THE SEVEN SEALED SCROLL
“Who is worthy to open the sealed scroll?”
REVELATION CHAPTER 5
Scroll
with
Seven
Seals
Scroll
”And I heard, but I
understood not: then said I, O
my Lord, what shall be the end
of these things? And he said, Go
thy way, Daniel: for the words
are closed up and sealed till the
time of the end. Many shall be
purified, and made white, and
tried; but the wicked shall do
wickedly: and none of the wicked
shall understand; but the wise
shall understand.” (Daniel 12:8-
Daniel 12:10-11 reveals the two fold
response of the people living during the
events of the Tribulation:
1. Large numbers of people will be
saved including the Jews who receive the
witness of the 144,000 (Rev. 7:4-8) and
seeing the hand of God in the judgments
He sends on the earth. (Rev. 7:9-10)
2. Large numbers of people will
reject the Lord, following the Antichrist
and the false prophet. These people will
grow increasing evil as the seven years
unfold.
"Who is worthy to
open the book, and
loose the seals
thereof?" (Rev. 5:2)
“And no man in heaven,
nor in earth, neither under the
earth, was able to open the
book, neither to look thereon.”
(Revelation 5:3)
In the ancient Roman world, a will
(a Praetorian Testament) was sealed
with the seals of seven witnesses to
attest to the validity of the will.
(Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities,
edited By William Smith, LL. D., Second
Edition, Boston, Little, Brown, & Company,
1870) A praetor was a Roman magistrate, a
judge. When Jesus was examined by Pilate
this was done in the praetorium or
judgment hall (John 18:28,33; 19:9)
This scroll could only be opened
by the Praetor who is the mediator.
Only Jesus Christ could open the seals
because He is the Mediator of the New
Covenant.
“And one of the elders saith
unto me, 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.” (Revelation 5:5)
Revelation 5:5 describes Jesus
as a Lion. John looks and behold he
does not see a lion, but a Lamb
which had been slain.
Jesus is described as having
seven horns and seven eyes, which
are the seven Spirits of God. The
seven Spirits are the seven Spirits
that God has sent forth into all the
earth. This represents the seven
fold ministry of the Holy Spirit.
There are two words translated in the
New Testament “lamb.” The word “amnos” is
used by John in John 1:29-29. The word
stresses Jesus Christ as the sacrificial lamb
which God provides for nation of Israel. (See
Gen. 22:8, Exod. 12:5, 1 Cor. 12:5) In the New
Testament there are two Greek words for
lamb. One is the word, "amnos," meaning a
lamb in general. The other word is "arnion,"
pronounced "r-non" and is symbolically to
refer to Christ’s character and His
substitutional sacrifice for the sins of the world
and here of Israel. Jesus’ position of being the
sacrificial Lamb gives Him His authority to
offer redemption and judgment. Thus in the
Tribulation Jesus is offering both salvation and
judgment.
Another interesting word is
the Greek word for "slain, "
which is "sphatts." It refers to
a violent death. It is used in 1
John 3:11-12, describing how
Cain slew his brother. Thus the
verse is telling us it was the
innocent Lamb that was rejected
and brutally slain by Israel who
is the only worthy One to open
the seals of the book.
. "The stone which the
builders rejected is become
the head stone of the corner:
this is the Lord's doing and it is
marvelous in our eyes. This is
the day which the Lord hath
made; we will rejoice and be
glad in it" (Psalm 118:22-24).
“And he came and took the
book out of the right hand of
him that sat upon the throne.
And when he had taken the
book, the four beasts and four
and twenty elders fell down
before the Lamb, having every
one of them harps, and golden
vials full of odours, which are
the prayers of saints.”
(Revelation 5:7-8)
Note that in the Bible only once in
Job 38:7 are angels seen singing. The
Scriptures also never record angels as
playing harps. Only men on earth and
here in heaven are men shown playing
harps.
“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.”
(Revelation 5:9-10)
“And I beheld, and I heard
the voice of many angels round
about the throne and the
beasts and the elders: and the
number of them was ten
thousand times ten thousand,
and thousands of thousands;
Saying with a loud voice,
Worthy is the Lamb that was
slain to receive power, and
riches, and wisdom, and
strength, and honour, and
glory, and blessing. “
(Revelation 5:11-12)
“And every creature which is in
heaven, and on the earth, and under
the earth, and such as are in the sea,
and all that are in them, heard I
saying, Blessing, and honour, and
glory, and power, be unto him that
sitteth upon the throne, and unto the
Lamb for ever and ever. And the four
beasts said, Amen. And the four and
twenty elders fell down and
worshipped him that liveth for ever
and ever.” (Revelation 5:13-14)
