What is Revelation 5:1-10 talking about?
Let’s look first at Revelation 4:1-2, “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.” This is the point in the book of Revelation when the Apostle John is translated to Heaven to witness heavenly things. His attention was immediately to this throne and the One who sat on it. As he describes this scene, he speaks of those around the throne worshipping and casting their crowns at the feet of Him that was on the throne. In Revelation 4:11 we read that they said, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”
Let’s begin looking at chapter 5 by reading Revelation 5:1-4, “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 a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.” The One on the throne is, of course, the Lord as we just read in Revelation 4:11. In His right hand, He holds a book that is sealed with seven seals. What is this book? In chapters 6 and 8, the seals of the book are opened and the contents of the book are made known. The book contains the Lord’s judgments on the earth prior to His coming in power and glory to begin His 1000 year reign. In verse 2, the strong angel sends out a call for someone worthy to open this book of judgment. No one in heaven or on the earth was found worthy for such a task.
As John began to weep because of this, one of the elders said to him in verse 5, “Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.” Surely, we know that this is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Oddly enough, when John turned to see this lion, he saw a lamb. Verse 6 tells us, “And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes…” Hebrews 1:3 says of the Lord Jesus that, “when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Yet, here in Revelation 6, we see the Lord standing. It was time for the Lord to stand to judge the world. His seven horns speak of His perfect power; His seven eyes speak of His perfect wisdom. In power and wisdom, the Lord stands.
As the Lord Jesus takes this book in His own hand, all heaven erupts in singing and praise to the Lord. Revelation 5:9-10 says, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” I believe the proper thought is that the Lord had made them all ‘a kingdom of priests’, which was the Lord’s desire for His people when he brought then out of Egypt. In Exodus 19:6 we read, “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation…”
What a glorious day! Did you realize that if you have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior that you are a priest? 1 Peter 2:5 tells us that we are a “holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” It is because the Lord has made all believers priests that we are privileged to offer up, not animal sacrifices, but spiritual sacrifices. Hebrews 13:16 tells us that “with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” What a privilege is ours to worship our blessed Lord and savior now and for eternity. The One who is worthy to open the book is worthy of our praise! (184.5)