Redeemer and Judge
6:17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand? The title given to this book, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, makes complete sense when reading these two chapters. First of all, Jesus is shown, without any doubt, to be honored and worshipped as God. He is in the midst of God's throne and is worshipped as God eternal (5:5-6, 12-14). John goes on to declare that Jesus is the promised Messiah because He is referred to with Old Testament titles, such as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David" (5:5). As humanity's redeemer, He is called the Lamb of God because Christ had become the perfect fulfillment of the Jewish sacrificial system. Christ is declared to be the only one worthy to make atonement for all sin, committed by all humanity, for all time. He alone is the "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Thus from every corner of Earth, there will be those who have accepted the redemption from sin's judgment that Christ provides (5:8-9). It is Christ alone in all of Heaven and Earth who has the right to open the scroll's seals that release God's judgment upon the Earth. This judgment is a wrath against sin that is ascribed to the Lamb (6:16-17). A limited view of Christ would not accept that the Jesus of the Bible could also have such wrath. But the hatred for sin within God's being is not in disharmony with God's grace revealed in Christ's earthly ministry. They are not mutually exclusive but are held in perfect balance in God. We have only to remember Christ's zealous cleansing of the Temple to see a glimpse of Christ's holy wrath. In Christ we find the fullness of God, the outshining of God's glory. And judgment is an aspect of God's glory. Who better than Christ to release the judgments of God? For He has proven in Himself that God is love. He who knew no sin is the one who became sin for us on the cross. He is the one who wept over the impending judgment upon Jerusalem. He is the one who pleaded, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). Who better than Christ to unleash the judgment for sin since He has made a way for none to be judged? Yet if the wicked arrogance of a person despises the grace of God, what more needs to be done to prove Him worthy of the judgment due our sin? | |||||||||||||
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Revelation 5:1-6:17 1 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?" 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. 4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. 5 But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals." 6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. Worthy Is the Lamb 8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; 11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain 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, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power 14 Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever. Revelation 6 First Seal: The Conqueror 1 Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, "Come and see." 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. Second Seal: Conflict on Earth 3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come and see." 4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword. Third Seal: Scarcity on Earth 5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come and see." So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, "A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine." Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on Earth 7 When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see." 8 So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs 9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed. Sixth Seal: Cosmic Disturbances 12 I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. 13 And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" | |||||||||||||
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Revelation 5:1-6:17 v. 1 Right Hand – Throughout both the Old and New Testaments the right hand was considered the dominant hand representing authority and power. (Gen. 48:17, 18; Ex. 15:6, 12; Job 40:14; Ps. 16:8; Ecc. 10:2; Mark 10:37, 12:36, 14:62; 1 Peter 3:22; Rev. 13:16). Scroll – Scrolls are ancient books comprised of pieces of papyrus or parchment sown together and rolled on a spindle. As the throne of God and the worship of God was the primary focus of chapter four, this scroll is the primary focus of chapter five. Written Inside and on the Back – Just as the pages of books have writing on both sides of its pages so this long continuous scroll sheet contained writing on both sides. Often ancient "stone tablets" would utilize both sides of the tablet for best use of writing space (Eze. 2:9, 10). In John's day, however, it was unusual for a scroll to be written on both sides. Seven Seals – The "sealing with seven seals" is a picture of a highly secure seal. Roman law required a will to be sealed seven times as illustrated in the wills left by Augustus and Vespasian for their successors. Through the centuries, commentators have suggested many different ideas concerning what this scroll represents. It's important to remember that whatever is on this scroll, no one except Jesus is worthy to open it (Rev. 5:3-4). v.2 Who is Worthy? – As the next verse reveals, no human or angel was found worthy to this point. Only God Himself is worthy to open this scroll. Open the Scroll…Loose its Seals – Only one who is worthy would have the right and privilege to