Revelation 5:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.

NIV: He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.

NASB: And He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

CSB: He went and took the scroll out of the right hand of the one seated on the throne.

NLT: He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne.

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

NKJV: Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

Earlier in this passage, John wept when it appeared that there was no one qualified to open the scroll containing God's judgment on sin and wickedness (Revelation 5:2–4). As the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5), Jesus had the legal right to receive the scroll. As the Lamb, He had the moral right to receive it. As Israel's lawful King, Jesus will return to earth after God unleashes His judgments on sin.

Revelation 19:11–16 describes Jesus' return to earth to establish His kingdom. The passage notes that "on his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords" (Revelation 19:16). As the Lamb who died to provide forgiveness for sinners, Jesus has the right to judge those who spurn His offer of forgiveness (John 3:36). So, as the only one with both the legal and moral qualifications to open the scroll and break its seals, Jesus stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of God. Only Jesus is the rightful King and our Savior.

Revelation 5:6–10 shows what happened after John saw a scroll which no one, other than Jesus—''the Lion of the tribute of Judah''—was worthy to open. John' attention was drawn to a vision of a Lamb that had been slain, once again representative of Jesus. This Lamb stood among the elders, between the throne and the four living creatures. The Lamb took the scroll from God's right hand, and when He did so, the four living creatures and twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb and sang a new song. This response praised the Lamb as worthy to take the scroll and to make the ransomed people all over the earth a kingdom of priests that would reign on the earth.

Revelation 5 tells us John saw a scroll in God's right hand. The scroll had writing in it and on its back. Also, the scroll was sealed with seven seals. A search uncovered no one who was worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. However, one of the elders told John that Jesus could open the scroll, as the only one with the legal and moral right to do so. When Jesus accepted the scroll, universal praise in heaven and on earth rose to Jesus. He alone was found worthy to open the scroll because, as God's Lamb, He had shed His blood for all mankind.

Jesus commanded John to write ''the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this.'' The first three chapters of Revelation contained those things which ''were'' and ''are,'' at the time John wrote. Chapters 2 and 3 provided the contents of Jesus' letters to seven churches. Chapter 4 begins the largest and last section of Revelation, regarding events yet to take place when John wrote (Revelation 1:19). John introduced God seated upon His throne, with twenty-four elders and four angelic creatures nearby. Chapter 5 focuses on a scroll containing God's judgments on sin, and a search for someone to open it. Only Jesus is worthy to open it. When Jesus receives the scroll from God, He receives praise from every creature in heaven and on earth.

The word ''revelation'' means ''an unveiling or disclosure.'' This writing unveils future events such as the rapture, three series of judgments that will fall on the earth during the tribulation, the emergence of the Antichrist, the persecution of Israel and her amazing revival, as well as Jesus' second coming with His saints to the earth, the judgment of Satan and his followers, and finally, the eternal state. This content, combined with the original Greek term apokalypsis, is why we now refer to an end-of-the-world scenario as ''an apocalypse.''

Accessed 11/21/2024 1:40:40 PM