Revelation 5 Intro

Intro to
to Seven
Seven Seals
Seals
 Revelation 5 Intro
Intro to
to Seven
Seven Seals
Seals
THE MESSAGE OF
REVELATION IS THROUGH
VISIONS – SYMBOLS
SIGN LANGUAGE
The reader is expected to interpret these
signs to get the meaning of the message

It is like seeing a stage play

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Intro to
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Seven Seals
Seals

FIRST SCENE
Chapter 1
Introducing Jesus Christ
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Seven Seals
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SECOND SCENE
Chapters 2-3
The Seven Letters
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Seven Seals
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THIRD SCENE
Chapters 4-5
The Throne Scene
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Rev 5:1 I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on

the throne a book written inside and on the
back, sealed up with seven seals.
seals

Him…on the Throne - GOD (Rev 4:2-11)

Book – a small scroll Thayer's

Written inside and on the back – compare

Ezek 2:9-10 “A hand was extended to me;
and a scroll was in it… and it was written
on the front and back, and written on it
were lamentations, mourning and woe.”
Seven Seals—
Seals Security. A will in Roman
law bore seven seals of seven witnesses. Robertson's Word Pictures
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Rev 5:2 And I saw a strong angel proclaiming

with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the
book and to break its seals?"

Strong (mighty) Angel

(Rev 10:1; 18:21)

Loud voice —
“Heard throughout the
universe” UBS Handbook
Who is worthy —
“Morally entitled”
Vincent Word Studies
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Rev 5:3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or

under the earth was able to open the book
or to look into it.

No one –
in the entire universe!
No creature, human,
nor angel !
Under the earth –
In the unseen Hadean
realm. Vincent Word Studies
Compare (Phil 2:10)
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Rev 5:5 The Lion that is from the tribe of Judah,

the Root of David,
David has overcome so as
to open the book and its seven seals.
The Lion from tribe of Judah:
Gen 49:9 “Judah is a lion’s whelp” cub.
The Root of David: Source
Isa. 11:1- 5 A shoot from his root.
Rev 22:16 Proves this is Jesus
Has overcome: tempted in
all points & prevailed (Heb 4:15)
• Jesus descended from tribe of Judah (Heb 7:14)
• And is in the kingly lineage of David (Mat 1:1)
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Rev 5:5 The Lion that is from the tribe of Judah,

the Root of David,
David has overcome so as
to open the book and its seven seals.
The Lion from tribe of Judah:
Gen 49:9 “Judah is a lion’s whelp” cub.
The Root of David: Source
Isa. 11:1- 5 A shoot from his root.
Rev 2:16 Proves this is Jesus
Has overcome: tempted in
all points & prevailed (Heb 4:15)
• Jesus descended from tribe of Judah (Heb 7:14)
• And is in the kingly lineage of David (Mat 1:1)
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Rev 5:6 And I saw between the throne … and the

elders a Lamb standing, as if slain…
slain

A Lamb standing —
He expected to see a
lion but sees a lamb.

Jesus:
Jesus The Lamb of God
(John1:29; Isa 53:7)
ie. God’s sacrifice.
As if slain:
slain slaughtered.
Expresses violence.
UBS Handbook
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Rev 5:6 A Lamb standing… having seven horns

Horns — Symbol of power Vines

Cf. 1 Ki 22:11 Horns of iron to gore
Seven — the number of perfection
Mt 18:22 seven times c
ctt
r f
f e
e
Rev 1:4 seven Spirits
P ee r
Rev 5:1 seven seals s ’’ P err
s u
u s w w e
Rev 8:2 seven trumpets JJees P oo
P
Rev 12:3 seven heads…
Rev 15:7 seven bowls
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Rev 5:6 A Lamb standing … having seven horns

& seven eyes,
eyes which are the seven Spirits
of God, sent out into all the earth.
Seven eyes — Perfect knowledge

“Omniscience” Robertson’s Word Pictures

Seven Spirits of God — The Holy Spirit.

Called the Seven Spirits (1:4; 3:1; 5:6)

And the Seven Lamps (Rev 4:5)
Sent out — Perfect tense .. Action in past
time with affects continuing to present.
Spirit sent by father & son (John 14:16; 15:26; Rom 8:9)
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Rev 5:8 When He had taken the book

the four creatures and the twenty-four elders fell
down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp
and golden bowls full of incense.

Harp & bowls—

bowls were not
previously mentioned with
these creatures & elders
in Rev 4:4,10.