unlock and read this scroll. v. 3 to Look at it – Not only was no one worthy to open the scroll, but also no one was able to even look at it. v. 4 So I Wept Much – John weeps here because there is something to be greatly lost if no one can come to the rescue mankind and open this scroll. Many believe this scroll is the title deed of the earth and represents God's plan of redemption for mankind. According to Jewish law only a next of kin could come and redeem the lost property or persons of the one found destitute (Lev. 25:23-28, 39-46, 47-55; Ruth 2:20). This means that the redeemer of mankind had to be a blood relative of the human race and not merely angelic. If a qualified person could not properly redeem the world from its current condition mankind would be lost to Satan forever. Jesus Christ is our blood relative and Kinsmen Redeemer. v. 5 the Elders – See Rev 4:4, 10 and study notes. the Lion of the Tribe of Judah – Judah was one of the 12 tribes of Israel. The tribe's signet banner was "the lion" (Gen. 49:9). The writer of Hebrews tells us that the Lord Jesus Christ was from the tribe of Judah (Heb. 7:14). He is identified here as "the lion" of "the tribe." Root of David – Because Jesus Christ descended from King David, He is also called "the root of David" (Rom. 1:3, 15:12; Rev. 22:15) These two phrases together are messianic titles (Is. 11:10). Prevailed – To "prevail" means to be in a battle and succeed. In the battle between God and Satan, Jesus has shown Himself the victor. He overcame sin and death. And He overcame Satan himself. This was all done at the cross (Col. 2:14-15). to Open the Scroll and to Loose its Seven Seals – Jesus Christ has prevailed and is worthy to open the scroll and loose its seals. "Under Jewish law, real estate that had been forfeited by a man could only be redeemed (brought back) by near kinsman (blood relative) (Lev. 25:25). To redeem the earth, forfeited by man, the redeemer must be a blood relative (hence a man, not an angel) and must come forward with the purchase price in hand—something that no one in the universe could do except Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19)". This background further supports the idea of this scroll being the title deed of the earth lost with the fall of Adam and purchased back by the blood of Jesus Christ. It is important to point out that "the world" is representative of the people, not just the land (John 3:16). v. 6 in the Midst of the Throne – This lamb stands, "in the midst of the throne." Jesus, the Lamb of God, shares the throne of God with His Father (Rev. 3:21). This is more evidence of the deity of Jesus Christ. Four Living Creatures – See Rev 4:6,8; 5:6 and study notes. a Lamb as Though it had been Slain – John looks to see a conquering lion only to discover a lamb slain. Jesus was called "the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" (John 1:29). Seven Horns and Seven Eyes – In the scriptures, "horns" are a representation of power and "eyes" are a picture of knowledge and wisdom. The number "seven" is a figure of completion and perfection. Thus, this lamb has perfect and complete power and perfect and complete wisdom and understanding. v. 7 He Came and Took the Scroll out of the Right Hand of Him Who Sat on the Throne – There is no question that this is a record of the interaction between God the Father and Jesus Christ. This is similar to Daniel's vision in Daniel 7:13-14. v. 8 Fell Down Before the Lamb – An act of supreme worship. Here the holiest of creatures in heaven around the throne of God bow in submission to Jesus Christ. If Jesus were not deity this would be blasphemy. Harps – It is interesting to note that there will be musical instruments in heaven used to worship God. Golden Bowls Full of Incense – The use of incense was one of the many ways God instructed Moses to offer up worship in the Tabernacle (Ex. 31:8, 11; 35:8, 15, 28; 37:25). Prayers of the Saints – "Saints" is simply a term applied to all believers and another way of saying "set apart" (1 Cor. 1:2, 6:2, 14:33; Eph. 2:19; Phil 1:1, 4:22; Col. 1:2). Our prayers are like incense that ascends to heaven has a pleasing aroma before God. Here we see how important the prayers are the saints are to God. He regards them as "a sweet-smelling incense, set in precious golden bowls" (Ps. 141:2). v. 9 they Sang – This context seems to confer that this song is being sung by both the 24 elders and the four living creatures. a New Song – a song that has never been sung before Redeemed – agorazo (Gk.) to buy in the marketplace, purchase by Your Blood – According to God's justice, the only way to obtain forgiveness and cleaning from sin is through the shedding of blood (Lev. 17:11, Heb. 9:22). This verse points to the shed blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of the sins of all who would believe (Rom. 3:25; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; 1 John 1:7). Out of Every Tribe and Tongue and People and Nation – The salvation provided through Jesus Christ's death burial and resurrection is not limited to a specific people group but provides salvation for all the people of the world (John 1:29, 3:16, 1 John 2:2). So we see believers from every people group of the world represented here. v. 11 Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand, and Thousands of Thousands – Now we see the ripple of praise expanding out in all directions from the throne of God. The point of this verse is not to give us an exact count of how many angels are in heaven, but to convey the innumerable hosts of