THE BOOK OF REVELATION
~ The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Revelation Chapter 5

 

The Book Sealed with Seven Seals

Verse 1:  And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

As the vision continued to unfold before him, John saw a book (scroll) in the right hand of the Almighty God who was sitting on the throne. (“Right” denotes the grace and mercy of God.) This scroll not only contained writings on the inside but also on the back of it showing that the contents were full and complete. This scroll was the “title deed” to the earth. The contents on the inside and on the backside of the scroll were written by the Heavenly Father and sealed with Seven Seals. Everything recorded in the scroll would be entrusted to the ONE who was worthy to take the scroll from His hand.

The scroll contains a story. The story is found in the Book we call the Sacred Scriptures or the Holy Bible (Holy Scroll). It is the story of redemption. Hence, the Holy Scroll can be called the “Book of Redemption” or figuratively, the “Book of Life”. Is your name in the Book of Life? If you do not and cannot identify yourself with the Word of Life (Christ, “the volume of the book” – Psa.40:7) then you are not a part of the Body of Christ. The “Book” contains the names of those who have put their trust in Christ to save them. And all those whose names are not found in this “Book” do not have eternal life.

The story of redemption tells of how the Creator-God had originally given this good earth to the Man, Adam. But Adam failed to obey God's commandment by listening to his wife, who was deceived by the Serpent, and brought sin upon themselves and therefore forfeited his right to rule the earth. The “title deed” to the earth was taken away from Adam by the Owner Who then rolled it up and sealed it with seven seals to prevent any unauthorized person from tampering with it or reading it. (Though Satan is being worshipped as the god of this world, he does not have the “title deed”.) The scroll has remained in God's hand until the one who is worthy of it could come and claim it. Only he, who could meet God's requirement in the redemption of this fallen earth and could fulfill it, is worthy to claim and open the sealed scroll from the one seated on the throne. Once he has broken and loosen all the seals he could unroll the scroll and look at its contents. He could then begin to claim his rights to all the contents (written on both sides of it) from the Creator-Owner.

Verse 2:  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof?
Verse 3:  And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon.
Verse 4:  And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

Since the time of the Fall of Man, there has not been one worthy enough to take the scroll and open it. None can break the seals or even take a peep at the contents. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom.3:23). How come? When Eve was deceived by the Satan-inspired Serpent into disobeying the Word of God and partaking of the 'forbidden fruit', she in fact committed fornication with the Serpent. This is the 'original sin' which produced a seed of discrepancy, Cain. In order to stay the wrath of God upon his wife, Adam stepped out of the Word of God to “redeem” Eve by identifying with her fallen state. Thus, Eve also became pregnant with Adam's seed, Abel. Both Cain and Abel were half-brothers through Eve. Adam knew full well what consequences his action might bring. “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” (1 Tim.2:14). God imputed sin upon Adam for his act.

Through the spiritual and natural acts of fornication between the Serpent and Eve, Satan vicariously fathered a son, named Cain. Cain was the son, or the seed, of the Serpent. Satan's evil traits were inherent in Cain and passed down to mankind through the intermarrying between Cain's and Seth's people. Except for the descendants of Adam (whom God imputed sin) who married their own kind, all the others, beginning with the three sons of Noah, inherited the serpentine nature in their blood. Noah was the last of the pure Sethic firstborn. (According to Jewish tradition, Noah married Naamah, the daughter of Lamech of the Cainic race (Gen.4:19-22). This fact is substantiated by the Word of God since women's names are normally not listed in the genealogies unless they had a special role in the history of mankind.)

Now, the Fall of Man did not catch God unaware. In fact, God foreknew it and permitted it to happen. Why? So that out of corruption shall come forth perfection and beauty (Psm.50:2; Lam.2:15). The Apostle Paul wrote: “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Rom.8:20-21). Amen. But how? Through the Seed of God — Jesus Christ Who was virgin born! Why? To bypass the original sin. It was absolutely essential for the Redeemer to have pure, undefiled blood running in His veins and arteries. He had to shed His blood upon the earth to redeem all those predestinated sons and daughters of God who are waiting to be delivered. Yes, Jesus Christ was the ONLY ONE Who could take the scroll and break the Seven Seals.

John's attention was drawn to the seven-seal Book by a strong angel's proclamation asking for some worthy person to open the scroll and loosen its seals. He realized the importance of the Seven Seals and that the scroll was no ordinary scroll. By the spirit of revelation he knew that it was the “title deed” to redemption and, unless someone claimed it, all would be lost.

