Revelation 5

1 – 3

Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the One sitting on the throne. The scroll had writing on both sides. It was kept closed with seven seals.

And I saw a powerful angel. He called in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”

But there was no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth who could open the scroll or look inside it.

The scroll is the title deed to the earth and Jesus will take it back from the devil.

4. I cried and cried because there was no one who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.

John cried because of how helpless the world is to overcome evil. If there was nobody to take back the earth from the devil then people would keep on living in wars and evil things.

5. But one of the elders said to me, “Do not cry! The Lion from the tribe of Judah has won the victory. He is David’s descendant. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Jesus is seen as a strong lion who also allowed Himself to be killed as a lamb without losing any of His power.

6. Then I saw a Lamb standing in the center of the throne with the four living things around it. The elders were also around the Lamb. The Lamb looked as if He had been killed. He had seven horns and seven eyes. These are the seven spirits of God that were sent into all the world.

Jesus still has the scars from the cross. We can know Him when we see these scars. John 20:27, Zechariah 13:6
 
The Bible uses horns to show the idea of authority. Remember that the number seven shows us something is complete. Jesus has all power and He can see all things that others cannot see.

7 – 8

The Lamb came and took the scroll from the right hand of the One sitting on the throne. After he took the scroll, the four living things and the 24 elders bowed down before the Lamb. Each one of them had a harp. Also, they were holding golden bowls full of incense. These bowls of incense are the prayers of God’s holy people.

God has not forgotten our prayers, but He is holding them and ready to use them.

9. And they all sang a new song to the Lamb: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because You were killed; and with the blood of your death You bought us for God from every tribe, language, people, and nation.

The angels have not been saved by the blood of Jesus so they are not singing. This shows us the church that was taken up in the rapture is in heaven singing. So we see that those who are saved are in heaven before the tribulation begins in the following chapters.

10. You made them to be a kingdom of priests for our God. And they will rule on the earth.

Some teachers do not agree but there will be a time when we serve God as Jesus rules the earth. There are other Scriptures which tell us that Jesus will rule for a thousand years before the earth is finally destroyed.

Isaiah chapters 2 and 11, Zechariah 14:16, Revelation 20:4

11. Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels. The angels were around the throne, the four living things, and the elders. There were thousands and thousands of angels, more than can be counted.

The original language uses a word that shows there are uncountable number of angels. Later we will see that one third of these angels had followed the devil before the earth began. This means that there is an uncountable number of demons also. Revelation 12:4

12 – 14

The angels said in a loud voice: The Lamb who was killed is worthy to receive power, wealth, wisdom and strength, honor, glory, and praise!

Then I heard every living creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. I heard every creature in all these places, saying: All praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever to the One who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!”

The four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the elders bowed down and worshiped.

This is the day that we have all been praying for when we pray, “Your kingdom come!” Matthew 6:9 – 10