He pleads for the church in heaven by applying the merits of His atoning death, whose power never diminishes and remains fully effective through every age.
The chapter shows the Lord's eye upon every transaction and His coming judgment upon those who do wrong. It is to be studied in connection with Ezekiel 9 and the roll of Ezekiel 2:1-10 and Zechariah's flying roll, where the name of the wrongdoer is written unless he repents of his wrong. As the Lion of the tribe of Judah coming to this earth and opening the sealed roll, Christ exposed a roll long closed to the Jewish nation because they would not obey the Word of the Lord. The truth revealed in Him exposed their practice, and because His life did not harmonize with their practice they turned their eyes from it, being spiritually blind and unable to look truth and righteousness squarely in the face without becoming ashamed.
Revelation 5, including the taking of the book, needs to be closely studied because it is of great importance to those who will act a part in God's work for these last days. Many are deceived and beclouded about what constitutes sin and do not realize what is coming on the earth, and unless they decidedly change they will be found wanting when God pronounces judgment upon men for having transgressed the law and broken the everlasting covenant and will receive according to their works. The chapter is part of the highest education that can be given to man, to be read together with Revelation 3 and with God's law pronounced from Sinai's Mount. That education is from a higher source than any human unsanctified teacher, which is obedience to all of God's commandments.