For a while, no one went forward to claim the scroll. And John wept with feelings of despair that there would be no redemption. You and I would weep too, if we were there with John. Oh, mine! Now, just imagine that we were there with John: we knew that there was a man “who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth” (1 Pet.2:22) and His name was Jesus. He came to fulfill God's Word and died willingly to pay the price of redemption. He resurrected and ascended to Heaven. But, what if Jesus did not go forward to claim the “title deed”? It would mean that there was actually no redemption, and creation would just continue as it was. Yes, we would weep. But — hallelujah! — redemption would be claimed and we would be in our rightful positions! The earth would be claimed and God's Eden restored to its place, and God would come down and be with His people! Praise the Lord!

Can you see why God had to give His Only Begotten Son as “the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 Jhn.2:2)? Can you fathom God's love that when “all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isa.53:6)? Do you know what trepidation Jesus had, in the Garden of Gethsemane, when it came to the drinking of the cup of suffering and death that He prayed so earnestly to God to let it pass from Him? Can you feel the pain of Jesus when “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (Isa.53:7)? Can you visualize Him in the Prętorium, and feel His pain and agony, when those wicked soldiers scourged Him, beat Him, mocked Him, spat upon Him and plunged a crown of thorns deep into the flesh of His head? He was so bloody. What about the humiliation He faced when they crucified Him on the cross and even took away the 'garment of decency' from Him, leaving Him completely naked? Can you understand why Jesus cried, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” while He was dying on Calvary's Cross (Mk.15:34)? Can you? Can you continue to live in sin after knowing all that Christ had gone through specially for you? Think about it.

Why did He do all that for us? Because the Love of God compelled Him. Why did He drink that bitter cup? Because He was God's Grace and Mercy to us. But why? So that He could go right up to the throne of grace and mercy, take that seven-seal Book from the right hand of God Who sits on the throne, break those Seven Seals and claim redemption! So that He could claim the earth, especially the predestinated seeds of God that fell short of the glory of God! If you are a predestinated seed, you would not hesitate to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost (cf. Acts 2:38). You should be grateful. And having received His Spirit of Life, you should walk worthy of that Gospel Light. Amen. Redemption has come. Hallelujah! The bleeding Lamb of God was the supreme price that God had paid for you and me.

Verse 5:  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.
Verse 6:  And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

Praise the Lord! Amen! But who is this Lion of the tribe of Judah? He is none other than Jesus Christ Who is not only the King of Israel, but Who is also the King of all born again saints of His spiritual kingdom. Even as a King, He did not have the right to redeem because God demanded a lamb. So He became a Lamb. And He prevailed. Hallelujah! Christ is the King and Saviour to all who believe in Him. That was why John saw a lamb, instead of a lion, which appeared as if it had been slain, standing in the midst of the throne area. The lamb “had been slain”; it had death wounds on its body. It was bloody looking but it was alive as it stood there “in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders”. Amen! Mercy is there before the throne of God. It has been there for more than nineteen centuries. But soon it would not be there anymore for we are living at the closing hour of the last Church Age. As soon as the Bride of Christ has received the fullness of the revelation of the Seventh (opened) Seal, God would turn back to the Jews and there would be no more mercy for the Gentiles.

Notice, the lamb had “seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth”. Remember, what John saw was a vision, a pictorial scene, illustrative of God's truth. No such animal existed. Also, the lamb is not a person. It personifies a person accomplishing a ministerial work on earth. God is showing Christ as a Mediator Who presented His life as a bloody sacrifice for sin to save mankind from eternal damnation. Truly, if you have the same Spirit of revelation and wisdom as John had you would know that the Lamb and the One sitting on the throne are actually the same ONE but only in different offices.

Now, the Seven Spirits which stood before the throne of God (Rev.1) identified themselves so closely with Christ in His work throughout the Church Ages that they became a part of the Lamb. Here they are described as horns and eyes on the head of the lamb because they worked with the Head of the Church. Horns and eyes signify power and knowledge respectively. Hence, the “seven horns and seven eyes” denote the omnipotence (all-powerful) and omniscience (all-knowing) of Christ Jesus in His dealing with His saints in His Church. Prophet Zechariah described them as “the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth” (Zech.4:10). Yes, these seven Spirits worked very closely with Christ, even in manifesting the seven redemptive names of God which Christ was invested with: “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD” (Isa.11:2).

Verse 7:  And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
Verse 8:  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.

Remember that John saw all these in a vision. The One sitting on the throne is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, Who had overcome and now sits on the Father's Throne. He is all of God, the Everlasting Father (Isa.9:6). He is the fullness of God (Col.2:9). God and Christ are one (Jhn.10:30,38). But the lamb personifies Jesus Christ in His work as a Sacrificial Lamb. Hence, the Lord Jesus Christ is worthy of worship for He, Who was slain as a Lamb, has prevailed as a Lion (of the Tribe of Judah) and obtained the right to sit on the Father's Throne.