heaven worshipping God. We see again that the primary occupation in heaven at this time is worship and praise. v. 12 Worthy is the Lamb – If Jesus was not "God the Son" and if the doctrine of the trinity were not true, this would be nothing short blasphemy (Deut. 6:13-15). But God the Father is indeed pleased to share worship and praise with His Son (Ps. 2:12, John 5:22-23). All this builds a case for the deity of Christ. Power – dunamis (Gk.) power, might, strength: Jesus is worthy and deserving to receive all the power of heaven. He is omnipotent (Matt. 28:18; 1 Cor. 1:24; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 1:3; Mark 5:1-20, 25-29, 35-43). Riches – ploutos (Gk.) fullness, abundance, plenitude. Jesus possesses all the fullness and abundance of heaven (Col 1:16). Wisdom – sophia (Gk.) wisdom, broad and full of intelligence; used of the knowledge of very diverse matters. Jesus is Omniscient (1 Cor. 1:24, James 1:5). Strength – ischus (Gk.) ability, force, strength, might. Jesus has the strength needed to disarm the powers of evil and overthrow Satan (Ps. 24:8, Matt. 12:29, Luke 11:22). Honor – time (Gk.) esteem (especially of the highest degree), or the dignity itself: precious price. Jesus is the one before Whom every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord indeed (Phil. 2:11; Ps. 104:1; Ps. 8:5; Heb 2:7, 9). Blessing – eulogia (Gk.) praise and laudation v. 13 Every Creature Which is in Heaven and on the Earth – Again we see all of creation worshiping the Lamb. Only this time we see equal praise being attributed to both the Father and the Son (to Him who Sits on the Throne, And to the Lamb). v. 14 Amen – amen (Gk.) so it is, so be it, may it be fulfilled Revelation 6 It is insightful to compare the opening of these seven seals to Jesus' explanation of end time events. Each sign Jesus gives in Matthew chapter 24 corresponds perfectly with each seal opened so far, even in the exact order.
v. 1 the Lamb – One of Jesus' many scriptural titles is, "the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" (John 1:29). four living creatures – high-ranking angelic beings closest to the throne of God (Rev. 4:6, 8; 5:6 and study notes). voice like thunder – a loud, powerful, commanding voice Come and see – This phrase is repeated four times in this chapter, once by each of the four living creatures. Each time it is spoken to John with the intention to reveal another apocalyptic event. This Greek phrase could also be translated, "Go forth," depending upon how it is used in context. v. 2 white horse – the transport of a king or conqueror. Roman generals after a victory in battle would ride a white horse in triumph with their captives following. As the true Christ opens the first seal we see a depiction of one imitating Christ, the anti-Christ himself, going forth to conquer the world. Because war and famine follow this white horse and rider, this is clearly not the Christ but the Antichrist (Zech. 1:8-17, 6:1-8). a bow – Rather than a short-range weapon like a sword, a bow has long-range effect enabling this rider to conquer across the globe. crown was given to him – power and authority was given to this rider (Luke 4:6, Rev. 13:2) v. 4 fiery red – a symbol of bloodshed and war (Zech. 1:8, 6:2) a great sword – representing a great capacity for death and destruction v. 5 black horse – a symbol of famine, which would be the natural aftermath of bloodshed, death and war (Zech. 6:2, 6) a pair of scales in his hand – This rider was given the ability to weigh the price of living (food products) as verse 6 indicates. v. 6 A quart of wheat – minimum nourishment to sustain one person for a day denarius – denarion (Gk.) meaning "containing ten." A Roman silver coin in NT time. It took its name from it being equal to 10 "asses," a number after 217 BC increased to 16 (or .1375 oz.). This was the principal silver coin of the Roman empire. From Jesus' parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matt. 20:2-13), it would seem that a denarius was at that time the common pay for a day's wages. three quarts of barley – Enough to possibly feed a small family. Barley is a less nourishing food than wheat. do not harm the oil and the wine – There are limits set to the destruction of this famine. These luxury items are not affected. v. 7 fourth seal…fourth living creature – Each of the four living creatures have now spoken in turn, and each has released a horse (6:1, 3, 5, 7). v. 8 a pale horse – the color of death Hades – hades (Gk.) the place (state) of departed souls; grave, hell. v. 9 under the altar – According to the Law of Moses, the blood of sacrificed animals was ritually poured out at the base of the altar (Ex. 29:12, Lev. 4:7). souls – psuche (Gk.) the vital living force which animates the body slain for the word of God – A clear picture of believers who were martyred for their faith in and allegiance to God's Word. testimony – marturia (Gk.) evidence given, record, report, witness. These "souls" have been put to death because they faithfully testified to the truth of God's word. v. 10 true – alethinos (Gk.) that which has not only the name and resemblance, but the real nature corresponding to the name, in every respect corresponding to the idea signified by the name, real, genuine judge – krino (Gk.) to try, condemn, punish: avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, call in question, sentence avenge – ekdikeo (Gk.) to vindicate, retaliate, punish, take revenge those who dwell on the earth – The population of the world who has turned | |||||||||||||
