I have been notorious for losing my keys and it seem I cannot find them when I am in a crisis or a real hurry. Often my wife will ask are you ready to leave and I‘ll say we aren’t going anywhere until I find my keys. She is always the calm one and helps solve the puzzle of the missing keys. One time she found them in the freezer. My car in the driveway couldn’t go anywhere on its own until the key was found and the car started up. On a much larger and more important scale – the destiny of our world has been headed in one direction since the fall. And unless someone steps up with the key – or the title deed – nothing will change. That is what we learn in our study of Rev.ch.5.

Only one individual has the right and only one individual has the power to take back the universe from sin, the curse and Satan’s usurping powers. He is the central person in this incredible vision. In fact, only one person can ever claim that – and this transaction, and the unfolding of the rest of the book – is seen in this vision while John is in heaven – continued from chapter 4.

Last time we saw John he was caught up to heaven to the very throne room of God. He is not in a room the size of the Oval Office at the White House; he is in the throne room of God that can accommodate ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands. There he gazed upon the rainbow-circled throne of God and witnessed celestial beings acknowledging the glory of God in creation. The focus of attention in chapter four was the beauty and glory of God on His throne. Now, in chapter five our attention shifts to the seven-sealed book in the right hand of him that sat on the throne, better described as…

I The Parchment (5:1)

1. John begins with a reference to the throne, but now shifted his focus to the scroll held by the enthroned Lord. The word “book” in verse one should be translated “scroll” because in John’s day there were no books as we know them today, only scrolls. The scroll in God’s right hand was written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals (5:1).

The scroll was so full of writing that it could not all be contained on one side, and thus information overflowed to the backside as well. On such a typical scroll, the Book of Revelation would fill a scroll 15 feet long. When a roll was finished, it was fastened with strings and the strings were sealed with wax at the knots. This scroll was sealed with seven seals; there were seven strings around the scroll, each string sealed with wax.

This scroll had some very curious characteristics. Look at them. “It was written inside and on the back and it was sealed up with seven seals.” The only thing initially that culturally looks familiar to us there at first might be that the Romans sealed a will seven times. When somebody wrote their will they sealed it seven times.

What that meant was as the scroll was rolled up they would seal the edge of it so that it would be sealed repeatedly until it was finally closed. You couldn’t open it unless you periodically broke a seal and a little further broke a seal and a little further broke a seal, the seal would be on the edge. That prevented people from looking at it without the authorization. “This kind of contract was known all over the Middle East in ancient times and was used by the Romans from the time of Nero on.

The full contract would be written on the inner pages and then sealed with seven seals.” Not just a will but various kinds of contracts. “Then the content of the contract would be described briefly on the outside.” A good illustration of this is back in Jeremiah 32.

2. Some think the scroll is the title deed to planet earth. The best solution is to see the scroll as “God’s will, his final settlement of the affairs of the universe.” This seven-sealed book contains the unfolding of the consummation of the age, the end of time as we know it, the setting up of Christ’s kingdom, and the inheritance of the saints who will reign with Him (5:10).

We are not told in this chapter what is written on the scroll, but when the seals are broken in chapter six, the judgments of God’s will is poured out upon the earth. When the seventh seal is opened, the trumpets begin to sound. Then, at the sounding of the seventh trumpet, Revelation 10:7 says…. the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

II. The Predicament (5:2-4)

1. A problem or a predicament immediately arose when a “strong” angel asked in verse two, Who is worthy to open the book, and to lose the seals thereof? Some believe this is Gabriel. It was he who ordered the closing of this book and seal until the time of the end (Daniel 12:4) But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, [even] to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

2. The problem was no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon (5:3). John says in verse four, and I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. These are not just a few tears but he wept for humanity.

1. To better understand the nature of this dilemma and why John weeps. I have an illustration using this treasure box. Let’s suppose the cure for cancer, and MS… was in this box; the answer to hunger and disease and war and aging and evil was in this very box. All one must do is open the box. But to open the box one must have the key and for one to have the key one must have not ever told a lie…so someone please come.

2. According to God’s law in Leviticus 25:25, an Israelite could sell or lose his land only for a time. A lost estate in Israel could always be redeemed by a kinsman redeemer.Therefore, the seven-sealed book contained the terms of redemption for the entire earth, and the only one worthy to open it was a kinsman redeemer who could pay the price of redemption. That is the problem someone needs to procure our redemption… Romans 3:10-12

III. The Procurer (5:5-7)

1. John was still weeping in verse five when no one was found worthy to open the scroll, but then in verse five he is comforted by one of the elders saying, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book …

2. There is Only one who is worthy-who “has prevailed” from the Greek word nik-ah’-o, – which is where we get the English word “Nike” which was the Greek goddess of victory where we get the English transliteration used by the sports company, Nike, and refers to conquest, to carry off the victory, victorious over all ones’ foes. He is the one that procure our salvation, the Christ and more accurately the Lamb of God.

Jesus was worthy because He paid the redemption price and because He was the Lion of the tribe of Juda and the Root of David (5:5). The tribe of Juda was God’s chosen kingly tribe that would rule His land. Therefore, Jesus was indeed the Kinsman Redeemer with royal rights because He was of the tribe of Judea and the Root of David and will rule from the New Jerusalem.

3) Note the Lamb appeared as it had been slain … (5:6). This clearly links Jesus to the Passover lamb described in Exodus 12:5-7, 13. It should also be noted that the Lamb is standing, emphasizing the resurrection, rather than lying dead from the crucifixion. Jesus is standing alive and ready to step forward and take the scroll. Previously, He was sitting with His Father on His throne (Rev. 3:21), but now He is standing, ready to act.

The Lamb had seven horns He bears the marks of omnipotence (seven horns) and omniscience (seven eyes) and remember the scroll that John saw was sealed with seven seals. Seven, in the Bible, is a symbol for perfection so it means that it was perfectly sealed and closed.

In verse seven, Christ comes to center stage and takes … the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. Christ alone is worthy to redeem the world by taking and opening the seven-sealed scroll.

Conclusion:

Jesus left His home to come to ours, so that someday, we could go back to His! He, too, left His homeland to give birth to a great nation of people! Jesus, too, gave His life for His own people!? This, my friend, is the cost of freedom! Death is the cost of freedom! Bloodshed is the cost of freedom! It always has been, it always will be!