Reflections on Revelation 5

Revelation 05 (Contemporary English Version)
1. In the right hand of the one sitting on the throne I saw a scroll that had writing on the inside and on the outside. And it was sealed in seven places.
   
2. I saw a mighty angel ask with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?"
   
3. No one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or see inside it.
   
4. I cried hard because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or see inside it.
   
5. Then one of the elders said to me, "Stop crying and look! The one who is called both the 'Lion from the Tribe of Judah' and 'King David's Great Descendant' has won the victory. He will open the book and its seven seals."
   
6. Then I looked and saw a Lamb standing in the center of the throne that was surrounded by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb looked as if it had once been killed. It had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God, sent out to all the earth.
   
7. The Lamb went over and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who sat on the throne.
   
8. After he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders knelt down before him. Each of them had a harp and a gold bowl full of incense, which are the prayers of God's people.
   
9. Then they sang a new song, "You are worthy to receive the scroll and open its seals, because you were killed. And with your own blood you bought for God people from every tribe, language, nation, and race.
   
10. You let them become kings and serve God as priests, and they will rule on earth."
    
11. As I looked, I heard the voices of a lot of angels around the throne and the voices of the living creatures and of the elders. There were millions and millions of them,
    
12. and they were saying in a loud voice, "The Lamb who was killed is worthy to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise."
    
13. Then I heard all beings in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and in the sea offer praise. Together, all of them were saying, "Praise, honor, glory, and strength forever and ever to the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!"
    
14. The four living creatures said "Amen," while the elders knelt down and worshiped.

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John continues in this chapter to describe the heavenly scene that was before him as he was present in heaven "in the Spirit." (4:2)  Here the scroll with seven seals is introduced. Chapter 4 concluded with worship of God, the One seated on the throne, by the four living creatures and the 24 elders. Then John noticed the scroll in the right hand of the One seated on the throne. Evidently the scroll had just then appeared for as soon as John noticed it a "mighty angel" proclaimed "in a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?'" (5:2)  But no one could be found anywhere who was worthy to open the scroll, a circumstance that was very disturbing to John, causing him to cry.

Then one of the elders told John to stop crying for there was One who was worthy to open the scroll. The elder referred to this One who was worthy as "The Lion from the tribe of Judah." (5:5)  But when John looked at this One who was worthy, what he saw was "one like a slaughtered lamb." Both descriptions undoubtedly refer to Christ, one representing His first coming and the other His second coming. This One is said to have seven horns, which are thought to represent His authority and strength as a ruler, and also seven eyes which we are told are the "seven spirits of God," which are thought to represent the Holy Spirit. (5:6)

Christ, who was the only one worthy to open the scroll, took the scroll from the One on the throne, and when He did, the four living creatures and the 24 elders all fell down before he Lamb. They sang "a new song" praising the Lamb because He is worthy to open the seals of the scroll, because He was slaughtered, and because He has redeemed people from every tribe, language, people, and nation for God.

Then the creatures and the elders were joined by many angels, making a number that was countless. In a loud voice they all praised the Lamb who is worthy "to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!" (5:12)  Next, those in this heavenly scene were joined in their praise by all creation - "every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them." (5:13)  Together they praised both the One seated on the throne and the Lamb. In their praise they ascribed to them "Blessing and honor and glory and dominion to the One seated on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!"

So be it!