Rev 5:3 | KingComments | STEP | . In this new chapter your eye is focused on “a book” which is “in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne”. In the previous verses you’ve seen that all power is in the hands of the Lord Jesus. In the scene you see now, the way in which the Lord Jesus will take control is presented. He already has the power since His work on the cross ( ), but here we have the moment that He openly accepts His power. Therefore it is an impressive moment. The book is a scroll. Normally in a scroll there is writing only “inside”, but this one there is also writing “on the back”, or on the outside. It is fully written, with no room to add anything. Nor is there anything to add, for the book contains the property rights of Christ (cf. ; ). From this book it appears that He is authorized to execute judgments needed to purify the earth and then to fulfill the counsels of God with regard to creation. The judgments are described in Revelation 6-19. In the chapters that follow the consummation of all God’s plans follows with blessing for both the old and the new creation. That all this has been documented in a book means that it is immutably fixed and verifiably executed as described. The book contains the history of the future. Only God is able to write history beforehand. The book is “sealed up with seven seals”. This means, in order to open the book, the seals must first be broken. So the first acts of judgment are seen when in Revelation 6the seals are broken one by one. . But first the question arises who is worthy to open the book and break its seals. This question comes from the mouth of “a strong angel” and it sounds through the universe, through heaven and over the earth. The question is who the owner is of the inheritance described in it, which is creation. Also, the question is who has the right to redeem the inheritance. That question must be answered, because the inheritance has fallen into the hands of an unlawful owner, the devil, caused by the guilt of man. A strong angel is asking the question, but he himself is not the answer to the question, however powerful he may be. It must be someone who is worthy to do it and who is able to do it, who has the power. The right on the inheritance is therefore about the personal dignity of the heir and about the personal strength to execute the content of it. He Who meets both conditions, dignity and strength, is the Son of Man ( ). . The voice of the angel is heard everywhere, but no answer comes from anywhere: 1. not from “heaven”, the dwelling place of the chosen angels, 2. not from “the earth”, the dwelling place of men and 3. not from “under the earth”, the residence of other intelligent creatures. The universe, in all its components (cf. ), does not contain one single creature that can deal with the book. No one is able to do that, no one has the suitable ability ( ). . When John sees that there is no response to the question of the angel, he bursts into tears and weeps intensely. He weeps, not because he had been looking forward to the judgments, but which now do not pass, as once Jonah was displeased with that ( ). No, he weeps, because he cannot bear the thought that evil will reign forever and will not be punished. Countless people have sought to open the book and bring about the time of blessing. That is still the effort of man. But man himself is part of evil and therefore completely unfit and also incapable to deal with evil in a way that is pleasing to God. Is there really no one who is able to do it? Yes, there is a Man Who meets all God’s holy requirements regarding evil. . John is weeping greatly, but not for long. An elder – a glorified believer who has insight in the ways and the counsels of God – says to him not to weep. For there is Someone Who is able to open the book and its seven seals. It is “the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah” about Whom Jacob has prophesied ( ). As the Lion He is the Ruler. He is also “the Root of David”. He belongs to the royal descendants, He is the true Son of David and has the legal right to reign. He is none other than the Lord Jesus. He gained His dignity and right by His victory on the cross. There He regained the ownership of creation. There He crushed the head of satan, who by wiles and craftiness has illegally taken possession of creation. He has paid the full ransom and repurchased the whole creation for God. He has the right to open the seals, which is the right of redeeming the earth, in order to purify it from all injustice. He has overcome on the cross and will give shape to that victory in all that He does. Now read Revelation 5:1-5 again. Reflection: Have you ever felt that evil is in control and that it seems as if it will never change? When is that? How do you do then?

‏ Revelation of John 5:3

The Scroll

Rev 5:1. In this new chapter your eye is focused on “a book” which is “in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne”. In the previous verses you’ve seen that all power is in the hands of the Lord Jesus. In the scene you see now, the way in which the Lord Jesus will take control is presented. He already has the power since His work on the cross (Mt 28:18), but here we have the moment that He openly accepts His power. Therefore it is an impressive moment.

The book is a scroll. Normally in a scroll there is writing only “inside”, but this one there is also writing “on the back”, or on the outside. It is fully written, with no room to add anything. Nor is there anything to add, for the book contains the property rights of Christ (cf. Jer 32:6-16; Lev 25:23-25). From this book it appears that He is authorized to execute judgments needed to purify the earth and then to fulfill the counsels of God with regard to creation.

The judgments are described in Revelation 6-19. In the chapters that follow the consummation of all God’s plans follows with blessing for both the old and the new creation. That all this has been documented in a book means that it is immutably fixed and verifiably executed as described. The book contains the history of the future. Only God is able to write history beforehand.

The book is “sealed up with seven seals”. This means, in order to open the book, the seals must first be broken. So the first acts of judgment are seen when in Revelation 6the seals are broken one by one.

Rev 5:2. But first the question arises who is worthy to open the book and break its seals. This question comes from the mouth of “a strong angel” and it sounds through the universe, through heaven and over the earth. The question is who the owner is of the inheritance described in it, which is creation. Also, the question is who has the right to redeem the inheritance. That question must be answered, because the inheritance has fallen into the hands of an unlawful owner, the devil, caused by the guilt of man.

A strong angel is asking the question, but he himself is not the answer to the question, however powerful he may be. It must be someone who is worthy to do it and who is able to do it, who has the power. The right on the inheritance is therefore about the personal dignity of the heir and about the personal strength to execute the content of it. He Who meets both conditions, dignity and strength, is the Son of Man (Jn 5:27).

Rev 5:3. The voice of the angel is heard everywhere, but no answer comes from anywhere:

1. not from “heaven”, the dwelling place of the chosen angels,

2. not from “the earth”, the dwelling place of men and

3. not from “under the earth”, the residence of other intelligent creatures.

The universe, in all its components (cf. Phil 2:10), does not contain one single creature that can deal with the book. No one is able to do that, no one has the suitable ability (Psa 49:7).

Rev 5:4. When John sees that there is no response to the question of the angel, he bursts into tears and weeps intensely. He weeps, not because he had been looking forward to the judgments, but which now do not pass, as once Jonah was displeased with that (Jona 4:1). No, he weeps, because he cannot bear the thought that evil will reign forever and will not be punished.

Countless people have sought to open the book and bring about the time of blessing. That is still the effort of man. But man himself is part of evil and therefore completely unfit and also incapable to deal with evil in a way that is pleasing to God. Is there really no one who is able to do it? Yes, there is a Man Who meets all God’s holy requirements regarding evil.

Rev 5:5. John is weeping greatly, but not for long. An elder – a glorified believer who has insight in the ways and the counsels of God – says to him not to weep. For there is Someone Who is able to open the book and its seven seals. It is “the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah” about Whom Jacob has prophesied (Gen 49:9-11). As the Lion He is the Ruler. He is also “the Root of David”. He belongs to the royal descendants, He is the true Son of David and has the legal right to reign. He is none other than the Lord Jesus.

He gained His dignity and right by His victory on the cross. There He regained the ownership of creation. There He crushed the head of satan, who by wiles and craftiness has illegally taken possession of creation. He has paid the full ransom and repurchased the whole creation for God. He has the right to open the seals, which is the right of redeeming the earth, in order to purify it from all injustice. He has overcome on the cross and will give shape to that victory in all that He does.

Now read Revelation 5:1-5 again.

Reflection: Have you ever felt that evil is in control and that it seems as if it will never change? When is that? How do you do then?