Revelation Chapter 5

VERSE 4 “So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.”

SO I WEPT MUCH: It is certainly possible that the literal John had this reaction. The expectancy aroused by Chapter 4 would have him in great anticipation of the implied blessings from the scroll. It is more likely, however, that John here pictures the Church before Pentecost during which time the brethren were in great perplexity to find answers to all the questions awakened by the events of their day.

BECAUSE: (up to that time)

NO ONE WAS FOUND WORTHY TO OPEN AND READ THE SCROLL: (approved and thus given understanding)

OR TO LOOK AT IT: (“be justified to understand it even if it were made plain.”) New Albany Notes on Revelation

The Situation before the Lamb Proved Worthy

“In chapter 5, we find God’s plan and message sealed up in a scroll, and no one found worthy to open it. The seals implied that it could be read, but it would require someone special to open the seals. John was greatly upset because no one had been found worthy to open the scroll up to the time of the first advent. This was understandable since if this scroll could not have been opened, there would have been no means by which God’s plan could be unfurled and carried out.

Law and justice, the strong angel, in a sense had found everyone guilty up to this point, and there was no one able to satisfy him. When John first looked, no one had been found that could satisfy the law, and that is why he is seen weeping. In the same sense, when Jesus lay dead in the grave, the apostles including John were weeping because of what they had lost. They had thought that they had found the savior needed to restore Israel, but he was then taken from them and killed. What they didn’t realize was that when that happened, their original expectation of what Christ was going to do for them was actually found to be too small and too narrow. By his death and resurrection he can now bring life to all who accept his salvation, as we will see through the rest of this chapter.” (Revelation Notes, Southern Wisconsin)

“If the vision had commenced with the first verse of Chapter 5, it would have been difficult to rationalize John’s depth of feeling and emotional involvement as a spectator when he heard the strong angel’s announcement and subsequent silence (Verses 2 and 3). It is another matter entirely when the enactment of this drama is considered, in its proper perspective, to comprehend all of both the fourth and fifth chapters of the Apocalypse. Chapter 4 afforded an insight into the character of God, the Creator and Author of salvation and atonement. Though John had not read, up to this point, a single word of the scroll held in Jehovah’s right hand, he knew it contained something ultimately very favorable.

The holy joy and the optimistic enthusiasm voiced by the living creatures and the twenty-four elders extended and exuded into Chapter 5, creating a mood or aura of hope and expectancy. Consequently, the Apostle wept much when he heard the discouraging announcement of the strong angel that no one had the capability and authorization to execute God’s program. With such a hope deferred and Jehovah’s mission of mercy seemingly aborted, a cloud of mental and emotional frustration plunged John into a deep despondency. For not only was no one found worthy to open—to analyze, absorb, and execute—the great plan, but no one was found worthy even to gaze upon the external writing of the scroll and thus give an intelligent synopsis of the program contained within.

In summary then, the posture of Jehovah holding the scroll (Verses 1 to 4) is the condition of things that prevailed from Father Adam down through the ages to Christ, with particular attention focused on the end period of the Old Testament era.” (The Keys of Revelation)

VERSE 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.”

BUT ONE OF THE ELDERS: (Those which we saw introduced in Chapter 4)

This verse could be very perplexing since it quotes IDEAS rather than actual words form the prophecies. The Elder is probably the book of Isaiah.

IF we were asked to restrict ourselves to ONLY ONE prophecy to explain Jesus’ place in God’s plan, which would we choose?

Which did Philip choose when he wanted to explain Jesus to the Ethiopian? Isaiah is the answer.

SAID TO ME: The understanding of Isaiah’s prophecy is particularly comforting to the saints in that Isaiah probably explains more about Jesus’ place in prophecy than does any other prophet.

DO NOT WEEP: We need not find these words in Isaiah. We need only know that Isaiah’s assurances of Jesus’ victory will, indeed, wipe away tears from all who learn them.

BEHOLD, THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH, THE ROOT OF DAVID: It should be noted carefully that neither of these two expressions is a direct quote of any Scripture.

Some have suggested Gen 49:9, 10 (as we will see), and Isaiah 11:10; but neither REALLY says these words. The argument COULD BE MADE that Moses (i.e. the book of Genesis) is the Elder of this verse, but Gen. 49 does not say anything about the Root of David.

Isaiah 11, however, IMPLIES a Lion of Judah and a Root of David.

The Lion implies the STRONG ONE. Isaiah 11:1-5 clearly defines one of superior strength and authority.

Judah is, of course, Jesse’s root; therefore, this Lion is from Judah. Judah is prominently mentioned in Isaiah 11.

The Root of David is, of course, also the root of Jesse. Thus, Isaiah 11 fulfills this part of Rev. 5:5.

HAS PREVAILED: Jesus’ overcoming was proven by his resurrection and by the resultant giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Isaiah 53 tells the John Class of these facts.

TO OPEN THE SCROLL AND TO LOOSE ITS SEVEN SEALS: This does NOT say he HAS opened the book and seals. It says he has overcome SO AS TO (to have the right to) open the book and seals. (New Albany Notes on Revelation)

It will be noted in our next commentary that the suggestion is that the elder is the book of Genesis rather than the book of Isaiah this however should not be infer as a division amongst the brethren, it is simply a matter of personal preference. One author sees it one way while another sees it another, both suggestion nevertheless have support.

“The elder who gives John some comfort, some assurance of what to expect, is the message found in, and personified by, the first book of the Bible: Genesis.

“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Gen. 49:10).

Although a long, long period of time had to expire before the arrival of the Promised One, this prophecy narrowed down the field of inquiry to one specific family, the tribe of Judah. The elder assures John that Jesus of Nazareth, who was born in Bethlehem of Judea, the city of David, and who was put to death in the flesh and is now raised victoriously to glory, is indeed Messiah and that Jesus will soon disclose to the beloved Apostle the mystery of the scroll; i.e., the dispensational contents locked within—yea, sealed with seven seals.

In the Book of Revelation and in several other instances, the “lion” pictures justice and judgment; frequently, however, it symbolizes power, both thoughts are implied here. First, it was necessary for Jesus to satisfy the claims of justice against a sin cursed race: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust” (1 Pet. 3:18) and “without shedding of blood is no remission [of sins]” (Lev. 17:11; Heb. 9:22). The other aspect that of power, is apparent in that he “hath prevailed.”

However, the statement that “the Lion . . . hath prevailed to open the book” does not signify that Jesus actually opened the book at this point in time, but that he proved worthy.

This verse brings the reader up to the First Advent and then hurriedly introduces, in the next verse, not the “slain” Lamb of Calvary but the now risen and ascended Lord, acknowledging his worthiness in that he “hath prevailed.” It is not until Rev 6:1 that Jesus actually starts to open the scroll.” (The Keys of Revelation)

We move on to Verse 6 in our next post.