Rev. 5:1 I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. 4 Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; 5 and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”
What does John see in the
right hand of Him who sat on the throne? Describe it. (5:1)
A book: Written inside and on the back, sealed up with 7
seals.
§ Book
(βιβλίον) (biblion) –
“long written
composition (either of a total work or of parts of a work), scroll, book”
(BDAG, 176).
§ Seal (σφραγίς) (sphragis) –
“the substance which bears the imprint of a signet and seals a document, seal”
(BDAG, 980).
What does the strong angel
that John sees proclaim with a loud voice? (5:2)
“Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?”
(Rev 5:2).
Who in heaven or on the earth or under
the earth was able to open or look into the book? (5:3)
No one in
heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look
into it (5:3).
Why does John begin to
weep? (5:4)
“. . . because no one was found worthy to open the book or
to look into it” (5:4).
Why does one of the elders
tell John to stop weeping? (5:5)
“Stop weeping;
behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has
overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals” (5:5).
§ Lion
(λέων) (leōn) – “lion” “Apocalyptic usage also
makes comparison with the lion, or parts of his body, or his actions” (BDAG,
593).
§ Tribe
(φυλή) (phulē) – “A subgroup of a nation characterized by
a distinctive blood line, tribe, of the 12 tribes of Israel” (BDAG, 1068).
§ Judah
(Ἰούδας) (Ioudas) – “Judah, son of the patriarch Jacob; in
the genealogy of Jesus (Mt 1:2; Lk 3:33); the tribe of Judah; the country
belonging to the tribe of Judah” (BDAG, 479).
§ Root
(ῥίζα) (hriza) – “that
which grows from a root, shoot, scion, in our literature in imagery descendant”
(BDAG, 906).
§ David
(Δαυίδ) (Dauid) – King
of Israel, in genealogy of Jesus” (BDAG, 213).
What do you learn about God
in Rev 5:5:1-5?
Jesus overcame
and is the only One Who is worthy in heaven, on earth, or under the earth to
open the book in God’s right hand with its seven seals.
How could this truth
transform your life?
Reverently
and rightly regard Jesus, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, for
His unique worthiness and power to overcome and open the book in God’s right
hand.
Father,
The book
in Your right hand is sealed with seven seals that can only be opened by Your
Son, Jesus the Messiah, from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, because He
alone has overcome and has been found worthy to take the book from Your right
hand and to open its seven seals. Glory to You for so magnificent a plan, for
You honor Your Son Who has proven honorable. Jesus is Your heir, the rightful
heir of Your kingdom, the Messiah, Whom You progressively revealed from the
beginning of time and through the ages, and Whom You sent in the flesh in the
first-century incarnation. You have made known that Jesus will come again to
finally and completely destroy the presence of sin and evil on earth. Through
judgment, Jesus will become King, King of kings, and Lord of lords, to the
praise of Your glory. May He come quickly, and may You cause us to stand firm
in His grace, love, and truth, that we may rejoice at His appearing. In Jesus’
Name, Amen.
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