Rev 5 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Rev 5:1-14: 5:1-14 John introduces the Lamb, Jesus Christ, the central figure of Revelation and God’s chosen agent for accomplishing his purposes. 5:1 The scroll , like a dramatic script, details God’s plan for the world (Ps 139:16 ). • The right hand represents God’s gracious authority and power (see Rev 1:17 , 20 ). • The writing on the inside and the outside means that God’s plans for history are full and complete. • sealed with seven seals: God has put his purposes for history in an impermeable safe (Isa 29:11-12 ; Dan 8:26 ). His purposes will be completed only when the seals are broken (see Rev 5:4 ).

Summary for Rev 5:1-14: 5:1-14 ^a John introduces the Lamb, Jesus Christ, the central figure of Revelation and God’s chosen agent for accomplishing his purposes. 5:1 ^b The scroll, like a dramatic script, details God’s plan for the world (Ps 139:16 ^c).

• The right hand represents God’s gracious authority and power (see Rev 1:17 ^d, 20 ^e).

• The writing on the inside and the outside means that God’s plans for history are full and complete.

• sealed with seven seals: God has put his purposes for history in an impermeable safe (Isa 29:11-12 ^f; Dan 8:26 ^g). His purposes will be completed only when the seals are broken (see Rev 5:4 ^h).
Summary for Rev 5:2-3: 5:2-3 ⁱ At first, no one in the entire universe seemed to have the divine authority or power to answer the angel’s call.
5:4 ^j John wept because even though the revelation had been promised to him, he thought he would be denied knowledge of the divine script—God’s plan for history (4:1 ^k; see 10:4 ^l). John’s weeping highlights the significance of the anticipated revelation.
5:5 ^m Designations for Jesus as the Lion of ... Judah (see Gen 49:9-10 ⁿ) and the heir to David’s throne (see Isa 11:10 ^o) are Old Testament metaphors for the Messiah (see Jer 23:5 ^p; 30:9 ^q; John 7:42 ^r).

• Because Jesus won the victory at the cross (John 16:33 ^s), he is the only one worthy to open the scroll and reveal God’s purposes (Rev 4:11 ^t; 5:2 ^u, 12 ^v). God’s plan for history centers around Jesus and what he has done. His relationship to the scroll indicates his control of history.
5:6 ^w The Jews expected the Messiah to appear as a conquering lion. Instead, Jesus came as a Lamb (John 1:29 ^x, 36 ^y; Acts 8:32-35 ^z; 1 Cor 5:7 ^aa; 1 Pet 1:19 ^ab). The Lamb that had been slaughtered but was now standing refers to Jesus’ death and resurrection.

• The Lamb’s seven horns represent his complete power, and the seven eyes represent his complete knowledge (see Zech 4:10 ^ac). He is also fully related to the perfect Spirit of God (Rev 1:4 ^ad).
5:8 ^ae fell down before the Lamb: The crucified and risen Christ has divine authority to initiate the events of this age; he is fully worthy of worship.

• The prayers of God’s people become a significant basis for the judgments and plagues (6:9-11 ^af; 8:2-5 ^ag).
Summary for Rev 5:9-10: 5:9-10 ^ah The whole created order joins in a new song of praise to the Lamb (cp. 14:1-5 ^ai; Ps 149:1 ^aj; Isa 42:10 ^ak).

• The Lamb is worthy because, through his sacrifice, he won the right to break the seals of the scroll and enact God’s purposes in history.

• The song summarizes the implications of the Good News about Jesus (1 Pet 1:18-25 ^al).
5:10 ^am The description of God’s people as a Kingdom of priests who will enjoy ultimate victory and will reign with Christ reflects the images of Jesus as both King (Rom 1:3 ^an) and High Priest (Heb 6:20 ^ao).
Summary for Rev 5:11-12: 5:11-12 ^ap A huge angelic chorus numbering thousands and millions provides an antiphonal response; all heaven responds to creation’s confession of Christ’s sacrifice.
5:12 ^aq This doxology ascribes to Jesus divine honors that are reserved for God alone (see 4:11 ^ar; 5:13 ^as; 7:12 ^at).
5:13 ^au The second antiphonal response resounds from every creature, even those under the earth (the place of the dead) and in the sea (usually associated with evil), possibly implying a mandatory response even by those in rebellion against God (Isa 45:23-25 ^av; Rom 14:11 ^aw; Phil 2:10-11 ^ax).
5:14 ^ay The dramatic introduction of the Lamb (5:1-14 ^az) closes with the living beings (4:6-9 ^ba). Their Amen affirms the truth of what John had seen, as the twenty-four elders prostrate themselves in worship.