The Scroll - Revelation 5:1-10

Revelation 5:1-10 ESV
The Scroll and the Lamb
Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty- four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.

Who is worthy indeed? The question is asked and no one is found on the earth that is able to come forward. All the inhabitants of heaven remain where they are. There is no one. John realizes this and begins to weep bitter tears.
Then one of the elders begins to speak. He is from the body of Christ which gives witness of His marvelous deeds. "Weep no more". He shall dry every eye. Those that mourn will leap for joy! The Lion of Judah has conquered and has overcome the world. He is the word of God that endures forever and does not return empty. Through Him fulfillment is found. To Him everything has been given.

Christ appears between between the throne and the living creatures. He is the way to God, the only way to the Father from all creation.

Notice He stands among the elders, just as He walks in the midst of the lamp stands of the church. The one just described as the Lion of Judah is now called the Lamb. The mystery and wonder of a God that would become the sacrificial lamb to show us the way comes into view. We are to humble ourselves before we are glorified to the glory of God. The seven horns and seven eyes relay His complete power and dominion over creation.

Then the strong arm of God reaches to the right hand of God and assumes the dominion of creation that was promised by the Father to the Son. He has fulfilled His first entrance into creation that opens the door to heaven. Just as we find the Lamb and the King to be one, we see another message of the unity of Father and Son. Jesus was the word of God. A word spoken comes from within a man. He has the Spirit of the Father, the same Spirit that is given to us, which is the body of Christ. He is God revealed out loud, made manifest that God would reveal Himself in a way that we can hear. Give ear...

The elders and the living creature fall down before The Lord in worship. The elders sing a new song and are further identified with the prayers of the saints. The new song is the joyful thanksgiving of those delivered by the new covenant. They acknowledge what He has done and what He is doing. He has ransomed a people to rule by His side and serve Him as priests. They are depicted before Him as elders, the first fruits of a great harvest to come.

Ezekiel 2:9-10
And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. And he spread it before me. And it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe.

Daniel 8:26-27
The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”
And I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about the king's business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it.

Isaiah 41:28-29
But when I look, there is no one;
among these there is no counselor
who, when I ask, gives an answer.
Behold, they are all a delusion;
their works are nothing;
their metal images are empty wind.

Daniel 12:8-9
I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.

Isaiah 11:1-5
Chapter 11
The Righteous Reign of the Branch
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.
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 the fear of the Lord.
And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.
He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide disputes by what his ears hear,
but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;
and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.
Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Psalms 141:2
Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

Psalms 33:3-5
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
For the word of the Lord is upright,
and all his work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

Psalms 98:1-3
Psalm 98
Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord
A Psalm.
Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
have worked salvation for him.
The Lord has made known his salvation;
he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.