Revelation Chapter 5‏

Hello Friends!

Welcome back! During this week’s fellowship time, we’ll continue our study of Revelation.

Revelation Chapter 5

This week we will investigate chapter 5 in where the Lamb – Jesus Christ – receives the future "Seven Seal Judgments"…

The scene picks up from chapter 4 with the throne room in the "third heaven" where the Apostle John sees God the Father on His throne with His Son Jesus Christ at His right side. As John observes from the “sidelines” he sees that in the right hand of God there is a scroll – or "book" – sealed with "seven seals" and this scroll has writing within and on the backside. 

In ancient times, legal binding contracts and deeds were written on scrolls consisting of leather-type parchment with the general title of the article written on the outside – or backside, while all specific details were contained on the front side – or within. The scroll was then typically sealed with three wax “seals” to rend the contract secure and binding. The more important a document was considered, the number of seals were increased. Seven seals were considered of most importance – and most difficult to breech.  

What a scene! As John stands there in absolute awe, a "strong angel" proclaims:

Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals? – Revelation 5:2

This sealed “scroll” contains the "Seven Seal Judgments" as described in stunning detail in Revelation chapter 6, with the final seal being opened by Jesus Christ in Revelation 8:1 which begins the second set of woes known as the "Seven Trumpet Judgments". The "Seven Seal Judgments" will be the first of twenty-one progressively worse judgments that will be released upon the earth during the coming Tribulation Period. However, this scroll also represents the "title deed" to the earth itself that God the Father will give to Jesus Christ the Son. 

All twenty-one of these terrible judgments will take place during the Seven Year Tribulation and will be contained within three separate interval groups referred to as:

The Seven Seals

The Seven Trumpets

The Seven Bowls

These fierce judgments are for the purpose of preparing the Jews and the Earth for the "1,000 Year Millennial Kingdom" that the Father will give to His Son – Jesus Christ. This physical Kingdom is yet to come in the future, seven years after the incidents found here in Revelation 5. Think about this for a moment – We who are Gentile believers have been grafted onto the vine of Jesus Christ – a place of honor intended by God for the Jewish people – Praise the Lord! So what will it take for Israel to be saved? Repentance before God through faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin – plain and simple. It is this Tribulation period that will “get their attention” as the Lord unleashes His fierce and just wrath on a wicked and unbelieving world.

As the "strong angel" inquires of who is worthy to open the sealed scroll, the Apostle John looks on from the sidelines and he begins to weep. Then, all of a sudden, one of the twenty-four elders says "Jesus is worthy to open the sealed scroll."

But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals – Revelation 5:5

Just then Jesus Christ steps to the throne of God, takes the sealed scroll from His Father and all of the "twenty-four elders" and the "four living creatures" fell down to worship the "Lamb" – Jesus Christ – who now holds the "sealed scroll" or "title deed" to not only to the Earth but all of Creation.

Then John observes the Lord as a "Lamb as though it had been slain" – the figure of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross to give His shed blood as a ransom from our sin and unrighteousness:

And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne – Revelation 5:6-7

The "seven Spirits of God" represents the Holy Spirit – the third member of the Triune God head – as found in Isaiah 11:1-2, John 16:13-15 and Zechariah 4:2, 6, 8-10 ~ They are:

 

The Spirit of the Lord

The Spirit of Wisdom

The Spirit of Understanding

The Spirit of Counsel

The Spirit of Power

The Spirit of Knowledge

The Spirit of the fear of the Lord 

Next, the scene concerning the "four living creatures" and “24 elders” changes slightly in that they: 

 

All fall down before the Lamb

All had a harp

All were holding bowls full of incense – prayers of the saints (see Psalms 141:1-2)

Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth – Revelation 8-10

Then there was singing in the third heaven with the heavenly harmonies of the "twenty-four elders" and the four "living creatures." The sound was expanded when over one hundred million angels joined in – “ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands”:

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands – Revelation 5:11

This scene is very similar to what was reported by Daniel when he viewed the throne area. Daniel’s account is quite congruent with what the Apostle John wrote. Daniel saw a court being seated before the throne of God and the books of judgment were opened:

I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire; a fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed – Daniel 7:9-14

As John listened he heard all of the saints continue in their praise to God, loudly shouting “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain”:

"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!" – Revelation 5:12

Notice that there are seven elements in this praise to the Lord in that He was slain to recieve:

"power"

"riches"

"wisdom"

"strength"

"honor"

"glory"

"blessing"

Also notice that these seven elements represent the Number of Completion!

In further praise, every creature in "heaven", on "earth" and "under the earth" and "in the sea" also sang their chorus with some of the same elements as the saints praise. However, they also add the recognition of Jesus Christ’s position in that they direct their praise to the Father who "sits on the throne" and to the "Lamb" who is Jesus Christ:

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, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever! – Revelation 5:13

The final response is by the "living creatures" saying "Amen!" as well as the "twenty-four elders" in whom John sees falling down and worshiping God:

Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever – Revelation 5:14

Just think, we as Christians will be a part of that "heavenly choir" because the "twenty-four elders" represent the eternal Church who will be there at this time. This is due to the Rapture of the Church having already taken place in our previous study of Revelation chapter 4.

Looking ahead to Revelation chapter 6, we will see that the "Lamb" – Jesus Christ – opens the Seven Seal Judgments to begin the judgment period that will eventually bring Him to rule and reign from the promised throne in the Temple, which is located on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem – and the establishment of His "1,000 Year Millennial Kingdom " on Earth.

There are “mixed emotions” within me as I prepare these words for our discussion time together. There's "great joy" as I think of that time with Jesus Christ and our praise to Him. However, there is also "deep sadness" as I think of the people – perhaps even personal friends and loved ones – who are alive at that terrible time in the future and will have to face that seven years of judgment because they have refused to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. We must allow these "mixed emotions" to cause each of us to do whatever it takes to win our friends, family and loved ones to Jesus Christ. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Maybe you should sit down at your computer and send those lost souls that are close to you an e-mail with the Gospel presented in it or maybe make a quick telephone call to them right now… We all need to do this before it's eternally too late!

With this information as a foundation for your studies, please read through Chapter 5 of Revelation.

Thank you for reading! Don’t miss next week’s edition as we investigate chapter 6 of Revelation…

Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!

We are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

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