Verse 1: John saw in God's hand a book sealed with seven seals, written inside and on the backside. It's contents have been kept closed from unknown times past, until John saw it in this chapter. It surely has to do with God's judgments that are coming in the future. The angel of the Lord had told the prophet Daniel of future judgments, but he was told to seal up his prophecy until the time of the end. Daniel 12:9. According to Acts 1:7, God reserves certain things in His Own power until He is ready to reveal them. That seems to be the case with the book in God's right hand in Revelation 5:1.

God has appointed a time for things. Therefore, at the time of Revelation chapters 4-6, the time shall have come to reveal what's in that book. It's execution doesn't take place until a certain amount of heavenly protocol occurs. God must be acknowledged; and someone worthy must be found to open the seals. John reported that he saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, asking for the worthy one to come forth.

To John's dismay, no one in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth was able to open the book or even to look on it. Not even John the beloved himself, who was standing right there observing the proceedings. He was counted worthy to be in Revelation, but NOT worthy to take, open, or even look at the book!

A certain standard was required of the one who can open the book. But they couldn't find anyone! Wouldn't God know who could do it, without searching? Couldn't one of the 24 Elders seated before God open the book? But not one of them attempted it. Abraham, the friend of God, couldn't open it. David couldn't open it. Isaiah couldn't open it. No man, neither in heaven, nor on the earth nor under the earth could do it. That includes the righteous dead. It includes the Apostles Peter and Paul, and the living righteous. No one was worthy!

It made John weep much because no one was worthy! John could see the book in God's hand, but he couldn't read it or examine it. Yet, it MUST be opened so that the following events CAN occur. They haven't happened and they can't until the seals of that book are loosed.

Thus, we know that the events of Revelation from chapter five onward have not come to pass. Some of them may have been pre-figured in the intervening 19 centuries between John's day and our own. History seems to bear out that possibility.

The Lord Jesus has not yet come and put down all rule and all authority. Therefore, I am sure that the promise of deliverance of Creation from the Bondage of Corruption cannot be fulfilled until that book is opened. Romans 8:18-23 says the Creation is groaning and travailing in the Bondage of Corruption, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our BODIES. The book in God's hand MUST be opened so that can occur. Otherwise, creation will remain in the Bondage of Corruption. No wonder John wept!

The book in God's right hand must portend finally the deliverance of the creation from bondage. When that happens, what we consider to be the 'normal' enmity today between certain species of animals etc., will cease. But until someone with propter authority breaks that bondage, it will keep on as it has ever since Adam sinned.

One of the Elders comforted John by assuring him that the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David has prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals. Not just one seal, but all seven of them. Praise God, there is ONE who can open the book! God wanted this fact and result to be revealed to the Church, so He sent and signified it by His angel to John, to be testified IN THE CHURCHES per Revelation 22:16. There Jesus also said: "I am the ROOT and the Offspring of David."

Then John saw a Lamb as it had been slain, standing in the midst of the Throne, and of the four Living Creatures, and of the Elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the Seven Spirits of god, on which we commented in chapter 4:5.

The Elder said: "the Lion of Judah", but when John looked, he saw a LAMB! (Why didn't John see the Lamb before the proclamation in verse 2? In the Revelation, John only saw what God wanted him to see, and IN THE SEQUENCES that He gave them in.) The Lamb appeared as it had been slain. Let us not think that the Lamb looked like the flannel graph pictures in Sunday School, where the Lamb is lying on its side with it's tongue hanging out. No, I think that John saw the marks of death on Jesus Christ. Jesus still has the marks that He received in His crucifixion and death at Calvary. He will have them forever.

The Elder called that Lamb the Lion. He had seven horns, symbolizing that He has all authority and power in heaven and earth, per Matthew 28:18. He also had seven eyes, symbolizing the complete ability of the Holy Spirit. While He was on earth, the Lord Jesus received the Holy Spirit without measure, according to John 3:34.

Revelation 5:7. And He, (the Lamb, Jesus) came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the Throne. Keep in mind the previous scene. The Elders and the Living Creatures all worshipped Him that sat upon the Throne. Now the scene changes. When the Lamb had taken the book, the four Living Creatures and the 24 Elders fell down before the Lamb having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints.

He received all power in heaven and earth when He arose from the dead, but here He enters into things that have been awaiting fulfillment. The Lord Jesus said that the Father has committed all judgment to the Son, that all men should honor the Son even as they honor the Father. In Revelation 5:12 He receives such honor and glory and blessing. Jesus received BLESSING with the honor and blessing that was bestowed upon Him. He is worthy! This wasn't just flattery. This is the full acclaim, the full fact, He really, literally, is worthy of it. Jesus is worthy to be worshipped as God Almighty. therefore, we are completely right to acknowledge Jesus as God in the flesh. He literally is God in the flesh.

One of the identities of error is when people deny that Jesus is God in the flesh. They deny that He is the Divine Son of God, and deny that He is the only Divine Savior. But here He is revealed by God the Father as God Almighty in the flesh, not withstanding He is seen as a Lamb before God's Throne.

Observe the distinction between them here. God the Father sits on the throne, and the Lamb is seen before the Throne. There is the Seven Eyes which is the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is present in this manifestation. We have plenty of evidence in the Scripture that there is the Divine Trinity; Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. God manifests Himself to mankind as Father, as Son, and as the Holy spirit, in order to carry out redemption, but there is only ONE GOD! There are not three different Gods.

In chapter 5:12 the Son receives verbalized honor and glory from the redeemed, who have been made priests and kings, per verse 10, worshipping and serving God before His Throne. Per verse 10, they shall reign on the earth.

Every creature acknowledged God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ equally. They acknowledged Jesus' authority and right to carry out the coming judgments. Surely, they admit the worthiness of Jesus Christ, the Lamb, to take the book from God's right hand and to open it and to loose the seven seals upon it.

Every king must be acknowledged by his subjects. These honor Jesus Christ and pronounce a multi- faceted blessing upon Him. Their worship towards Him emphasizes that He is worthy to be worshipped as God Almighty. One cannot worship anyone other than God without committing idolatry! God forbade Israel to seek information from or to worship any god except Himself. But here, the Father, sitting on the Throne permits, and condones, and blesses the worship of Jesus Christ the Son.

What a chapter! What tremendous scenes that John saw. Bear in mind that when John saw and heard these things, they hadn't happened yet, but he saw them as if they were occurring at that moment. God gave John a Divine preview before the events occurred. God put it in vision form so that John could behold it, and interact with what had not yet occurred. God bade John to put it in written form so that you and I can read about it.