The four living creatures and the twenty-four elders prostrated themselves before the Lamb and worshipped Him. Each had a harp and a golden vial that was filled with the prayers of the saints. Yes, God loves the adoration of His saints, their praises and prayers. He always remembers them. The Apostle Paul wrote, “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Heb.13:15). Yes, God loves the aroma of the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving offered by His saints.

Verse 9:  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;
Verse 10:  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

In Revelation 4:9-11 they sung the song of creation. Here it is the “new song” of redemption with specific reference to the Lamb's worthiness to open the scroll because of His work of redemption. The Amplified Bible gives a better rendition of the verses: “And [now] they sing a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the scroll and to break the seals that are on it, for You were slain (sacrificed) and with Your blood You purchased men unto God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And You have made them a kingdom [royal race] and priests to our God, and they shall reign [as kings] over the earth!” Amen. Truly Jesus Christ, as a bloody lamb, was worthy to take the Book and to open and loose the Seven Seals because He willingly gave His life to be slain on the cross. With His blood He has redeemed a kingdom of people from all over the world to rule with Him as kings in the great Millennial Reign of Christ. These same redeemed people are also made a priesthood and thus they do not need a priest to mediate for them. “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Pet.2:5). “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Pet.2:9). “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb.4:16). Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

In Daniel 7:13-14 and 18, the Prophet Daniel described an almost similar vision: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed…But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.”

Verse 11:  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;
Verse 12:  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.

Not only the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders prostrated themselves before the Lamb to worship Him but all the angels in Heaven also lifted their voices and worshipped the Lamb. Notice that the worship was directed at the Lamb. Why? Because He was slain and had overcome and was therefore worthy to receive all the praises and adoration. Because He had overcome He was worthy to take the sealed scroll and open it. Because He could take the sealed scroll and loose the seals He was worthy to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour, glory and blessing.

Verse 13:  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.
Verse 14:  And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

Hallelujah! Every creature in the whole universe had to worship and glorify the Lamb because He was truly worthy. If He had not accomplished what He was ordained to do then there would be no redemption, and creation would continue and end in death. So, can you see and understand why special emphasis was placed upon the lamb and the sealed scroll? Can you understand the mood of jubilation and exaltation around the throne? John saw all these in a vision but God is now revealing them to us in reality. That's why it is important for the saints of God in this hour to recognize the ministry of Christ in His Word. That's why Christ, Who has been shut out of the church in this age, is standing and knocking at the door of every heart, saying “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Rev.3:20). He wants you to get intimate with Him so that He may give you the revelation which He has received from the Heavenly Father. He wants to perfect you and make you ready for the Rapture. He is doing all this through His Five Ascension Gift Ministry (Eph.4:11-16). He is ministering His Word through the Apostles whom He has ordained to lead in the rebuilding of His Church. It was the early Twelve Apostles of Christ who laid the foundation of the Church (Eph.2:20 cf. Rev.21:14). They were the interpreters of the Divine Word prophesied by the Old Testament Prophets.

The Word of the Lord came to the Prophets in the Old Testament. They spoke of THE PROPHET of Prophets who was to come and save the children of Israel. And when Grace was given and the Law was fulfilled by THE PROPHET, Jesus Christ, a new order was set up because a New Covenant was made. That's why the Apostle Paul said that Christ became THE APOSTLE (not THE PROPHET) and the High Priest of the Christians' profession (Heb.3:1). Then we see that the revelation of the Prophetic Word began to come unto the Apostles. Do you know that none of the epistles containing the revelation of the Lord to the Church was written by a Prophet? That's why Jesus Christ set in the Church a 5-Fold Ministry headed by the Apostles, and followed by Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers.

With the Elect being called back to the Apostolic Word by the message of the Seventh Church Age Messenger, there is a need for an Apostolic Ministry to set the Church on the firm foundation of the Word just like the early Church did: the believers “continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). That's right, the Church needs to be established on the proper foundation of the Word of God. Amen.

Saints of God, do you see the Lord Jesus Christ in our midst? Do you recognize the true ministry of the offices of the 5-Fold Ministry which God has ordained to interpret the Word to the Endtime Bride of Christ in order to get her ready for the change in her body? There are much confusions in Christianity and even among the Endtime Message believers. As not all Israel are true Israel (Rom.9:6), likewise not all believers are true believers. But “he that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Rev.3:22). Amen. “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor.2:12-14).

Therefore let us put on the eyesalve of the Holy Spirit and get that gold which has been tried in the fire that we may be rich and that we may put on the white raiment at the Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Maranatha!  Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

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Revelation Chapter 6

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