Each one—
one If creatures
hold a harp & bowl.. how
do they do it w/o hands?
Creatures in Ezek 1:8
had hands under wings.
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Rev 5:8 When He had taken the book

the creatures and the twenty-four elders fell
down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp…

Fell down before — Scene of worship

to the lamb, in profound adoration.

Holding a harp — One of the chief

instruments of OT. Worship (1 Chron 25:1-2).
Suggesting joyful worship (Rev 18:22).
All symbolic– angel with a lion’s face but eyes all over (4:6)
An army on white horses in heaven- purity & victory (19:14)
Instruments in church are human hearts (Eph 5:19)
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Rev 5:8 each one holding a harp and

golden bowls full of incense,
incense which
are the prayers of the saints.
saints

Golden bowls of incense —

Incense used in OT worship (Ex 30:1, 7)
Symbolic of prayers (Ps 141:2)
“May my prayer be counted as
incense before You”
i.e. Sweet incense (Lev 16:12)
Prayers of the saints — Our Prayers are viewed as
presented before God and deemed as sweet.
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Rev 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying…

“Worthy are You to take the book & break its seals”

A new song — This is the third Anthem of Praise.

Notice the ever-rising crescendo
1st – was 4 living creatures (4:8)
2nd – was twenty four elders (4:9-11)
3rd – is 4 creatures + 24 elders (5:8-10)
4th – is millions & millions of angels (5:11-12)
5th – then Every created thing Everywhere (5:13-14)
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Rev 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying…

Worthy art thou

because
thou was slain
&
did purchase
with thy blood
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Rev 5:9 And they sang a

new song, saying “Worthy are You…”

v.9 You were slain —You paid the ultimate price (John
15:13)

v.9 And purchased for God with Your blood… men

(1 Cor 6:20) You were bought with a price…glorify
14
(Acts 20:28) He purchased us with his own blood
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Rev 5:9-10 And they sang a

new song, saying “Worthy are You”

v.9 Purchased men from every tribe, tongue,

people & nation.
nation World-wide scope (Mat 28:19; Mk 16:15)

v.10 You have made them to be a kingdom –

(Mk 9:1)-------- Some Apostles not die till see kingdom come.
(Col 1:13)----- Early Christians were in the kingdom!

v.10 and priests to our God – we are priests now (1 Pet 2:9)
v.10 They will reign upon the earth –
We will fight the battles—and we will win! (Rom 8:37)
Because the battle—belongs to the Lord!
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Rev 5:11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels
around the throne … and the number of them was
ten thousand times ten thousand,
and
thousands of thousands,

Myriads — the Greek

word ‘Muriades’ means
10,000. “The whole
expression means
millions & millions
of them" UBS Handbook
They are all efforts to ex-
press the innumerable
hosts of the angels.
Robertson's Word Pictures
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Rev 5:12 [Saying with a loud voice] “ Worthy is

the Lamb that was slain to receive power,
power riches,
riches
wisdom,
wisdom might,
ht honor,
honor glory and blessing.”
Lamb to receive — ie. take possession of

Power—infinite,
Power equal to the Father (Phil 2:5-8)
Riches—all
Riches creation & heaven (Col 1:16; Rev 22)
Wisdom—great
Wisdom insight into true nature of things
Might—
ht power put into action
Honor—
Honor high respect paid
Glory—brightness,
Glory splendor, radiance (Heb 1:3)
Blessing—praises for character and accomplishments
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Rev 5:13 And every created thing which is in

heaven and on the earth and under the earth &
on the sea,
sea and all things in them, I heard saying..

• Every Angel in heaven

• Every Human on earth
• Every Tree in the forest
• Every Star in space
• Every Saint that ever died
• Every Bird that ever flew
• Every Creature ever swam
Praise their creator by their They join in one thunderous
very existence. acclamation of Praise!
Ps 8:3-9; 19:1-2 (Ps 148:1-13)
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Rev 5:13-14 "To Him who sits on the throne,

throne and
to the Lamb,
Lamb be blessing and honor and glory
and dominion forever and ever."
ever

Dominion forever—Ruling
forever
Power in the universe
All creation involved in
Praising Father & Lamb.

The four living creatures

kept saying, “Amen.”
The elders fell down and
worshiped.
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Conclusion
Before the Battle Begins—
We Know God Has Power to Win!
#1 Four creatures praise God for perfect holiness
and total power
#2 The elders praise God for creative powers
#3 Creatures & elders praise Christ’s sacrifice
#4 Millions of angels declare the Lamb is worthy
#5 All creation honors both the Father and the son
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THIRD SCENE
Chapters 4-5
The Throne Scene
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FOURTH SCENE
Chapter 6
The Seven Seals